Take Control, Slim Down Your Energy Bill

Imagine a high-tech box installed at your house with the ‘smarts’ to show exactly how much energy you’re using - and when.

Well it’s here, but most people call it a ‘Smart Meter’. The sleek white meters track every kilowatt hour - by the hour - to allow for more more detailed billing. And customers who pay attention are saving cash.

“It really helps me manage my electricity at home,” says Belinda Lopez of Mesquite. “I wish my gas and water providers could do that, too!”

So far, Oncor Electric Delivery has installed about 1.8 million of the advanced meters across the state. The company plans to install 3.4 million in Texas by the end of 2012.

Each device sends wireless data to the appropriate retail energy provider. Some energy companies are passing that data along in an effort to educate homeowners and create a more energy-conscious consumer base.

"It’s a technology that gives Texans a lot more information about their consumption habits,” says Brian Hayduk, president of Irving-based First Choice Power. “We want our customers to understand as much as possible about their electricity footprint so that they can be better stewards of the power grid.”

First Choice Power allows customers with Smart Meter technology the option of receiving daily phone calls or e-mails with usage and account balance updates. The service is part of a prepaid energy plan called Control First™.

Belinda Lopez has been on the program for almost two months. “I get an e-mail and a text to my phone,” she says. “The reminders help me pay attention.

Customers can even watch the numbers roll first-hand if they choose to step outside their homes and see the Smart Meters in action. Either way, Hayduk says homeowners who tap the Smart Meter technology are controlling their home energy usage and saving an average of 10% to 15% each month.

“It’s sort of like losing weight by counting calories,” says Hayduk. “The more you know, the better decisions you make.”

The Control First™ service also allows new customers to sign up for service with no credit check, no contract or deposit. Customer can decide precisely how much and when they will pay the company, and that amount is automatically credited to their account.