First Choice Power is the Texas Retail Electric Provider built for shoppers who do not want a credit check or a deposit — a prepaid, no-deposit product. It is a brand of Direct Energy, which has been a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) since January 5, 2021, placing it in the same Houston corporate family as Reliant Energy and Green Mountain Energy. First Choice serves the deregulated parts of Texas — roughly 85% of the state by population — across the Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas and TNMP delivery zones. The trade-off: prepaid and no-deposit plans typically price 2 to 5¢ per kWh higher than a comparable fixed contract.
About
The company is headquartered in Houston, TX, where it runs senior management, customer operations and regulatory liaison with state commissions.
First Choice Power is part of the Direct Energy (a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. — NYSE: NRG — since January 5, 2021) group, which provides shared governance, financial backing and a broader pool of expertise in wholesale-market trading, hedging and regulatory work.
Service area
Electricity
1 state
Service availability varies by zip code within each state. Eligibility depends on your local utility's deregulation status — check on First Choice Power's website with your zip code before enrolling.
Plan structure
The brand's signature product: no credit check and no deposit, so it is accessible to households the fixed-rate market excludes via credit checks or prior-disconnection records. Month-to-month with no early termination fee; usage is debited daily from a prepaid balance rather than billed monthly. Governed by PUCT Substantive Rule 25.498, which mandates low-balance text alerts and a minimum disconnection threshold. The per-kWh rate runs 2 to 5¢ higher than a comparable fixed plan to cover credit risk and daily settlement overhead.
Fixed-term contracts (typically 6, 12, 24 or 36 months) at a lower per-kWh rate than prepaid, usually paired with a base/monthly fee around $9.95. May require a soft or hard credit pull and, in some cases, a refundable deposit; cancelling before the term ends carries an early termination fee.
A no-commitment variable-rate option with no fixed term, priced above the fixed contracts and re-priced by the provider month to month.
Timeline
NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) completed its $3.625 billion acquisition of Direct Energy — First Choice Power's parent brand — from UK-based Centrica plc on January 5, placing First Choice in the same corporate family as Reliant Energy and Green Mountain Energy.
Contact
First Choice Power's customer service handles enrollment questions, billing, switching and complaints. Have your account number from a recent bill ready to speed up the call.
Customer service
1-866-469-2464Frequently asked
First Choice Power is regulated by the public utility commission in each state where it operates. Reliability is best judged against your own usage profile: read recent reviews, confirm the customer-service hours match when you actually need to call, and compare the unit rate against the utility's price-to-compare for your zip code.
Plans can typically be enrolled directly on First Choice Power's website or by calling 1-866-469-2464. Before signing up, always compare the unit rate (¢/kWh for electricity, $/therm for gas) against your utility's price-to-compare for your zip code.
You can switch your retail supplier at any time, though early termination fees (typically $50-$200) may apply if you are on a fixed-rate plan and within the contract term. Check your enrollment letter or Terms of Service for the exact figure. Switching back to your default utility supply is always free.
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