Report: Consumers Fault Texas Power To Choose Site
August 04,2015
NPR's Stateimpact Texas reports on customer complaints regarding the presentation of pricing info and offers on the Texas Power to Choose site
As previously reported, the Power to Choose site is said to be undergoing modifications to allow customers to filter plans with controversial minimum usage fees
However, such solutions are a band-aid and are not a viable long-term solution. By its nature of attempting to create an apples-to-apples comparison and rolling all fees (volumetric and flat) into a single kWh rate, Power to Choose is going to have to make compromises in creating some type of uniform presentation, but it is inevitable that competitors will find the best way to present their offers under such a scenario, even if such presentation is not indicative of "real-world" costs of the plan
Allowing the filtering of minimum usage fees is simply the latest in a game of "Whack a Mole"
Before, retail providers used "teaser" rates to advertise super-low prices on the site. The PUCT took actions to stop that practice and to reflect the rate that would apply after the teaser period.
Now minimum usage fees are getting attention. It remains to be seen how any new filter will apply to plans which pay a rebate to high-usage customers, which have faced similar criticism as the minimum usage fee plans
What's next?
We refer back to our recommendation earlier this year that, in order to truly eliminate such complaints about skewed comparisons on Power to Choose, the site should simply cease listing offers, given the maturity of the market