Texas utility giving away free electricity to residents
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Digital Reporter
Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 5:46 PM - In parts of Texas wind farms are generating more energy than utilities know what to do with, so some of them have started giving electricity away for free.
According to the New York Times, thousands of TXU Energy customers have been taking advantage of the utility's free overnight plan, which grants free electricity between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. provided customers are willing to pay higher daytime rates.
It's just one of dozens of free energy packages being offered by more than 50 electricity companies in the state, the NY Times reports.
The abundance of energy is courtesy of Texas winds, which blow the most strongly at night. The power it produces is cheap, thanks to federal tax breaks.
Giving away free electricity has inspired intense competition to woo customers. Encouraging energy use at night is beneficial to utility companies as well: According to the NY Times, night-time electricity use reduces the burden, and the costs, the overnight energy surplus places on the grid.
In June 2013, 135,320 customers had enrolled in the TXU program. By September 2014 that had climbed to 290,328. During that time, 63,000 households opted out of the program due to higher peak-rate hours -- but electricity officials believe the number of enrolling households continues to grow.
Source: NY Times
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