Electricity Providers

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carlson1
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Re: Electricity Providers

#16

Post by carlson1 »

chamberc wrote: Sun Mar 24, 2019 11:27 am www.energyogre.com

We've got 3 AC's and a pool and it makes a huge difference.
:iagree:

I did this last year for our house and the church. Our church saved a lot of money and we have save quiet a bit. It as a huge difference in our church electric bill.

You can call me lazy, but I am not smart enough nor do I have time to research electric providers. Energy Ogre made it simple.
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Re: Electricity Providers

#17

Post by philip964 »

I’ve now been on Griddy for three weeks. Still the weathers been mild, but the AC is on, but not running flat out.

I’m at about 7.5 cents a KWH all in.

Under the stupid lazy consumer price that Reliant was given me it was 17.5 cents a KWH all in.

So right now I’m very pleased and feeling bad I didn’t join them a year ago when I first heard.

I’m cranking down the AC at night as it’s like 1.8 cents for the power only. It costs like 10 cents an hour to run the AC late at night.

Still nervous as to what happens when demand goes up in the summer. There have been some prices spikes up to 9 cents a KWH on some hot days already.

I’ll keep you posted.
Last edited by philip964 on Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Electricity Providers

#18

Post by MaduroBU »

I love griddy. You are never paying $0.015/kwh, and TDU delivery charges will be 50% or more of your cost per kwh. My rate last month was 11.5/kWh (credit card processing fee added a lot), this month to date is 9.5. I use 300-450 kwh/month in the winter with gas heat and 1000-1300/month from June to September. My year all in with TXU was 0.13/kwh because the cost during my low usage months was near 0.25/kwh.

With griddy, I'm paying $120 a year for the privilege and wholesale+TDU+tax beyond that. I project saving $2-300 per year, but that's with judicious use of power. I'm willing to alter usage to off peak times, which essentially requires a smart thermostat in Texas (your AC compressor is a huge load). If you don't want that hassle, then a regular plan may be better for you.

I don't plan to be with griddy after I build a house. My brother in law is a principal for a competitor without griddy's simple interface but with a lot more in the way of hedging and distributed generation integration (e.g. you have a solar array on your roof connected to a 5-20 kwh battery bank and they use that to push your total average cost per per kwh as low as possible. It's more than I need right now, but it is the way that things are moving.
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RoyGBiv
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Re: Electricity Providers

#19

Post by RoyGBiv »

I'm gonna spend half of my Friday researching this. I'm not sure if I should be happy or angry with you people. :lol:

(thanks!)

Ive been with Cirro for a while now. Rates went up at renewal last year for the first time in memory. I've been pretty diligent about shopping at every renewal.
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RoyGBiv
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Re: Electricity Providers

#20

Post by RoyGBiv »

Looks like I'm already in a good place. The savings from using EnergyOgre.com wouldn't pay for the service, currently, but I'll definitely keep them in mind when it's renewal time. Thanks again! :tiphat:

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Re: Electricity Providers

#21

Post by philip964 »

So I have had Griddy for a month.

9 cents a kWh including their 10 dollar membership fee. I have no contract with Griddy.

I was paying 17.5 cents a kWh or more from Reliant with no contract.

I used 1573 kWh for the month. A light month for me.

I noticed I cranked down the ac at night before bed since it was almost free, turning it back up in the morning.

So my electric bill dropped essentially in half.

I have noticed no change in the quality of my electricity.

It charges my credit card so I won’t be paying those pesky late fees Reliant charged. Plus I will now get airline miles.

I plan to reinstall my smart thermostats (nest) and actively change AC during the day to maximize cheap electric rates and do some peak shaving during the summer.

Still no telling what rates will be in August.

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Re: Electricity Providers

#22

Post by philip964 »

So I have been with Griddy for I guess 5 months now.

Every month I have saved at least 50% off my previous provider which was Reliant with no contract, paying 17.8 cents per KWh. So my all in cost has been 7.8 to 9 cents.

With Griddy I have no hedge I’m paying wholesale spot price.

With the hot weather in August my prices have gone up to average 15 to 19 cents all in for August.

However yesterday at 2pm that changed. The price over that hour averaged 420 cents per KWh.

That may be some kind of record.

When August ends I will let you know the final tally.

I had disconnected the smart thermostats, but I plan on hooking them back up so I can control the temperature from my phone.

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Re: Electricity Providers

#23

Post by MaduroBU »

I'm on Griddy and my current August tally is $0.086/kWh all in for August. I live in a 1950s era rental house in Houston where my landlord chopped down 4 100+ year old oaks in the front and back leaving literally zero shade. I put 6 bags of AtticCat in the ceiling and hooked up a smart thermostat which has helped a ton.

