Powering Through Together
The recent winter storm in Texas has resulted in a number of questions from customers about their bills and payments, usage and service, price surges and more. We understand that it is a challenging time and are working to help our customers better understand the situation with answers to your most commonly asked questions, along with additional tips and resources.
1. Will my rate increase due to the winter storm and the spikes in wholesale market prices?
The extremely high energy bills you are seeing in the news are generally from plans that expose customers to ERCOT’s Real-Time Settlement Prices. Constellation does not offer this type of plan to residential customers. Note: Due to increased energy use during the storm, you may see somewhat higher February bills. However, this potential increase is not the result of storm-related price spikes.
You will be invoiced according to your contract’s terms. To see your contract terms, including your rate, please log into My Constellation and click on “Account Details” on the left-hand navigation (desktop computers) or “Details” at the bottom of your mobile screen. You’ll find your contract details on the right side of your screen if using a desktop computer or near the bottom of the page on mobiles.
If you are on a variable-rate plan, your rate may change monthly. For questions on your variable-rate plan or to see what fixed-rate plans may be available to you starting March 9, 2021, please contact our Customer Care team at 888-900-7052.
2. Will I be charged for days I had no power?
Transmission and Distribution Utilities (TDUs) may have previously reported estimated usage when a customer’s meter reading was zero.
This issue was addressed by the utility companies, and Constellation has incorporated any changes received on your invoices. We invoice for usage as reported by your utility. If you had power for even a portion of a particular day some usage would be reported for that day. You can verify your daily usage on the Smart Meter Texas website.
3. When will I receive my February bill?
We temporarily held our residential customers’ invoices per the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT)’s request. Normal processing of invoices has resumed, and you should receive yours shortly. Customers on Auto Pay will not have their account drafted until invoices are sent out. Any invoices that were generated prior to the event that are enrolled on Auto Pay will draft on the scheduled due date. You will have the same amount of time to pay your invoice as you have had in previous months.
4. Will I be charged a late fee? What if I can’t pay this month’s bill?
The Public Utility Commission of Texas lifted the suspension on charging late fees. If you are unable to pay your bill when due, please contact our Customer Care team at 888-900-7052 to set up a Deferred Payment Plan.
5. Is Constellation going out of business?
Constellation is not going out of business. We are fully committed to continuing to serve Texas customers in addition to the approximately 2 million customers supplied by Constellation across the U.S.