The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) has released a new and enhanced version of their mobile app.

Are you in the market for a new energy provider? Now might be the best time to switch. Here's what you need to know that could help you save on your monthly electricity bill.

CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells spoke with KPRC 2 in the first interview since Houston’s double whammy of natural disasters: a derecho in May and Hurricane Beryl in July. Click this story for the FULL transcripted interview.

Just days before Houstonians will be able to share their honest thoughts about CenterPoint Energy with the Texas Public Utilities Commission, the company’s top man has agreed to interview exclusively with KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding.

“Houston is home to the world’s leading aerospace companies, and we’re thrilled to welcome Lilium and this next generation of aviation technology,” Kevin Tipton, Senior Director for Aerospace & Aviation at the Greater Houston Partnership said.

Officials with CenterPoint Energy has provided an update on the company’s preparation efforts ahead of Tropical Storm Francine.

Officials with CenterPoint Energy provided an update on the company’s preparation efforts ahead of potential impacts from a tropical system later this week.

CenterPoint Energy says they are monitoring weather forecasts and are preparing for potential impacts from the system in the Gulf of Mexico later this week.

Summer heat helped break the ERCOT all-time demand record Tuesday.

This year alone, some Houstonians were left without power and air conditioning for days on end not once, but twice. First with the May derecho and then again in July with Hurricane Beryl.

Naturally, with the growing power demand, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that ERCOT will reach another peak. According to ERCOT’s records, its grid has reached peak demand hours consecutively each year. In August 2023, the record peaked at 85,508 MW, surpassing its peak demand from July 2022, which was at 80,148 MW.

A 9-year-old was taken to a hospital after being shocked in Houston’s Sunnyside area.

CenterPoint Energy is expected to restore power to the area on Monday when KPRC 2's Rilwan Balogun was set to meet with a restaurant owner, however, neighboring business owners revealed the entire plaza has been without electricity.

In an emailed statement to KPRC 2, CenterPoint says Lyanne Wilson, who served as Senior Vice President of Electric Business, "is no longer with the company."

“CenterPoint intends to increase their rates to recoup the cost of recovering from Hurricane Beryl, passing the cost on to the customer,” Senator Carol Alvarado said in a social media post. “That dog won’t hunt.”

Earlier this week, the Governor had a lot of tough talk for CenterPoint Energy.

KPRC 2's newsroom has been inundated with calls and emails from viewers reporting the generators for their homes did not work during Hurricane Beryl. We went looking for answers.

More than a million customers are still without power in the Houston metro area after Hurricane Beryl’s destructive wind knocked out power. Starting Thursday, CenterPoint will give customers estimated restoration times.

Why are electricity rates so high? When will they go down? What’s the best way to save money on electricity rates? Electric broker Mike Harrington with American Enerpower joins Amy to discuss electricity rates and your power bill.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas mandates that individual electricity customers with certain health conditions be afforded certain rights regarding power service.

No lights, no air conditioner, no nothing. If you were one of the 900,000 people who lost electricity for several days this month you might expect your next bill to be slightly lower than normal. One man in the Heights called us when he noticed his account showed he was using electricity on days when that was impossible. Investigative reporter Amy Davis explains you how to check your own account.

People who live at a Spring Branch apartment complex are begging for help.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a Weather Watch for Wednesday, May 8.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) are asking Texans to conserve electricity usage Monday morning.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has released a forecast for January 2024 and it explains when the power grid has the highest chances of requiring conservations, and even rolling blackouts.

CenterPoint Energy has filed with the Public Utility Commission of Texas on Dec. 14 to increase customers energy bills by February 2024, according to its proposal.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has canceled a request to increase operating reserves this winter as it expected to be prepared for extreme weather.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas announced Tuesday an update to the emergency operations reserve levels ahead of the winter months.

As part of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ approach to grid operations, a request was issued to stakeholders Monday to increase operating reserves, a news release said.

ERCOT announced a new web page which will provide Texans with a view of current and yearly demand records.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has asked Houston residents and businesses to conserve electricity due to continued high temperatures, high demand, low wind and declining solar power generation Wednesday evening.

The companies that own the electric infrastructure, like the lines, utility poles and electric meters, raised rates on September 1, 2023.

As you shop around for cheaper electricity rates - you might not always get what you think you signed up for. KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis has what you need to know about *new* hidden fees.

ERCOT is calling on Texans to voluntarily conserve electricity usage due to extreme temperatures, continued high demand, and unexpected loss of thermal generation.

