Expectations for Texas electricity rates

[Caballoflaco]

If anybody wants to really nerd out. All the big weather models that your local forecasters use are available free online at the college of Dupage website. Some are shorter range than if you bought a subscription, but it’s still a great resource that I use weekly to help plan out work when the weather patterns are variable in this area.

https://weather.cod.edu/forecast/legacy/

I’m also lucky to have one of the best local meteorologist in the country in my coverage area and he puts out a good daily forecast blog where he shows the long and short term models he uses to make his tv forecast. That’s becoming more popular with meteorologists, so it might be worthwhile to look for if good forecasts are important for your work or life in general.


I don’t use generalized weather apps/forecasts for anything.

[HeavyDuty]

If anybody wants to really nerd out. All the big weather models that your local forecasters use are available free online at the college of Dupage website. Some are shorter range than if you bought a subscription, but it’s still a great resource that I use weekly to help plan out work when the weather patterns are variable in this area.

https://weather.cod.edu/forecast/legacy/

I’m also lucky to have one of the best local meteorologist in the country in my coverage area and he puts out a good daily forecast blog where he shows the long and short term models he uses to make his tv forecast. That’s becoming more popular with meteorologists, so it might be worthwhile to look for if good forecasts are important for your work or life in general.


I don’t use generalized weather apps/forecasts for anything.

COD is my alma mater. Their WX program is legendary.

[cmbarny2]

The heat and the energy here in N.TX has been driving my electric bill through the roof. With the heat my usage has already been 1.5x last month and we don't really leave anything on ever. My subdivision being straight electricity really screws me though. I moved here in February and my rate is .15 which is atrocious.

[TAZ]

Unfortunately, I cannot offer insight or comment on the current state of the electric utility market in Texas as I haven't worked in the industry since 2005 and I haven't lived in Texas since 2009.

But it has been rather appalling to see what has happened there the last few years. When I worked as a pit foreman in East Texas coal mine it was constantly made crystal clear to us that we were to be safe and but above all else the power was going to stay on. Heat, rain, snow, nuclear attack, Comanche raid, it didn't mater, coal was coming out of the ground and going to the power plant to keeps the lights on. It would have been the same story at the gas plants and the nuclear power.

I guess all those people retired.

Lots of change in that industry in a short amount of time and seemingly not for the better.

Not sure about the retirement thing as the crews I worked with seemed very dedicated in 2019/2020. Changes on the other hand, now that's a different story. How many plants have been shut down because of EPA regs or just simple age? How much money has been available for retrofit, rework of old plant vs money for green crap that doesn't ever work like anticipated. That stuff didnt work as anticipated during the freeze and its not working as anticipated now.

The push to green and not funding classic base load rebuilds, the dramatic increase in population, the dramatic waste of all that tax revenue on hotels for homeless type programs... all combine to make things bad. Its taken years to get here, yet here we are.

[Borderland]

The heat and the energy here in N.TX has been driving my electric bill through the roof. With the heat my usage has already been 1.5x last month and we don't really leave anything on ever. My subdivision being straight electricity really screws me though. I moved here in February and my rate is .15 which is atrocious.

I used to burn a lot of wood for heat in the last century. My neighbor still does. They have some stoves that burn very clean now. We mostly heat with propane now but we also use electricity. It doesn't hurt to have a back up when one source fails or gets too expensive. I'm not sure what our electric bill would be if we used it for heat. We don't have AC. We're paying about 0.10/kwh if I'm reading the bill correctly. Most of our electricity is hydro generated.

[Tensaw]

I used to burn a lot of wood for heat in the last century. My neighbor still does. They have some stoves that burn very clean now. We mostly heat with propane now but we also use electricity. It doesn't hurt to have a back up when one source fails or gets too expensive. I'm not sure what our electric bill would be if we used it for heat. We don't have AC. We're paying about 0.10/kwh if I'm reading the bill correctly. Most of our electricity is hydro generated.

Wood - the original, green, renewable energy! It, literally, grows on trees...

[donaldlove]

I totally get where you're coming from, and it's a tricky situation with electricity rates, especially in Texas. It's one of those things that can be a real rollercoaster, and the uncertainty can be nerve-wracking.

As for the recent price spikes, there have been several factors at play, including increased demand during peak summer months, supply fluctuations, and even regulatory issues. It's tough to predict with absolute certainty what the future holds, but some experts speculate that prices might settle down after the summer season when demand typically eases up a bit. However, it's always a bit of a gamble.

Regarding your contract, locking in a fixed rate can provide peace of mind, especially if you're worried about potential price hikes. It might be worth considering a shorter-term contract if you think rates might decrease in the near future.

Remember, it's all about finding that balance between financial stability and flexibility. Nobody wants to be hit with those sky-high electricity bills, so taking precautions is definitely a wise move.