State s power crisis spills into retail market with fewer choices, higher prices
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Frozen utility lines in Austin, Texas, U.S., on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. The crisis that has knocked out power for days to millions of homes and businesses in Texas and across the central U.S. is getting worse, with blackouts expected to last until at least Thursday. Photographer: Thomas Ryan Allison/BloombergThomas Ryan Allison / BloombergShow MoreShow Less
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Residents shovel snow from the street in front of a home in East Austin, Texas, U.S., on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. The crisis that has knocked out power for days to millions of homes and businesses in Texas and across the central U.S. is getting worse, with blackouts expected to last until at least Thursday. Photographer: Thomas Ryan Allison/BloombergThomas Ryan Allison / BloombergShow MoreShow Less
Winter storm: Variable-rate electric contract may mean big bill
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Summer power supplies could decrease electricity prices
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Summer power supplies could decrease electricity prices
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Consumers will likely see lower electricity prices heading into summer after the state-managed power grid signaled that supplies of electricity should be ample enough next summer yet not as robust as previously estimated.Ryan Holeywell / Houston Chronicle
Consumers will likely see lower electricity prices heading into summer after the manager of the state power grid signaled that supplies of electricity should be ample enough in summer though not as robust as previously estimated.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas on Wednesday forecast a 15.5 percent summer power reserve margin, a measure of the cushion between expected supply and demand in the event of exceptionally hot weather, an unexpected spike in demand or unanticipated loss in generating capacity. The reserve margin is nearly 2 percentage points higher than ERCOT’s reserve margin goal of 13.75 percent.
Griddy takes disruption to another multilevel
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Griddy, the California-based wholesale power retailer, entered the Houston market with its daring billboards.Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Griddy, the California-based startup that opened the wholesale electricity market to Texas consumers three years ago, is taking a page from some of its more traditional competitors and will sell power through commission-based networks.
NRG Energy and Vistra, the two biggest power sellers in Texas, recently invested millions of dollars buying companies that rely on multilevel marketing to sell electricity, a sales method more commonly associated with vitamins, household cleaners and nutritional supplements than power. Last year, NRG bought Stream Energy and Vistra bought Ambit Energy, moves that expanded their ability to reach new customers by tapping into networks of friends, families and co-workers.