FAQs for Texas

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• Enrolling with First Choice Power

  • What if I change my mind after I switch to First Choice Power?

    When you switch to First Choice Power, you have the right to change your mind (rescind your terms of service statement) without penalty or fee of any kind within three federal business days after receiving the terms of service...

  • How do I enroll with First Choice Power?

    Enrolling for service with First Choice Power is simple! You can:

    • Visit our Electricity Plans Page and enter your service address to see available rates in your area; or
    • Call 1-855-534-3881 (730am - 8pm, Monday-Saturday) to speak with a friendly Customer Service representative for assistance

    If you're signing up for service with us at a new address, congrats on your new home! It can take up to 3 business days to for you to become our customer, so be sure to sign up for service so your power starts on the day you move in!

    If you're switching to us at your current address, thanks for choosing First Choice Power! It can take up to 7 days for you to become our customer, and you won't experience any service interruptions during the switch! Once you become our customer, you normally receive your first bill within 4-6...

  • Can I enroll with First Choice Power if I am on a contract with another energy company?

    Certainly! We love having new customers choose us over their current company!

    However, we do recommend that you contact your current company to ask about your contract expiration date and to learn about cancellation policies for switching to First Choice Power. We don't want your experience with us to start off on the wrong foot if you have fees from your old company frustrating...

  • What happens when I switch to First Choice Power?

    When you switch to First Choice Power, the following steps occur:

    • First, you'll receive notification from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) confirming your switch.
    • Next, you'll get a welcome kit from First Choice Power with details on your pricing, Terms of Service statement, and other details.
    • A standard switch from one Retail Electricity Provider to another typically takes 3-7 business days to complete.
    • You will not experience any loss of power during this...

    • Will I get the same level of reliability if I switch to First Choice Power?

      Yes! The utility company for your area (also called your Transmission and Distribution Service Provider, or TDSP) will continue to read your meter, maintain the poles and wires, and respond to power outages. You won't experience any change in the reliability of your service. As your Texas Retail Electricity Provider, First Choice Power will be responsible for providing your electricity rate, billing, and customer...

  • Switching to First Choice Power

    • What if I change my mind after I switch to First Choice Power?

      When you switch to First Choice Power, you have the right to change your mind (rescind your terms of service statement) without penalty or fee of any kind within three federal business days after receiving the terms of service...

    • What happens when I switch to First Choice Power?

      When you switch to First Choice Power, the following steps occur:

      • First, you'll receive notification from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) confirming your switch.
      • Next, you'll get a welcome kit from First Choice Power with details on your pricing, Terms of Service statement, and other details.
      • A standard switch from one Retail Electricity Provider to another typically takes 3-7 business days to complete.
      • You will not experience any loss of power during this...

      • Will I get the same level of reliability if I switch to First Choice Power?

        Yes! The utility company for your area (also called your Transmission and Distribution Service Provider, or TDSP) will continue to read your meter, maintain the poles and wires, and respond to power outages. You won't experience any change in the reliability of your service. As your Texas Retail Electricity Provider, First Choice Power will be responsible for providing your electricity rate, billing, and customer...

    • Switch Holds

      • What is an Affidavit of Landlord?

        If you don't have a lease agreement, get your landlord to notarize the Affidavit of Landlord. This states your proof of residency at the premise and confirms that the landlord is not responsible for the previous occupant's charges. We will provide you with a blank Affidavit of Landlord form when we send you the New Occupancy Statement (NOS) form to complete.

        If you can't get the Affidavit of Landlord notarized, please give us either a copy of your entire lease agreement or a copy of your electric bill from your previous premise dated within the last 2 months. Both these documents must include your name on the agreement, or the person enrolling for...

      • How will I know if Switch Hold was removed?

        When your switch hold has been removed, your account with us will be noted with this information, and your service with us will be connected.

        We do ask that you do not contact your utility company with questions about the Switch Hold. Please call us at 1-855-534-3881 or e-mail us at FirstChoicePower@directenergy.com for an update. Please allow us time to receive your...

      • Why was the removal of the Switch Hold denied?

        Most likely, the Switch Hold at your service address wasn't removed because there is an association between you and the previous occupant of the service address. This is determined by the New Occupancy Statement (NOS) form and the supporting...

      • How do I get a New Occupancy Statement (NOS) form?

        It's simple - we'll give you one!

        To ask for a NOS to prove you're a new resident at your service address (and not the person who's late paying bills), please send an e-mail to enrollment.exceptions@directenergy.com...

      • What is a Switch Hold?

