Direct Energy will start offering Texas consumers some of its energy deals on the Choose Energy website (www.ChooseEnergy.com).  

Since Direct Energy is one of the larger firms catering to small business and residential customers, Choose Energy General Manager Jerry Dyess sees the move as a big win.

“Adding Direct Energy to our site is a big step for Choose Energy in our mission to become recognized as the most trusted advocate in helping Texans control their energy costs,” said Dyess.

Choose Energy lets consumers view what they would actually pay by entering the kWh used from their last bill, Dyess told us yesterday.

The web-based marketing service and firm is owned by Priority Power Management, a firm focused on serving the C&I market.

ChooseEnergy.com launched last summer.

Consumers can sign up for plans on the site without leaving it, making switching to a competitive supplier an easy four-or-five step process.

The website markets itself with ads in print, radio, and on TV and it provides marketers with some benefits.

Retail providers can log in and update their plans without going through the site’s office and they can check to see whether new customers signed on.

Websites such as ChooseEnergy.com will grow as the industry becomes more restructured -- since they offer an easy one-stop-shop for picking a provider, said Dyess.

His firm plans to expand into markets beyond Texas soon since some – such as New York – have vibrant marketplaces, too.

Direct plans on offering two of the most aggressive plans in the Texas market: the Price Protection Plan with a guaranteed flat rate for a year and its Prevention Plus Plan that rolls heating and cooling maintenance into power bills.