Declining Fuel Costs to Result in Lower Electricity Bills
Published 1:58 pm Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Average Residential Bill to be 6 Percent Lower
Special to The Leader
Beaumont, Texas – Lower costs for the fuel Entergy Texas, Inc. uses to make electricity will translate into lower bills for customers this spring and summer.
Customers using an average of 1,000 kilowatts per month will see their bills decline by $4.11, more than 6 percent. The savings are a result from a drop in the fixed charge for fuel, a charge that is adjusted twice a year with a new amount showing up on bills each March and September.
“Lower bills are always welcome,” said Sallie Rainer, president and CEO for Entergy Texas, Inc. “Fortunately, the decline in our fuel costs that we are passing on to customers will take place over a time frame that coincides during the hot summer months.”
Electric utilities in Texas, including Entergy Texas are regulated by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Monthly bills are largely made up of base charges plus fuel charges and the fuel portion is strictly passed through to customers.
The PUCT rules require the fixed fuel charge on customers’ bills to be changed bi-annually each September and March. Beginning this month the average fuel charge will be $27.94 down from $32.05. This amount will remain the same until September 2016.
Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to more than 430,000 customers in 27 counties. It is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.