Your ESID Number, or Electric Service Identifier, is a number that is unique to your property address. Pronounced “Easy I.D.” it’s also known as an ESIID, ESI ID or ESI-ID. You can’t find your Texas meter number or ESID on your actual physical meter. But you can find it using the ERCOT ESID Lookup Tool.

What Does the ESID Mean?

Every ESID, pronounced “Easy I.D.” is unique to a specific meter location. Each utility delivery company uses a different number sequence. For example, ESIDs for Oncor typically start with 1044, while those for CenterPoint usually begin with 10089. The rest of the ESID is specific to your home or business meter, ensuring that each address has its own distinct identifier.

How is an ESID Used?

Your ESID number is key to setting up electricity service and tracking energy usage at your address. Energy providers use it to connect service to your meter and determine which utility company, like Oncor or CenterPoint, delivers electricity to your property. By knowing your ESID, you can easily take advantage of Texas’ Power to Choose program to find competitive electricity rates. Since rates vary by location, your ESID ensures you receive accurate pricing for your home or business.

How to Know if you Have an ESID

You have an ESID number if you live in a deregulated, or in a colored area on the map below. If your home or business falls into a grey area, you likely are not in an energy deregulated area. Or if your utility is not one of the ones listed below, you’re likely live in a regulated part of Texas. However, there are some nuances to this. If you live in an area that is serviced by municipally-owned electric utilities and electric cooperatives, you’ll need to contact them directly to see if you have an ESID number. 

The utility will need two things to energize a meter or put a meter into a new business name:

1. A move-in order from a supplier

When the enrollment type for a supply agreement is listed as Move-In, that tells the supplier that they need to send an order to the utility that says “hey, turn the lights on at this meter!”

2. An “All good” from the municipality

Each city has their own regulations around what is needed for a new business to get power.  Most require a Certificate of Occupancy or Inspection.  To find out what your city requires, find your location on this list, or reach out to your City Inspection department.  

If you need to know the status of your move-in, call your utility and have your rep of record (supplier) and your service address handy.

For Texas utilities, a supply agreement will need to designate the enrolment type.  In short, a “Switch” is when a business already has power with a supplier and is renewing their agreement with the same supplier or switching to another supplier.  A “Move In” is when a business is first moving to a new location or needs to move the power into their company’s name.

Though rates are not affected by the enrollment type, the process on how a supplier books your agreement is.  So, it’s important that you select the correct choice!

A Priority Move-In is the enrolment type to select if you need electricity ASAP.  There are limited options for Priority Move-Ins and our go-to solution is a one-month agreement with Green Mountain. 

From the time an order is signed by the end user, a supplier normally takes 2-4 business days to book the order and submit the move-in order to the utility.  The number one reason for meters failing to energize on time is a hold from the City due to a needed inspection.  If your lights aren’t on after 48 hours, call your utility to see what they are waiting for.

Don’t worry – your power won’t get turned off!  But this is not an excuse not to get your contract renewed.  

Most often, Suppliers will charge a month-to-month holdover rate until the meter is placed on another supply agreement.  This holdover rate is usually linked to the market price of the commodity plus a hefty margin.

Don’t be misled by “cheaper” rates for commercial plans over residential plans.  You are comparing apples to oranges.    Residential plans include the transmission and distribution fees from the utility all lumped into one rate.  Commercial plans separate the two components – supply (which is what you’re shopping for) and transmission/distribution.

For many residential contracts, you can request an Energy Facts Label (EFL), which is a standardized summary of the supplier offer.  This is not a requirement for commercial agreements and therefore these supply agreements often do not contain EFLs..

Not to worry! All of the supply agreements you see offered on this website are fully fixed supply which means you pay the same supply rate regardless of your monthly usage.  

The more information we can give to suppliers, the more tailored rates they can provide.  They can make assumptions about your electric usage load based off your monthly spend or kWh, which is how you arrive at the rates you see online.

To give more granular information to the supplier for bidding, a custom price includes the step of requesting historical usage from the utility.  We request that usage on your behalf once you sign a non-binding Letter of Authorization.  Depending on your utility, it can take a few days to receive that usage file back and then a few more days to get pricing from the supplier.

The price of electricity changes daily (sometimes hourly!) and your contracted rate is set on the day that you sign your agreement.  Many factors go into the electricity commodity market – check out market information here.