With the summer temperatures still soaring, KPRC 2′s Amy Davis recently asked our viewers and users how much their latest electric bill read.

We are always looking for ways to save you money. The Texas summer heat means you are probably using more electricity to cool off your home. Viewer Don Conger emailed Investigator Amy Davis and said his utility bills are sky-high. He’s looking for a company that will do a home energy audit to show him things he can do in his home to conserve electricity.

You’re getting a little relief on your electric bill as energy charges tacked onto everyone’s bills just went down. But before you spend those small savings, brace your budget for another increase that is coming within a few months.

Every year dozens of people die from carbon monoxide poisoning in the aftermath of storms.

With our extreme heat air conditioners are working overtime to cool our homes and your bills are likely higher. We expect that in the summer but one Alvin woman called Amy when she got an electric bill for more than $4,000. Learn what our team discovered and what you need to know if this happens to you.

We protect our homes and property by locking doors and gates. We put passwords on accounts with sensitive information. But KPRC 2 Investigates discovered there’s nothing you can do to protect your electric service from getting canceled or switched without your consent.

Electricity is a huge part of our everyday lives in Texas. Finding the right plan isn’t the most exciting thing, and no one likes seeing a high bill.

At a time when it seems like just about everything is more expensive, we want to warn you about potential sticker shock when it comes to your bills. You’ll probably be paying more for several of your utility bills this winter. Our KPRC 2 Investigates team is here with what you need to know to prepare.

Utility scams increase after large storm events. CenterPoint Energy is continuing its efforts to raise awareness and educate customers about utility imposter scams.

Houstonians know a lot about how the hot, humid Texas summers can drive up energy costs.

Former customers of Griddy Energy are off the hook. A settlement between the Texas Attorney General and the wholesale electric provider means customers stuck with huge bills from the February freeze won't have to pay a dime.

Summer is not over yet folks!

Power Wizard specializes in finding and comparing electricity rates

Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to members of the Public Utility Commission of Texas on Tuesday directing them to take immediate action to improve electric reliability across the state.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages more than 26 million Texas customers’ electric power, issued a conservation alert Monday afternoon.

KPRC 2 Investigates presents a “Power Struggle: The Texas Energy Crisis.”

It is heating up outside, and that is a good reminder that you may need to shop around for a new electric plan. We know electric rates tend to go up in the heat of the summer. That’s why you should lock in your rate before they start to go up.

Deregulating the electric market in Texas gave consumers the choice of which power company they want to pay for their electricity, but weeding through the providers and plans is not easy. It takes time and focus. Even when you think you’ve read everything, there are “gotchas” and fine print that can stick you with a higher bill than you thought you’d be paying. It’s why some consumer advocates want state lawmakers to refine the system.

State lawmakers are pouring through more than 200 proposed bills in Austin that would bring change to Texas’ electricity market. While almost all of the proposed laws focus on requiring power generators to maintain their plants to avoid another massive outage like we saw in the winter freeze, one bill would make wholesale and variable rate electric plans (like the plans sold by Griddy) illegal in Texas.

The advertiser paid a fee to promote this sponsored article and may have influenced or authored the content. The views expressed in this article are those of the advertiser and do not necessarily reflect those of this site or affiliated companies. Have you considered switching energy providers? It might be on your mind especially following last month’s winter storm. If you recall, the winter storm left millions of Texans without power.

FILE - In this Feb. 2, 2020, file photo, the company logo appears on an unsold 2020 Model X at a Tesla dealership in Littleton, Colo. The U.S. governments auto safety agency has rejected a request to investigate unintended acceleration in Tesla electric vehicles, saying the acceleration was caused by drivers pushing the wrong pedal. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)Tesla is installing a gigantic battery that is said to help bring more power to Texas’ electrical grid, according to a report. The construction was kept undercover, but Brazoria County public documents confirmed the company’s role in the installation, according to Bloomberg. A subsidiary was registered as Gambit Energy, LLC and is said to bring more than 100 megawatts of energy in Angelton, which is measured to power at least 20,000 homes during the summer months.

AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Griddy, LLC for “violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act through false, misleading, and deceptive advertising and marketing practices,” according to a news release sent by Paxton’s office. During the February winter freeze, multiple Texas power companies left millions of Texans without power and heat during record-low temperatures across the state. As Texans struggled to survive this winter storm, Griddy made the suffering even worse as it debited outrageous amounts each day. As the first lawsuit filed by my office to confront the outrageous failure of power companies, I will hold Griddy accountable for their escalation of this winter storm disaster,” said Paxton. This is but a first step to hold companies accountable for the suffering Texans experienced during and after the power grid failure.

