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Post by Bob Liu on Jan 1, 2024 10:21:02 GMT -6
You can discuss any topic related to Texas electricity in 2024 here.
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Post by Bob Liu on Jan 3, 2024 7:46:56 GMT -6
Thank you, Jonathan. Spams have been removed.
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 17, 2024 9:56:14 GMT -6
Due to a website issue at APG&E, its “Energy Charge” is currently marked as “unavailable” as of 2/17/2024.
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 17, 2024 15:07:05 GMT -6
Update: “Energy Charge” is now available.
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 20, 2024 21:59:05 GMT -6
My current 12-month plan: * expires on March 6, 2024 * rate is 6.5121 ¢/kWh
The recent trend table shows: * 12-month long-term rates are consistently higher. * 3-month short-term rates are lowering fast.
I called Frontier and Just. Now they only allow up to 2 months to start a new plan. This is the adjusted strategy to this up-to-2-mon norm: 1. Switch to a 3-month plan. 2. Wait 1 month, and switch to another plan starting 2 months later. 3. Bite the bullet in September.
I’ll post which and when I’m switching.
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jonathan
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Post by jonathan on Feb 20, 2024 22:04:07 GMT -6
Thanks Bob. We're on the same BKV plan, although my contract end is towards the end of March. Nonetheless I had the same observation as you regarding the 3-month trend. I look forward to your decision.
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 20, 2024 22:59:56 GMT -6
Jonathan, last year’s trend is summarized as follows: * Short-term plan rates increased towards the end of April. * They also ended 3 months later, towards the end of September. It’s a tradeoff.
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 21, 2024 12:29:50 GMT -6
In the past two years, rates began dropping around mid-September.
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 22, 2024 12:08:05 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 23, 2024 10:43:32 GMT -6
The objective is to balance the “tradeoff”. I want to get a good rate in late April before (or right after) it goes up, so it’d delay ending the plan in late September.
Assuming no unexpected surprises, here’s the approach I’m considering: (Let’s assume I switch again on 4/22/2024.) * On 4/22/2024, start a 3-month plan 2 months later from 6/22/2024 to 9/22/2024. * Fill the gap between 5/22/2024 (APG&E-expiration) and 6/22/2024, with month-by-month plans. (The table shows 2023 month-by-month rates available during that period.)
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Post by Don on Feb 24, 2024 14:03:53 GMT -6
Hi Bob,
I very much appreciate all the work you put into the electricity shopping exercise. You probably are aware that ERCOT doesn’t send out switch notices any more (according to a rep I spoke with at TX PUC). Oddly, ERCOT (whom I emailed and who are very hard to contact) indicates they still send them out. In any case I did not receive one the last time I switched companies. This disconcerted me as I was worried that something had fallen thru the cracks. In the end everything went well as usual. Just a heads up for others who may be expecting the ERCOT switch notice postcard as I had been. Also would you share where you obtain the data that indicates the weekly electricity rates as per example from your recent posts dated 2/20 and 2/21/24?
Regards,
Don
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 24, 2024 20:16:16 GMT -6
Hi Don,
“You probably are aware that ERCOT doesn’t send out switch notices any more (according to a rep I spoke with at TX PUC).”
My new energy provider, APG&E, just emailed me on 2/22/2024 saying,
“You will receive a postcard from ERCOT notifying you of your switch to APG&E.”
Let’s see if I’ll receive it, or not.
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 24, 2024 20:28:56 GMT -6
Hi Don,
“Also would you share where you obtain the data that indicates the weekly electricity rates as per example from your recent posts dated 2/20 and 2/21/24?”
Post dated 2/20/24: It was about 2023 short-term plan rates from 02/24/2023 to 05/12/2023. They are in: * ptc-weekly.boards.net/thread/71/suggestions-2023 I searched from 02/24/2023 3-month plan, Just - Autopay PTC Plan - 3, Energy Charge: 3.8 ¢/kWh. All the way to 05/12/2023 3-month plan, Amigo - PTC Autopay Plan - 3, Energy Charge: 5.3 ¢/kWh.
Post dated 2/21/24: It was about 2022 and 2023 3-month Plan Rates in September and October. They are in: * 2022: ptc-weekly.boards.net/thread/59/suggestion-2022 * 2023: ptc-weekly.boards.net/thread/71/suggestions-2023 I searched the same way as the previous one.
