ABOUT STARTEX POWER
Where are you based?
StarTex is based in Houston, with an office in Dallas Texas.
What can you tell me about the management team of StarTex Power?
About us
DEREGULATION FACTS
What does deregulation mean?
Deregulation is the opening of a market to competition in a previously regulated industry. Or as some might put it, it's yanking the rug out from under the monopolies. Thanks to Texas Senate Bill 7, as of January 1, 2002, the electricity industry was deregulated in Texas, giving you the opportunity to purchase energy from any provider you choose. Which gives you the opportunity to save some serious money, as well. Deregulation in our industry is occurring nationwide on a state-by-state basis.
What changed when deregulation began?
The large monopolies that previously existed were forced to split into smaller, specific entities. These new entities are completely independent of each other, and share no common employees, offices or computer systems. Typically they divided three ways, each new company did one of the following tasks: Generation (making the electricity in bulk), Transmission and Distribution (transporting the electricity from the generator to your home or business and Retail (buying the bulk electricity and selling to you as an individual- billing each customer for the power they use). Other companies formed at this time to compete for the retail portion of this process; allowing you the consumer to choose your power provider, without needing to worry about how the power gets to your home or the reliability of the service.
Who is involved in providing my power now that Texas is deregulated?
There are four entities directly involved in this process: Generation – The entity responsible for producing the electricity. Transmission and Distribution Service Provider ("TDSP") - The local wires and poles company that is responsible for making sure that you get power at your home or business. They are also responsible for performing on-site….Your TDSP is determined by your location within Texas. For example, if you live in Houston, your meter is read by Centerpoint. Centerpoint is responsible for servicing your needs no matter who you choose as your Retail Electric Provider. Retail Electric Provider – StarTex Power is a Retail Electric Provider, registered with the state of Texas and the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Retail Electric Providers buy power from Generators and sell it to end use customers. They are also responsible for generating your bill every month and handling your customer service items. Regulatory Bodies – The Public Utility Commission of Texas (“PUCT”) is charged with protecting the consumers of Texas and ensuring that customers are being treated fairly by all of those involved. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (“ERCOT”) is responsible for “Keeping the Lights On” in Texas
There are so many acronyms! What do they mean?
The electricity industry is full of acronyms. Here are few described for you. If you have any others that you are not sure of please call our customer service team who would be happy to help. kWH = Kilowatt Hour Electricity is measured in units called kWh, your energy cost is your energy rate multiplied by the number of kWh you have used. kVa / kW = Demand kVa (Kilovolt Amperes) or kW (Kilowatts) is typically measured by meters attached to commercial properties and measures the peak amount of power needed by that customer at any given time. TDSP = Transmission and Distribution Service Provider This is your local metering company (in Houston this is CenterPoint Energy and in Dallas it is Oncor). These guys are responsible for getting the power to you, maintaining the power grid, and doing the onsite work such as installing and reading meters and responding to power outages. ESI = Electric Service Identifier Like a VIN number on a car, an ESI is linked to a meter point, and will identify that point forever (the ESI does not change when someone moves in or out of the property or when a meter is changed or removed). This is the most full-proof way for a provider to identify your home or business. PUC = Public Utility Commission (of Texas) This is the body that makes the rules that the electricity industry in Texas must follow. From Generation, through delivery to the REPs, we must understand the rules and regulations provided for us by the PUC and follow them. The PUC has the authority to review any part of the industry and also to take almost any action it sees fit to correct any breach in these regulations.
How can I read my own meter?
Read the dials from right to left. The right hand dial must make a full revolution before the dial to the left of it can move one space. Write down the number that the pointer has just passed, not the number that it is moving towards. If the pointer appears to be directly on a number, the only way to be sure it has reached that number is whether the dial to the right has completed its revolution or passed zero. Write the numbers down from right to left, to get the total kilowatt-hours registered on the meter. To determine usage for the month, subtract the previous month’s reading from this month’s reading.
How can I make my home more energy efficient?
Visit StarTex Green here!
Where can I learn more about energy and energy-related topics where the information is presented in a way that is easy to understand?
Energy Explained, a web portal provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), explains where gasoline comes from, what determines the price of electricity, how much renewable energy the United States uses, and hundreds of other energy topics. Visit Energy Explained here.
WAYS TO CONNECT TO STARTEX POWER
Should I choose a move-in or a switch?
If you are just moving into a new property and the power is due to be newly in your name at this address, you should select Move-In. If the power is currently in your name at this address, with another provider, your options are Self Selected Switch or Standard Switch.
Should I choose a Standard Switch or a Self Selected Switch?
Select Standard Switch if you are not on a contract or if your current contract is about to expire in the next 10 days. This type of switch will typically take 3 to 7 business days. Select Self Selected Switch if you are in a contract with your current provider and would like to schedule a specific business day to schedule your switch. Please note that a Self Selected Switch date may not be scheduled for more than 30 calendar days in advance from date of enrollment request. Switch and Move-in fees are as follows:
Will you check my credit?
