With a string of 100-degree days threatening to bring Texans some of the highest power bills they've ever seen, a Carrollton firm is rolling out a Web site that helps consumers shop for better rates and sign up with providers.
The site, www.chooseenergy.com, is designed for residential and small-business consumers. "Our vision is to be the Travelocity of energy," said Choose Energy president John Bick.
While the Choose Energy site is similar to the Texas Public Utility Commission pricing service at www.powertochoose.org and other Web sites, such as SaveOnEnergy.com and ElectricityTexas.com, it goes a step further.
It shows real-time rates and lets users sign a contract on the site, which takes about five minutes.
The firm was founded last year as a division of Priority Power Management, a Midland-based consulting firm that manages power contracts for large corporations.
"We entered the market at a great time," Mr. Bick said.
Benchmark electricity rates have jumped 24 percent in the last year. Most of the increase is from the rising price of natural gas, which is expected to keep increasing.
"People are going to see the highest bills they've ever seen, so we expect a tremendous amount of volume to start coming on the Web site," Mr. Bick said.
Not everyone is sold on the concept. Warren Patterson, a financial sales representative from Cedar Hill, tried the site but didn't switch providers. Based on Mr. Patterson's $350 electric bill last month, the site showed the best deal would be a switch to First Choice Power, saving him $413 over a year.
But Mr. Patterson and his wife had never heard of First Choice and had reservations about signing with an unknown provider. So the couple stayed with TXU.
It's a different story for electricity providers. Jim Niewald, whose company, Accent Energy, serves commercial clients, said Choose Energy streamlines the sales process. "It's a very cost-effective way for us to reach small commercial clients," he said.
Choose Energy gets a commission for each new customer it sends to providers. The firm has arrangements with nine electricity companies, including Commerce Energy, Green Mountain Energy and First Choice, and it's working on pacts with TXU and other major firms.
It took company staff almost a year to develop a software system that duplicates the feel of a travel site. "We developed the software from the ground up," general manager Jerry Dyess said.