TDU (utility) – Owns/maintains poles & wires and responds to outages (e.g., Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, TNMP, and LP&L since 2024). Reliability comes from the TDU—not your REP selection. ERCOT

REP (supplier) – Buys power and bills you for supply; product terms and pricing vary.

Broker (us) – Independent advisor who shops REPs & structures contracts.

Fixed Price – Lock your rate and budget for the term.

Index – Float the market now; fix later when conditions are favorable.

Block & Index – Fix a portion of load; float the rest for flexibility.

Market coverage: Run competitive bids across vetted REPs and products.

Risk & budget alignment: Map products to your load profile and risk tolerance.

Term strategy: Volume‑weighted views on 12–60 month terms; laddering if helpful.

Contract hygiene: Watch pass‑throughs, non‑commodity riders, bandwidth, swing, and renewal windows.

After the signature: Ongoing monitoring and reminders before your contract roll date. Assisting in issues, changes, & problem solving through term & future needs.

Side‑by‑side price comparisons (¢/kWh), fees, bandwidth/swing.

Clear explanation of index exposure and a plan to fix (or hedge blocks) if markets move.

Options for 100% fixed vs. hybrid strategies; pros/cons written in clear terms.

Timeline (when to sign), tied to market drivers (seasonality, market movement, & key factors in usage).