If your energy bill is higher than usual and you're not enrolled in Average Billing, there are likely reasons for the increase:

Altered Billing Period:

If your bill is unexpectedly high, check the billing period dates. We aim for a consistent 1-month billing period, but delays in receiving consumption information from the distribution company can extend it. A longer billing period will reflect higher consumption, leading to increased energy, administration, distribution, and government charges.

Extreme Weather Conditions:

Unusually cold or hot periods result in higher energy usage. During January, a typical residential customer consumes 20 GJ per month. Exceptional cold spells or extended time spent at home can significantly exceed this estimate. Cold weather impacts both electricity and natural gas bills, while hot weather primarily affects electricity bills.

Distribution Charge Increases:

Higher energy usage not only raises energy charges but also increases distributor charges due to the variable component of transmission and distribution charges. For natural gas bills, elevated usage results in a higher Federal Carbon Tax, charged per GJ.

Increased Energy Consumption:

Colder weather increases energy use as furnaces burn more natural gas. Electricity usage rises with furnace fan operation, electric heat, space heaters, and longer use of electric lights during shorter winter days.

Other Changes Impacting Consumption:

Alterations in your home environment, such as adjusting the thermostat, more frequent use of AC, and adding or changing appliances, contribute to increased consumption. House guests and neglecting furnace maintenance and filter changes can also lead to higher energy bills.

Regulated Price Increases:

Even with consistent usage, regulated natural gas and electricity prices fluctuate monthly due to weather, usage variations, global events, and supply and demand factors. If commodity prices rise while your usage remains constant, your bill will increase. Our regulated rates undergo review and approval by the Alberta Utilities Commission to ensure fairness.

We manage the entire enrollment process to ensure a smooth transition to your new energy program. Build your program today by clicking here.

Our team of energy consultants utilizes their connections and purchasing influence with suppliers to bargain for the most competitive rates and select the optimal program tailored to your needs. They can provide insights into market conditions, trends, and opportunities, helping you steer clear of risks in volatile markets. This empowers you to save both time and money.

Our consultants receive a salary and earn commissions through "finder's fees" provided by the energy supplier. There is no extra cost to our clients; in other words, our services are provided at no charge.

Our Account Managers will oversee your energy program, consistently reaching out to update you on its performance relative to the market and take note of any changes in your organization. They are available to address any energy-related queries you may have. Additionally, we will remind you to assess your program and secure lower rates when you qualify for an early renewal.

Fixed Rate:

A fixed-rate energy plan means your electricity and/or natural gas rate stays the same month to month. Your energy rate will not be affected if the market prices and conditions change.

Variable Rate:

A variable-rate energy plan means your electricity and/or natural gas rate fluctuates from month to month. The monthly energy rate depends on current market prices and conditions.

We will offer you the most competitive rates from all the major energy suppliers in your local service area, providing you with the chance to select the option that suits you best.

The rates applied for delivery are determined by the portion of the expenses for maintaining and operating the system that the distribution company needs to recover from each customer. Consequently, the distribution cost you incur is influenced by the way this cost is divided among the customer base. In regions with fewer customers, particularly in rural areas where additional resources are required, the distribution cost tends to be relatively higher compared to urban areas.

The distribution costs are further impacted by factors such as the scale of the infrastructure, its age, and the size of the service area.

An energy supplier is synonymous with an energy retailer. Operating as both a supplier and retailer allows them to procure electricity and natural gas on behalf of our customers in the energy marketplace. Regulated Services provides gas and power at a regulated rate, subject to review and approval by the Alberta Utilities Commission.

Meanwhile, an energy distributor, exemplified by companies like ATCO (gas) and Fortis (electricity), owns the infrastructure and distribution systems essential for transporting natural gas or electricity to consumers' homes or businesses. These energy distributors, with AUC approval, establish the delivery charge rates displayed in the lower section of your bill. Additionally, distributors are entrusted with responding to emergencies or outages.

No, we don't operate as a supplier. Instead, we have cultivated connections with key suppliers in every market we engage with. This ensures that we remain impartial and can offer you the finest options available in your market.

Reach out to your consultant with any concerns, and they will assist you in finding a resolution.

You settle your bill directly with your energy supplier.

Reach out to us to ensure a smooth and easy transition.

We pride ourselves on providing industry-leading support. Your dedicated energy consultant is available for your convenience throughout the duration of your program.

Certainly! Our consultants are consistently accessible to address any questions or concerns as they arise. You can contact them via email or phone.