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 24, 2024 20:45:39 GMT -6
I myself had to think it through carefully before writing it out. Please don't hesitate to ask questions for clarification.
Bob
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Post by Don on Feb 25, 2024 11:43:26 GMT -6
Hi Bob,
I see where the data was derived. Thanks for showing the trending in prices thru the year. It certainly helps in planning provider changes. Keep up the great work!
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Post by Bob Liu on Feb 26, 2024 19:47:12 GMT -6
Hi Don,
I received the ERCOT notifying postcard today, 2/26/2024.
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 16, 2024 15:19:51 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 19, 2024 10:25:13 GMT -6
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jonathan
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Post by jonathan on Mar 19, 2024 10:29:17 GMT -6
Perfect timing for me, thanks Bob! I just signed up with a start date of July 2! I am looking forward to 8.7c during July, August, and September!
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 19, 2024 20:12:03 GMT -6
Good for you, Jonathan. I enrolled with Smart Energy today too.
My Smart’s plan will start on 7/25/2024. This is my reason. After careful calculation, I found a way to squeeze in another 3-month plan between current APG&E and Smart (with 14-day early no-penalty cancellation). I haven't decided which one it’ll be yet.
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 22, 2024 12:13:37 GMT -6
3 days after enrolling with Smart Energy, I contacted them to follow up on my account setup.
The rep verified my information but was unable to explain the delay in activating my account. He reported the issue, and I should hear back from Smart Energy within a day, as the rep said.
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 23, 2024 12:38:15 GMT -6
Payless Power Postpaid plan disappeared. It reappears from time to time.
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 23, 2024 14:10:27 GMT -6
I called Smart Energy again today, 3/23/2024 Saturday. The same rep answered my call. They’ll respond to me by email on Monday, 3/25/2024, as the rep said.
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 25, 2024 16:17:01 GMT -6
Today, 3/25/2024 Monday, I called Smart Energy again, 2 hours prior to the closing time of their customer service.
I was told that my online enrollment was not processed correctly. And we had to repeat the enrollment process, this time over the phone. Interestingly, they had no issue with my start date of 7/25/2024. Following the call, I received another “Welcome” email again like my last time.
Let’s see what will happen this time.
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jonathan
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Post by jonathan on Mar 26, 2024 9:53:45 GMT -6
I got a little concerned after your post, so I called myself today as well. The rep confirmed my web enrollment was successful on his end, however, it will NOT be processed because the start date is beyond 25 days from now. The rep confirmed their website has a problem in that it is allowing future signup beyond 25 days, and although my enrollment was accepted, the rep could not guarantee that my service will actually start with Smart Energy on July 2. So Bob you seem to have gotten lucky with your phone rep, or they changed their policy after your call! LOL
I also asked the rep if Smart Energy would be reaching out to other customers who have signed up via their website and had selected a start date beyond 25 days to let them know of their error, and he had no idea or ability to respond. He put me on hold (again) but I gave up waiting for him to reply.
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 26, 2024 11:29:35 GMT -6
Thanks for your reply, Jonathan.
My issue remains unresolved at this point. The situation is uncertain right now. There's still time before mid-April, so I'll wait a few days to see if there are any updates.
I think this is true to both of us: our enrollments are received. But the account is not set up yet.
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 26, 2024 15:19:15 GMT -6
I’ve received an email from Smart Energy, it said, “We have reviewed your request and confirmed that you signed up to start service by July 2024, unfortunately we are unable to process enrollments for account starting in more than 30 days from the enrollment date. You may resubmit your enrollment for a closer date or wait until we're closer to July.”
OK, we tried. : )
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 26, 2024 20:53:22 GMT -6
Now the “targeted” plan is “Payless - PTC 3 Month - Prepaid”. It allows the start date to be 3 months from now. The date I make the switch will be someday from 4/1/2024 to 4/15/2024. (Let’s assume I switch on 4/1/2024.):
* On 4/1/2024, start 3 months later from 7/1/2024 to 10/1/2024. * Fill the gap between my current plan expiration date and 7/1/2024, with month-by-month plans.
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jonathan
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Post by jonathan on Mar 26, 2024 20:57:29 GMT -6
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Post by Bob Liu on Mar 26, 2024 22:05:13 GMT -6
If we have many options, don’t pick a prepaid plan.
But if there’s only one good plan that can start 3 months later, we have no better choice. : )
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