Frequently Asked Questions

1) How does Electric Now work?

Think of buying Pay-As-You-Go electricity like filling up your car with gas. Your prepaid electricity balance is like the gas level in your car. When you drive, your gas level goes down; as you use electricity, your account balance will go down. Just like refueling, you will need to add money to your account. You simply pay in advance for your electricity. You'll have the freedom to pay any amount you want. As an Electric Now customer, you will receive text message notifications about your electricity account, estimated number of days remaining, low balance warnings, and payment confirmations.

2) Why would someone want Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go electricity?

The benefits of Electric Now are:

• No Deposit Electricity
• No Credit Check
• No Contract Term
• No ID Required
• No Monthly Bill

You have flexible payment options: you can pay by credit or debit card online, by phone, or at many conveniently located pay stations. The near-real-time technology gives you the knowledge and power to control your prepaid energy usage and payments. By knowing how much energy you and your family are consuming, you can better budget for your electricity prepayments.

3) Why is Electric Now different from monthly billed electricity plans?

With Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go electricity, there's no difference in the way you use electricity, just how and when you pay for it. This Pay-As-You-Go electricity service eliminates the monthly bill you typically receive at the end of the month. Instead, Electric Now sends you text messages or emails when your account is running low, showing your remaining account balance and estimated days of electricity remaining. You'll also receive text messages confirming payments made to your Electric Now account. With these notifications, you'll always stay informed when it's time to reload your prepaid electricity account. This allows you to better manage your electricity usage without a surprise bill at the end of the month.

4) What if I'm concerned about being constantly aware of my Pay-As-You-Go electricity usage?

With Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go electricity, you'll receive consistent information about your account balance and usage and when it's time to reload. You will always have access to information about how much prepaid electricity you are using, so you will have control over your electricity use. You can pay as much as you want, whenever you want. You just need to keep a positive account balance to keep your electricity flowing. You will be notified before your account balance reaches zero; your electricity will not be interrupted without advance notice.

5) How much should I prepay to start an Electric Now account?

You can start your Electric Now account for as little as $29.99 - $69.99, depending on your service requirements. After you sign up, you choose how much you’d like to put into your account. The average Electric Now customer uses 35 kWh of electricity per day, which is $4 - $5 of electricity per day, including energy, taxes, and daily charges. Please speak to a representative by calling 1 (866) 353-2669 for a more detailed payment recommendation that’s appropriate for your situation. Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., CST.

Why is Electric Now different from monthly billed electricity plans?

With Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go electricity, there's no difference in the way you use electricity, just how and when you pay for it. This Pay-As-You-Go electricity service eliminates the monthly bill you typically receive at the end of the month. Instead, Electric Now sends you text messages or emails when your account is running low, showing your remaining account balance and estimated days of electricity remaining. You'll also receive text messages confirming payments made to your Electric Now account. With these notifications, you'll always stay informed when it's time to reload your prepaid electricity account. This allows you to better manage your electricity usage without a surprise bill at the end of the month.

How much should I prepay to start an Electric Now account?

You can start your Electric Now account for as little as $29.99 - $69.99, depending on your service requirements. After you sign up, you choose how much you’d like to put into your account. The average Electric Now customer uses 35 kWh of electricity per day, which is $4 - $5 of electricity per day, including energy, taxes, and daily charges. Please speak to a representative by calling 1 (866) 353-2669 for a more detailed payment recommendation that’s appropriate for your situation. Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., CST.

Is there a deposit?

Electric Now offers no deposit electricity plans. Our Pay-As-You-Go electricity plan does not require a deposit.

Do Electric Now customers receive a bill?

As an Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go customer, you will not receive a monthly bill. You are paying for your energy before you use it, so no monthly bill is necessary. You'll receive account updates by text message or email. If you'd like to receive a statement showing your prepaid electricity usage and payment history, you can choose to receive one by email or fax, free of charge, or by mail with an additional fee. Just contact us to speak to a customer service representative.

What happens if my account balance falls below $0.00?

If your Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go electricity account balance is equal to or less than $0.00, Electric Now may request that the utility interrupt your electricity service. To avoid interruption of service, you must have a positive balance in your Electric Now account—when and how much you pay is up to you.

If your service is interrupted, you will be charged a reconnection fee on your Electric Now account. To have your electricity turned back on, you will need to pay the disconnection fee and add money to your account so that your account has a positive balance to cover your daily usage.

What if I need assistance paying for my electricity?

