Electric power regulators say Texas has enough capacity to meet demand, but are already warning that "record-breaking peak usage" is expected this summer.
University of Houston energy fellow Ed Hirs, a longtime critic of the Electronic Reliability Council of Texas, says now is the time to lock in a fixed rate contract with your electricity provider.
“A retail electricty provider will hedge and make certain that the consumer is not left exposed during the heat of the summer,” he says.
“It's been three to four cents per kilowatt hour on average the last couple of years, and it's probably going to be in the 12 to 13 to 14 cents per-kilowatt-hour through the bulk of the summer.”
It's either that, or turn up the thermostat.
“Turn your thermostat setting up to 78 as we had in the Jimmy Carter era, and you'll pay less for electricity during the summer because you won't use so much.”