By SkySite Property staff

Spurred by a steep price drop in the price of natural gas, electricity bills for Texans seem to have peaked for the summer. While some retail providers have kept prices steady, others have offered price decreases of 5 to 10 percent.

The price drops may be in reaction to customers’ frustration with consistently high rates, said Jerry Dyess, president of ChooseEnergy.com, a website that screens and compares retail electricity providers.

But prices are hard to predict. While some providers are lowering prices, others are raising them in an effort to recoup after continuous hikes in previous months. And many energy providers say they’re keeping an eye on wholesale natural gas and power markets before deciding whether to drop or hike prices. If a disaster like a hurricane—or major heat waves—should hit the state, prices will undoubtedly shoot up.

Reliant Energy—the Houston area’s largest provider—is urging customers to sign up for long-term plans that are more predictable, but say rates could drop if gas prices stay at the current rate or drop, said Pat Hammond, Reliant spokesman.
Another provider, StarTex, has dropped its rates three times this year, and senior vice president Steve Madden is confident they’ll drop more.

“It sure feels like we’re past the worst of it this summer,” he said.