Many Choices, not all Good Choices

If you live in Katy Texas you have a choice of over 50 different electric providers in this Houston area city. Not all electric providers have what we would consider to be ethical treatment of their customers. The laws and regulations in the state of Texas and the PUCT allow for clever gimmicks and contract terms and conditions that are used to mislead electric service customers. Some providers have in the past and still do add hidden fees under the TDSP (transmission and distribution service provider charges) The reason electric providers in Katy Texas will use this area to add their hidden fees is because the TDSP charges are supposed to be fixed for residential rates as well as non-negotiable with a 1 to 1 pass through basis with commercial electric rates. Even though TDSP charges change each month with commercial rates they still should be passed through without any markup or additional fees. Some providers will take out some charges out of the “energy only” part of the rate and add it under the TDSP line item to make it seem that they are a part of the non-negotiable charges (similar to a state tax on gasoline). Everyone knows you have to pay the taxes and there is no way out of it and this is beginning to be understood by consumers when it comes to the TDSP charges on an electric rate.

TDSP Charges, Commercial and Residential

When it comes to Katy Texas residential electric rates the TDSP charges should be fixed and locked up which is unlike a commercial electric rate where the TDSP charges change each month base don usage. The reason electric companies can fix the TDSP charges is because the usage is more easily estimated for a residential home. Most households in Texas use about 1,700 kwh a month in electric usage. Because the electric companies in Katy Texas know this they can fix these charges and add them to the “energy only” rate to give you an all in electric rate that includes every charges. Some providers will deviate from this standard way of advertising an all in fixed rate and quote you an “energy only” Katy electric rate that does not include the additional TDSP charges. This is typical for a commercial account since the TDSP charges are not readily known but is somehwat misleading for a residential electric rate.

Past Unethical Treatment of Energy Customers

An electric provider we know of in the past, for awhile would stipulate that their electric rate was subject to change at anytime do to fuel charge prices. So if natural gas goes up which is the fuel used to create electricity in Texas then your fixed electric rate would be subject to change. The legal language immediately starts to sound contradictory. If the Katy Texas electric rate you signed up for was advertised as a fixed rate then why does it change? This is the legal argument many customers made against a recent electricity company in Katy Texas and multiple commercial businesses settled out of court at some undisclosed settlement with this energy company in Katy. There weren’t any legal cases we could find that were from residential customers most likely because the Public Utility Commission handles residential and small business customers issues without the use of the court systems.

File Your Complaint with the PUCT

If you are a residential electric service customer in Katy Texas and have been victimized by an unethical electric provider in Katy Texas you simply have to file a complaint with the PUCT and they will take it from there. If you do wish to file a complaint be sure to provide as much evidence as possible, like advertisements, bills and write out a detailed description of what the electric company did to you. You can then fax all of this information to:

PUCT Complaints

Call: 1-888-782-8477 or in Austin 512-936-7120 (TTY 1-800-735-2988)
Fax: 1-512-936-7003