As a part of the enrollment process we do check your payment history with other utility providers. Although this check is done through a national credit agency, we do not see or base our decision on your credit score. Our Utility History Check does not affect your credit or appear as a credit review on your history. This does mean that if you have never had utilities in your name before we may ask for a deposit, or recommend a different product for you.
Help! I have always paid my bills on time but your website says I need to pay a deposit!
It is possible that some of the information provided during enrollment was typed incorrectly. We recommend you start by clicking the back button on your browser to check the details, especially your birthdate, social security number, and spelling of your full name. If everything is correct and we are still asking for a deposit, it is possible that your previous energy provider did not submit your payment history. The easiest way to correct this is to call them and ask for a Letter Of Credit. They will send you a letter (often you can request this be sent by fax for the sake of speed) which shows your payment history; we would be happy to accept this letter in place of an agency history.
Where can I get a copy of your contract terms and conditions?
At the beginning of the sign-up process your are asked to select a product. There is a link here that allows you to see all terms and conditions for that product. If you already have an account, and are trying to get a copy of the Terms and Conditions for your account please contact our Customer Service team (you can e-mail or call), who would be happy to provide a copy by e-mail, fax or mail.
If I select a contract, is there a fee for cancellation?
It depends upon the product you choose. If you decide to go month-to-month there is no fee. If you select a fixed term contract and cancel your agreement before the term, there may be a fee involved. We always recommend that you read the Terms of Service and ask our friendly Customer Service team any questions you may have prior to signing up.
I am moving in to my new home in less than 3 business days, why can’t I get power sooner?
When you request a new move in, we typically process that order and send it out for completion the same day (possibly the following business morning if your order was submitted late in the afternoon or out of hours). However, in order to physically come out an read/connect your meter, we have to make an appointment with your local metering company (your TDSP) and they require at least 3 business days notice to perform this task. Since the TDSP that services you is decided by where in Texas your meter is located, this timescale does not shorten regardless of which provider you choose (some other providers add their processing time to this 3 day window so they may quote a longer turn-around time).
Why do you need my Social Security Number (SSN)?
As mentioned at the beginning of this section, although we do not check your credit, we do review your payment history with other providers. We use your SSN# as a unique reference to identify you in these records. Please be assured that once this is provided on our secure website, it is not visible to any Customer Service operator or visibly stored in your account information.
What is this Pass-Through Charge on my first invoice?
The Pass-Through charges you may see, typically on a first invoice are normally the connection fees from the local metering company. If you select a new move in when you enroll (where you are allowed to select your own service start date), you are requesting that the local metering company send out a representative on that day to read the meter and switch it on if needed. The PassThrough Charge is the fee that the metering company charges you for sending out that representative outside of the of the normal monthly schedule.
ABOUT ONLINE ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT/ ONLINE PAYMENTS
How do I sign up for an online account?
Click the “My Account” link to the upper left of this FAQ page. Then click on "New User" in the upper right corner of the new window. You will be asked to create a logon and identify yourself, and then you are all set!
How do I pay my bill online?
Click the “My Account” link to the upper left of this FAQ page. Once you are logged into your online account, you can simply click the “Pay Balance” link you find there.
What can I do with an online account?
You can do several things, including: Check your balance; pay your bill; pull up PDF images of your past invoices and setup and edit recurring payments.
What forms of payment do you accept?
You can pay by Visa, Mastercard or electronic check. Naturally you can also mail us a check or money order too.
Can I go somewhere to make a payment in cash?
Yes. You can make a cash payment in any Ace Cash Express storefront. You will pay a convenience fee directly to Ace for this form of payment. To locate the Ace Cash Express Store nearest to you, click HERE
What is a CVV?
The CVV can be found on the back of your debit or credit card, on the white signature strip.
You will see 7 digits printed in black. The first four digits will match the last four digits of your main card number on the front of the card, and we need the last 3 of these digits. For example, if I look at the back of my card and the number on the white strip reads 0202934, then I would need to enter 934.
How do I change or renew my contract?
To renew your contract or view current products, please click here. You may submit a request to renew your contract no sooner than 45 days prior to your existing contract expiration date. Your current contract information can be found on the back, top left side of your monthly billing statement. For your protection, we are not able to accept account modifications by electronic mail. Please call one of our knowledgeable Customer Service Representatives directly at 1-866-917-8271 to discuss your options.
WHAT DO I DO DURING A POWER OUTAGE?
My power has gone out, who should I call?
You may contact StarTex Power 24 hours a day or you may contact your local metering company. Either way, the outage will be registered and if the outage is already known they will normally be able to give you an estimated time for completion. The contact phone numbers are listed on your invoice. They are also here for your reference:
Should I call my metering company, or StarTex Power?
While you are welcome to call us, and we can report the outage for you, we recommend you call your local metering provider directly, they will often be able to give you an idea of the reason for the outage, and an estimated time for correction.
CONTACT US
How to Contact StarTex Power
So, is it really a good idea to switch to StarTex Power?
YES.