If you need assistance paying for your prepaid electricity service, contact 1-877-399-8939 or go to http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/ea/index.htm for a list of assistance agencies. At your request or the request of an assistance agency, Electric Now will provide you with a statement of your recent usage and payment history.

What if I'm concerned about being constantly aware of my electricity usage?

With Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go electricity, you'll receive consistent information about your account balance and usage and when it's time to reload. You will always have access to information about how much prepaid electricity you are using, so you will have control over your electricity use. You can pay as much as you want, whenever you want. You just need to keep a positive account balance to keep your electricity flowing. You will be notified before your account balance reaches zero; your electricity will not be interrupted without advance notice.

Does someone have to come out to my house to connect my electricity?

No. It's easy to start your Pay-As-You-Go electricity service with Electric Now. For Texas electricity, your local utility switches and starts your electricity remotely. It isn't necessary for someone from the utility to come out to reconnect your electricity if it is shut off.

If I don't live in a traditional house, can I still use Electric Now?

Electric Now offers affordable Pay-As-You-Go electricity services to any residence in Texas – whether a house, apartment, or mobile home. All you need is a smart meter. Check Eligibility with Electric Now today!

Will I lose electricity while my services are switched from my previous provider to Electric Now?

No. You can switch to Electric Now without experiencing any disruption in electricity.

How long does it take Electric Now to move or switch my electricity service after I enroll?

In order to activate your account, you must make an initial payment immediately after you enroll in Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go electricity. To ensure your requested service start date, we advise that you make your first payment using one of our flexible payment options at an authorized pay station immediately after your enrollment.

• If you are moving to a new address, Electric Now can provide move-in service within 2 business days after your first payment.
• If you need same-day electricity service, Electric Now can provide a priority move in and begin your service in as little as 2 hours after your first payment. Same-day priority move in is available to customers who call and enroll before 2 p.m.
• If you switch providers at your current address, your service can begin within 3-5 business days after your first payment.

Fees apply for a move in and vary by utility. For any move in, we highly recommend a minimum first payment of $60 to cover any move in fees and future prepaid electricity usage.

What happens if my account balance falls below $0.00?

If your Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go electricity account balance is equal to or less than $0.00, Electric Now may request that the utility interrupt your electricity service. To avoid interruption of service, you must have a positive balance in your Electric Now account—when and how much you pay is up to you.

If your service is interrupted, you will be charged a disconnection fee on your Electric Now account. To have your electricity turned back on, you will need to pay the disconnection fee and add money to your account so that your account has a positive balance to cover your daily usage.

What if I want to switch and I just want to try it out for a while?

Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go electricity has no contract term and no penalties for early cancellation, so you always have the option of switching to another provider or a billed option plan. However, if you switch to a billed plan, you may have to pay a deposit with another company.

Is there a deposit?

Electric Now offers no deposit electricity. Our Pay-As-You-Go electricity plan does not require a deposit.

Is there a contract term?

With Electric Now, there is no contract term.You are able to cancel your prepaid electricity service at any time.

Am I eligible for this product?

Electric Now Pay-As-You-Go currently offers electricity in Corpus Christi, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco, and surrounding areas in Texas to any residential service address that has a provisioned smart meter. You must have a text-capable cell phone to receive your daily electricity account updates. Check your eligibility with Electric Now today!

What is smart meter technology?

Smart meters are digital electrical meters that are connected to a network that allows for near-real-time digital readings multiple times a day.

How do I know if I have a provisioned smart meter?

Contact us! You can call our Customer Service Center toll free at 1 (866) 353-2669 and provide your service address to a customer service representative who can tell you if you have a provisioned smart meter. Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., CST.

How can I get a provisioned smart meter if I don't have one?

Your local utility is responsible for installing smart meters. Contact them to determine when they will be installing smart meters in your area.

• If your service address is in Oncor territory, you can find the smart meter deployment schedule by calling 1-800-518-2380 or going here.
• If your service address is in CenterPoint territory, you can find the smart meter deployment schedule by calling 1-800-332-7143 or going here.
• If your service address is in AEP Central territory, you can find the smart meter deployment schedule by calling 1-877-373-4858 or going here.

What if I lose my phone for the text messages, or may want to change my phone number or email address?

Contact us! You can call our Customer Service Center at 1-866-353-2669 or email us at customercare@electricnow.com, and we can update your account. This is done immediately, so you don't have to worry about missing our communication. Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., CST.

Where can I find Electric Now’s historical rate history?

You can find our historical rates here.