If you’re like most Texans, you’ve probably heard of free nights electricity or even free nights and weekends plans.
You may have even heard of “free nights and weekends for electricity Texas” or of “Reliant free nights,” one of the more popular free energy plans. But free energy sounds too good to be true, right? It all depends on your energy needs.
So, what are these free energy plans, and more importantly, what’s the catch?
Before we break that down, check out some of the best free energy plans below.
Best Free Electricity Plans in Texas
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- *Rates as of 07/26/2024 at 05:41 PM. Based on 1000 kWh. Enter your zip code above for rates in your area.
What Are Free Energy Plans?
Also referred to as time-of-use plans, free energy plans have $0 rates during set time periods, although their rates are often high during paid periods.
Typically, customers can get free rates during nighttime hours or over weekends. During their regular, paid hours, customers will be charged slightly higher rates to offset the losses of the electricity used in the free time periods.
The goal of these plans is to encourage Texans to reduce their energy use during peak demand periods. Doing so not only helps those customers save money. It also relieves strain on the energy grid, and that’s good for everyone.
These plans, such as a “night free electricity plan” or a ” Reliant free nights and weekends plan,” can help cut electricity bills for some homes.
While these “free nights electricity plans” have no-cost energy at set times, they can have offsetting high-priced energy during paid times.
While many Texans may save money with these plans, others may end up with large bill surprises. It all depends on when you use the brunt of your energy.
Read on to learn the pros and cons of free energy plans.
What you Need to Know About “Free Nights and Weekends Energy” Plans
Free nights and weekends energy plans are a great way to save money, for some Texans. While they do offer zero-cost energy during set time periods, the rates per kWh they charge during paid periods can be quite high.
To determine whether a “free nights” energy plan would save you money:
- Review the plan’s pricing per kilowatt hour for each day of week and time period in the Electricity Facts Label (EFL).
- Conveniently access your home’s historic usage to estimate your cost at Smart Meter Texas.
Want tips to get the most out of your Smart Meter? Read our Smart Meter Guide.
Electricity free nights plans based on time of use will only save you money if you use a high percentage of your energy during the free periods.
You can also save if you change when you use energy-intensive appliances.
However, it’s important to consider the following:
- While the best free nights electricity plans don’t charge an energy rate during free periods, they may charge Transmission & Distribution Utility fees per kWh at a pass-through cost.
- If your energy use doesn’t fit a time-of-use plan, you may end up spending hundreds or thousands more per year than with a straightforward plan.
How to Save Money With Free Energy?
While getting $0 energy is a great start to saving money, many people who enroll in a “free energy plan” find that they accidentally spend more at first. This may be due to when they use their electricity-intensive appliances.
For example, if your electricity is free at night, that’s when you should use your major appliances.
For plans that offer free electricity from late at night until early morning, you can cut your energy costs for the following types of activities:
- Running a pool pump
- Charging an electric vehicle at night
- Running air conditioning or heating during the night
- Dishwashing or clothes washing in the evening
Check out these tips to lower your energy usage and cut some of your costs.
Does your Energy Usage Pattern Match a “Free” Plan?
Think a free energy plan may be a good match for you? Closely review the EFL of any plan you consider to ensure that the one you choose is a good match for your pattern of electricity consumption.
If the majority of your energy usage occurs during free time periods, commonly from 8 pm to 6 am, a time of use plan may be a good fit for you.
If your energy usage occurs more often during the paid time periods, a time-of-use may not be a good match for your home.
Free Electricity Frequently Asked Questions
Are free night electricity plans worth it?
Yes, free night electricity plans may be worth it, depending on your personal energy needs.
For example, if you use most of your energy during the evenings, when rates are $0, you’ll save quite a bit of money. But if you use a lot of energy during paid times, you may end up paying quite a bit more money in a “free” energy plan.
Many Texans also ask, “Is free night electricity a good deal?” The answer is the same: it can be a good deal for you, but it all depends on when you use the largest portion of your electricity.
Your effective energy rate will be an average of the free time periods combined with the higher-priced paid time periods. What you pay will be based on when you use your energy.
What electric company offers free nights and weekends?
Several top electricity companies in Texas offer free nights and free weekends plans, including TXU Energy, Reliant Energy and more.
Check out those providers and their most popular free energy plans below:
- Reliant Energy: Their Truly Free Nights plan provides 100% free nightly electricity from 8 pm to 6 am without TDU charges. During daytime hours, a fixed energy charge applies to 100% solar energy.
- TXU Energy: Their Free Nights & Solar Days plan offers zero-dollar electricity from 8 pm to 5 am with no delivery charges. You’ll get solar energy with a fixed energy rate during the day.
- Gexa Energy: Their Free 3-Day Weekends plan provides free electricity from 12 am Friday mornings through 12 am Monday mornings. It offers fixed rates for a 12-month term.
Which energy-intensive activities should I do during free times?
If you’re signed onto a time-of-use plan, you can lower your energy costs by performing the following energy-intensive activities during free time periods:
- Running the pool pump
- Charging electric vehicles
- Running the HVAC system
- Using the clothes dryer
- Running the dishwasher
Want more tips to reduce your energy bill? Check out our guide for lowering your energy bill and reducing your CO2.
