Southwest Power and Light is a Texas company that has been serving customers for decades. It offers both renewable plans, and "Plant-A-Tree Plans"as part of its comprehensive mix of plans ranging from 3 to 36 months.
Summary:
Our Take On Southwest Power and Light
Based on our analysis of available offers and of online customer reviews, we rate Southwest Power and Light 4 out of 5 stars
What we like about Southwest Power and Light:
- Good variety of plans
- 100% renewable plans available
- Fairly low prices
What made Southwest Power and Light lose some points:
- Terms and Conditions could be more transparent
- Some potentially hidden fees
Compare customer reviews of Southwest Power and Light with other suppliers.
Available Plans
| Plan Type | Contract Length | Features | Early Termination Fee | Our Thoughts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Fixed | 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36 |
|
$175 |
|
| Variable | Month-to-month |
|
$0 |
|
Plan Types In-Depth
Fixed Rate Rlans
With a fixed rate plan, the price you pay for your electricity (in ¢/kWh) stays the same throughout the whole period of the contract. Customers on a fixed contract should, however, keep track of when their contract ends, as many retail electric providers will automatically switch them to a variable rate once the contract is finished. Find more information about fixed rates in Texas here.
Some customers have reported that they appreciate savings on fixed rate electricity plans with Southwest Power and Light, particularly those who were able to lock in a good rate at the right time of year. As electricity prices per kilowatt-hour fluctuate throughout the year, depending on the time of year you may actually lose money by not being able to take advantage of prices when they are low (this is where time of year becomes a factor in how good of a deal you can get with a fixed price plan). However, because electricity prices tend to increase over time, locking in fixed rates for longer periods may prove advantageous and deliver savings. This is why in general we recommend that customers choose fixed rate contracts of at least one year.
Variable Rate Rlans
Variable rate plans usually offer a low introductory rate, which can then change month-to-month, often based solely on the provider's discretion, but sometimes with guidelines or price caps. The advantages of a variable rate plan are no early termination fees, and that when market rates are low, the provider may pass savings along to you (or the plan may be indexed to the market rate), however the price per kWh can rise drastically with market fluctuation, or at the provider's discretion.
In general, we do not recommend that consumers sign up for variable rate plans because of this potential for their bills to rise dramatically. Most consumer complaints against providers result from dissatisfaction with bills on variable rate plans.
Prepaid Plans
Unde pre-paid plans, consumers purchase a fixed dollar amount of kWh at their discretion. Usually pre-paid plans result in a higher price per kWh, but they require no deposit or security check, and so may be the best choice for some consumers. Upon depletion of the available kWh in your account, your electricity will shut off.
Pre-paid plans can often be the source of customer complaints, because it might be difficult to track your usage, and because the price per kWh can vary from month to month.
Southwest Power and Light does not offer pre-paid plans.
Base Charges
Southwest Power and Light charges a monthly service fee of $9.95 when usage is under 1000 kWh. This is a rather standard practice, though some providers charge lower fees.
Green Energy Plans
Green Energy plans promise electricity purchased from renewable energy production, or equivalent offsets. Southwest Power and Light offers two different green options--100% renewable enectricity plans, and Plant-A-Tree Plans. Under the Plant-A-Tree Plans, Southwest Power and Light has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to sponsor one tree for every 1000 kWh of energy used. If you are interested in purchasing green energy in Texas, we recommend you check out some of our articles on green energy in Texas.
Customer Reviews
We rate Southwest Power and Light for customer experience. Many customer complaints are related to problems related to prepaid plans, though some customers also reported negative experiences with customer service. Southwest Power and Light has been rated A by the Better Business Bureau.
Contact Southwest Power and Light
General Customer Service
Phone: 1-866-9417975
Hours of Operation: Monday - Saturday, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm CT