HOUSTON – Last week’s electric shortage has given some customers a jolt. Some people who were on variable rate wholesale electricity plans now owe thousands of dollars for just one month of power. If you were to switch providers today, Jesson Bradshaw, the CEO of Energy Ogre says rates are not bad. CenterPoint is now going back and correcting that usage data to send to retail electric providers so they know what to charge customers. And if you’re on a switch hold, you can not switch from your provider,” said Davies.

The Griddy app displays the current wholesale electricity price on a phone in this 2019 file photo. HOUSTON – A Chambers County woman has filed a proposed class action lawsuit against the electric company, Griddy. This is not the first time Griddy customers have felt the effects of extreme weather on the electric bills. This means that if the company’s wholesale price goes up, the customer’s price goes up as well. It’s unclear how many other Texans also pay wholesale prices from other companies.

As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: Do we still need to conserve electricity? ERCOT ended emergency operations last Friday after power outages forced the electrical grid to conserve power during the winter storm. Thank you for your help in saving energy while the need was greatest! @ERCOT_ISO has returned to normal operations and conservation is no longer being requested.

Investigating the Texas power gridThe forecast was for record breaking cold for Texas, including Houston. KPRC Investigates reporter Robert Arnold takes a deep dive into what went wrong and is a guest on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall. After his second impeachment acquittal, former president Trump may have a renewed ability to play a pivotal role in the future of the Republican Party but to what end? “He has the ability to make life very difficult for the Republican party, particularly in seats that are competitive seats where they want some moderate or centrist moderate candidates,” Jones said. “I think that he’s going to be the butt of national jokes for a while,” Professor Rottinghaus said.

HOUSTON – Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) officials held a news conference Thursday to address the current power situation in Texas, saying there is a possibility that outages could continue if demand outstrips supply as people come back online. AdIn addition to the discussion about the current situation, ERCOT said information about the facilities that failed and a timeline of events will eventually come out in weeks or even perhaps months ahead. The officials also addressed local calls for the ERCOT board to be replaced, saying if the Texas Legislature would sanction such a change, it would follow such governance. Discussing winterization of facilities, ERCOT officials said that’s a matter for the owners who operate the facilities across the state. The ERCOT officials declined to give a grade to themselves when pressed by reporters, with one saying, “I think other people ought to grade us.

Not because it will get anyone’s lights on faster, but because residents and business owners could be out a lot of money if some electricity providers start to fold in the days ahead. CenterPoint said customers without power should be prepared to have no power for several more days. - These conditions in the electric industry mean we will likely start to see some retail electric providers (These are the companies you pay for electricity.) That is what the retail electric providers pay to get it. Some electric providers are telling customers to please leave... even offering $100 off their last electric bills to encourage customers to go somewhere else.

Keep in mind, Centerpoint does not create or generate electricity, all they do is take the electricity and pass it on to customers. That was when Centerpoint started moving around electricity for certain customers. So some customers will see their power back on during the middle of the night,” he added. Mercado said Centerpoint was making good headway getting power back on to customers, but the company hit a new roadblock early Tuesday morning. Mercado said as power plants that are owned by third parties come online, they have to ramp up slowly before being at full power.

HOUSTON – If you’re realizing the power is out and you want to do all you can to stay warm, here are some ways you could use to avoid the cold. Layers, layers, layersDon’t just put a coat on. Get in your car (But NOT in your garage)If you’re cold and nothing seems to work inside your home, get in your car and idle it in your driveway. FireplacesNatural gas fireplaces and wood fireplaces are a good option for keeping a few of your main rooms warm without power. Be sure to make sure your flue is open so gas and smoke can escape from your home through your home’s chimney.

HOUSTON – If you haven’t already received your electric bill for the month of August, prepare yourself. It is typically one of the highest electric usage months of the year and a good reminder that you can lower your electric bill just by shopping for a new electric provider. Electricity prices just dropped this week, and they will keep getting lower as we begin to cool down. You are allowed to switch electric companies within 14 days of your contract end date, but sometimes it pays to switch even if you’re in a contract. When you get free nights and weekends, the retail electric company is usually charging you a higher rate.

Whether you’re shopping around for electricity or actively looking to switch providers, the experts at TriEagle Energy provided three questions to ask yourself before making any decisions. How long does a low rate last? There are some sweet, low rates advertised out there. TriEagle Energy offers customers smart energy plans that come with a smart thermostat, like the Honey Well T5 Thermostat. Learn more about what you can expect with TriEagle Energy.