        A Switch Hold can be placed on your service by either a Retail Energy Provider (REP, or the electricity company you signed up with) for an outstanding bill (often from the prior tenant) or by the Transmission and Distribution Service Provider (TDSP, or the utility company for your area) due to meter tampering.

        The purpose of a Switch Hold is to make sure the person responsible for the bills at your service address pays any/all outstanding charges before switching to a new REP. The Switch Hold will remain in place until the specified charges have been paid.

        If you experience a Switch Hold issue during your enrollment process, it may be because the previous occupant left without paying his or her bills. To remove the Switch Hold, you will need to prove you're a new resident at that address, and not the person with the overdue bills. Only then will the TDSP or the previous REP remove the Switch Hold so you can keep signing up with us.

        To learn how to remove a Switch Hold, please visit this...

    • Deposits

      • Do I need to pay a deposit?

        You might not have to pay a deposit at all!

        If you are asked to pay a deposit for service with First Choice Power, the amount it based upon our credit requirements and the credit check we perform when you sign up.

        If a deposit is due, we must receive the deposit as soon as possible but no later than fifteen (15) days or we will cancel your request for service. To pay the deposit online, we accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover and payment from bank account (additional fees may apply).

        After you pay the deposit, it will returned to you with interest after twelve (12) consecutive on-time bill payments. If you leave First Choice Power, the deposit with interest, minus any outstanding balance will be returned to you within 6-8 weeks after you switch away from...

      • Do you waive the deposit?

        You may be eligible to have First Choice Power waive the deposit requirement if you meet one of the following criteria:

        62 or older
        If you are 62 years of age or older, please send us a copy of your or your spouse's driver's license or state ID. You must not have any overdue electricity payments.

        Victim of domestic violence
        If you are a victim of domestic violence as recognized by the Texas Council on Family Violence, you can send us a completed and signed certification letter from the Texas Council on Family Violence to confirm your status.

        Letter of credit
        If you have been a residential customer of any retail electric provider or an electric utility within the last two years and were not late paying a bill more than once in the last 12 months, please contact your current electricity provider to provide a letter of credit on your behalf.

        Letter of guarantee
        A letter of guarantee is a letter from someone who is already a current First Choice Power customer in good standing and who will act as a guarantor for your First Choice Power account.

        Medically indigent
        If you are considered medically indigent as certified by a government entity or government-funded energy assistance program provider and physician, please provide us with documentation.

        For any of the situations above, you can send us your information by:
        

        • Fax at 1-866-791-4331, Attn. Deposit Waiver
        • Mail at:

          Attn. Deposit Waiver
          P.O. Box 180
          Tulsa, OK 74101-0180, United States

        Once we receive your documentation, we'll let you know that we've sent a request for your First Choice Power service to begin. Remember, we cannot send the order to start your electric service until we confirm your status, so please send us the forms as soon as you can. We will hold your enrollment for 30 days or until this information is received, whichever comes...

    • General Questions

      • What is the difference between First Choice Power and my local utility company?

        First Choice Power is a retail supplier of electricity, and your local distributor is a regulated entity that delivers electricity home. First Choice Power purchases electricity on the competitive market, and sells it back to you, our customers. Your local distributor deliver that electricity or natural gas to your home. This is how we're able to get you the best rate possible!...

      • What is an ESI ID?

        ESI stands for "electrical service identifier." An ESI ID number is the physical address where you receive your electricity. To track the electricity used by your house, electric companies use a special meter identification number to know the exact amount of electricity you...

      • What is the role of my local utility company?

        Your local utility company delivers the electricity that flows into your home. The utility company is responsible for the lines, poles, pipes, meters, power outages, repairs, and other issues with how energy gets to your home. For example, if a storm blows down a power line or a car hits a utility pole, your utility company still fixes the problem and restores your power.

        Your utility company continues to be responsible for:

        • Delivery of electricity to all users in their service area
        • Reliability and safety of the electricity or natural gas distribution system
        • Maintenance of the poles, wires, and pipes
        • Meter readings and maintenance
        • Providing customer services related to the electricity or natural gas distribution system such as cable/pipe locations and 24-hour emergency service
        • Connecting and disconnecting the customer's property to the electricity or natural gas distribution system
        Still have questions about how electricity is generated and distributed into your home? Call First Choice Power at 1-855-534-3881 or your local utility/distribution company. We're happy to answer your...

      • What is a Smart Meter?

        A Smart Meter reads your usage in more detail than a conventional meter. The advanced meter communicates usage information via radio frequency back to the local utility for monitoring and billing purposes, called telemeter, so your meter does not need to physically be read by a technician....