I kill the power between noon and 5pm, which means that even in the dog days of summer I'm buying wholesale at $0.03/kWh or less. I cite my example as a sort of worst case due to 1) awful construction 2) lack of control over a variety of important factors, wherein a few relatively cheap interventions have made a huge difference.

One day I'm going to build a house that will make me $50 per day during times like these, but I'm not there yet.
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SQLGeek
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Re: Electricity Providers

#24

Post by SQLGeek »

I had Griddy from end of April until last Saturday. The prices were decent until August hit and then things went to absolute pot with the price spikes.

Aug 1 - 9 our rate was 16.6 cents per kWh. We paid $106.50 on 643 kWh. Seeing the writing on the wall for the rest of the month, I found www.awesomepowertexas.com through some research. They use your smart meter information from your TDU to recommend the best power plan for you.

I found a 6 month contract for 8.9 cents per kWh and jumped at it. I figured we were going to clear $300 for the month if not higher if we stayed with Griddy. We may pay a little more in the cooler months but I doubt it'll be much more.

And I have to admit, the $2.75 per credit card fee and pre paying the electricity were both pretty annoying. Budgeting a month in arrears is easier for me it seems.

I'd be curious to hear what some of your average rates are in the cool months.
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Re: Electricity Providers

#25

Post by GeekwithaGun »

Griddy is advertising they charge you wholesale rates plus the $10 "member fee", is the per/kwh you are quoting including that fee?

SQL Geek, did they hook you at a lower rate then at renewal time jack it up twice the price?
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Re: Electricity Providers

#26

Post by philip964 »

GeekwithaGun wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:29 pm Griddy is advertising they charge you wholesale rates plus the $10 "member fee", is the per/kwh you are quoting including that fee?

SQL Geek, did they hook you at a lower rate then at renewal time jack it up twice the price?
Yes all in.

Btw spot prices just hit 899 cents per KWh

I may pay a whole months worth of electricity just today.

Live by no hedge, die by no hedge.
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SQLGeek
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Re: Electricity Providers

#27

Post by SQLGeek »

GeekwithaGun wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:29 pm SQL Geek, did they hook you at a lower rate then at renewal time jack it up twice the price?
Who? My current provider I just signed up with? Certainly possible, I'll see at renewal. I always shop for the best rate when my contract is up though and rarely stay with a provider unless they are the cheapest.

With Griddy you're at the mercy of the wholesale market. Right now that's a very bad thing. Last Friday, I paid over $17 just in wholesale electric costs.

If you can't scale back your usage during the peak times, then you're going to pay dearly in this heat. My wife and kids are home pretty much throughout the summer so there's not a whole lot we can do to reduce usage in peak times other than making sure not to do laundry or wash dishes.
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Re: Electricity Providers

#28

Post by philip964 »

SQLGeek wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:43 pm
GeekwithaGun wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:29 pm SQL Geek, did they hook you at a lower rate then at renewal time jack it up twice the price?
Who? My current provider I just signed up with? Certainly possible, I'll see at renewal. I always shop for the best rate when my contract is up though and rarely stay with a provider unless they are the cheapest.

With Griddy you're at the mercy of the wholesale market. Right now that's a very bad thing. Last Friday, I paid over $17 just in wholesale electric costs.

If you can't scale back your usage during the peak times, then you're going to pay dearly in this heat. My wife and kids are home pretty much throughout the summer so there's not a whole lot we can do to reduce usage in peak times other than making sure not to do laundry or wash dishes.
I precooled the house to 70 degrees and then with only one bullet to fire, raised the thermostat at 2:30 pm with prices at 400 plus cents per KWh. By 3:30 the price was 800 plus cents per KWh, so I raised the 2 nd floor thermostat some more. I will be curious to see the results tomorrow.

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Re: Electricity Providers

#29

Post by philip964 »

philip964 wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:35 pm
GeekwithaGun wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:29 pm Griddy is advertising they charge you wholesale rates plus the $10 "member fee", is the per/kwh you are quoting including that fee?

SQL Geek, did they hook you at a lower rate then at renewal time jack it up twice the price?
Yes all in.

Btw spot prices just hit 899 cents per KWh

I may pay a whole months worth of electricity just today.

Live by no hedge, die by no hedge.
When I’m quoting 7 or 8 or 17.8 that’s everything including Griddy membership. When I’m saying 899 cents per KWh that’s just wholesale electric cost.

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Re: Electricity Providers

#30

Post by philip964 »

https://www.click2houston.com/news/loca ... -heat-wave

Griddy made the news. One poor customer has only been with them 8 days.

Right now for August I am at 30 cents per Kwh. Again yesterday wholesale prices went to 900 cents per Kwh.

What maybe is not being talked about is that the other electric providers are taking the hit. So if you signed up with someone for 9 cents, they are paying the 900 cents right now. As we know, businesses have to make a profit, at some point they have to raise prices for new customers or do something.
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