Should You Use ChatGPT to Shop for Electricity?
By
Rafael Morales
|
Saving on electricity
ChatGPT vs. Texas Electricity Plans: What Works and What Fails
We are living in the middle of an AI revolution.
ChatGPT and other large language models are undeniably among the most important technological inventions since the World Wide Web. Most people are already familiar with how to use these tools to summarize emails, draft resumes, or get general advice. But can you rely on them to navigate the complex Texas electricity market? While AI is brilliant at general tasks, our testing shows mixed results when it comes to finding the cheapest True Fixed rate plan in Texas.
Can ChatGPT help me find the best electricity plan?
The easiest way to answer that question is to test it. For this review, we used:
- ChatGPT (latest model: 5.2)
Our expectations were simple and reasonable:
- We want to find the cheapest possible electricity rate with no gimmicks or tricks
- Absolutely no bill credit plan, True Fixed-Rate plans only, Contract length: 12 to 23 months Service area: Dallas–Fort Worth (Oncor).
- If the AI cannot accurately identify the best plans, at a minimum we expect it to route us to trustworthy sources.
What Are the Best True Fixed-Rate Plans Right Now?
Before analyzing the results, we need to establish the ground truth. As of December 29, 2025, the best True Fixed-Rate electricity plans—with no bill credits, no usage thresholds, and no pricing tricks—in the Dallas–Fort Worth (Oncor) area are priced at approximately 13.0¢ per kWh at 1,000 kWh usage:
| Company | Plan | Source | Term | kWh @ 500 | kWh @ 1000 | kWh @ 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Federal | SoFed Better Rate - 18 | Company website | 18 months | 14.0¢ | 13.0¢ | 12.6¢ |
| Budget Power | No Gimmicks 18 | PTC | 18 months | 13.5¢ | 13.0¢ | 12.8¢ |
| Ranchero Power | Ranchero Smart & Fixed - 18 | Company website | 18 months | 14.1¢ | 13.1¢ | 12.7¢ |
These plans are the best True fixed rates plans right now, you can have a list of the top 10 cheap electricity plans here. this is a curate and validate list that include the options of the website power to choose.
Now Let’s Ask ChatGPT
We asked a very simple question: “Give me the top 3 cheapest fixed rate electricity plans in the Dallas area.”
ChatGPT responded with:
- APG&E — SimpleSaver 12 or 15 (~9.1¢/kWh)
- Rhythm Energy — Rhythm Saver 18 (~9.2¢/kWh)
- 4Change Energy — Maxx Saver Value 12 (~9.2¢/kWh)
❌ This answer is wrong.
All of these plans are bill credit plans.
They only reach those low advertised rates if you hit a specific usage level (usually exactly 1000 kWh). Miss it by even 1 kWh, and your bill can spike dramatically. As you can see in the table below:
They only reach those low advertised rates if you hit a specific usage level (usually exactly 1000 kWh). Miss it by even 1 kWh, and your bill can spike dramatically. As you can see in the table below:
| Company | Plan | Term | kWh @ 500 | kWh @ 1000 | kWh @ 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APG&E | SimpleSaver 12 | 12 months | 22.0¢ | 9.1¢ | 15.1¢ |
| Rhythm Energy | Rhythm Saver 18 | 18 months | 19.1¢ | 9.2¢ | 14.2¢ |
| 4Change Energy | Maxx Saver Value 12 | 12 months | 22.1¢ | 9.2¢ | 15.3¢ |
We Asked Again (More Explicitly)
We clarified: “I don’t want bill credit plans. I want true fixed-rate plans only.”
ChatGPT then responded with something closer to the truth:
- Rhythm Energy — Simply Select
- BKV Energy — Bluebonnet 12
- APG&E — Simple Choice 12
Are these true fixed-rate plans?
✅ Yes.
Are they the cheapest?
Are they the cheapest?
❌ No.
For example, BKV Bluebonnet 12 is a clean True Fixed plan — but it is not among the cheapest true fixed-rate options. At the time of writing, it ranks 26 out of 56 plans reviewed. It’s a good plan, from a good company. but it is not the best-priced option.
Can You Trust ChatGPT to Avoid Gimmicks?
❌ No. And this is the dangerous part. On the very first question, ChatGPT confidently provided a wrong answer that pointed directly to the type of plans consumers are trying to avoid.
Why does this happen?
ChatGPT (and Gemini) rely on top-ranking search results to find answers. Unfortunately, many of the "authoritative" websites they scrape are built to sell, not to inform. These sites often:
- Rank plans by "teaser" price only, ignoring the real cost.
- Display rates only at 1,000 kWh, hiding price spikes for smaller homes.
- Highlight complex bill credits that look cheap on paper but risk high bills.
- Mislabel bill-credit plans as standard "fixed-rate" options.
When AI models search the web, they see those plans repeatedly listed as the “cheapest.” The models may vaguely mention that a plan could involve bill credits, but they do not reliably filter them out. This creates a real risk: AI can unintentionally guide people straight into the traps they are trying to avoid.
What Is the Right Way to Use ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is still extremely useful if you provide the right context. Use this guide to avoid getting trapped in gimmick plans:
Step 1: Start with the right sources
Step 1: Start with the right sources
Your primary source should be PowerToChoose.org. If you want to be extra cautious (and you should), use our list that removes bill-credit and gimmick plans entirely. This list:
- Pulls from Power to Choose top 20 plans per term and area
- Includes provider-direct plans
- Filters for True Fixed-Rate only
Step 2: Obtain the EFL for the plans you pick
The Electricity Facts Label (EFL) is the only document that matters. Once you download the EFL, that’s when ChatGPT shines. You can ask:
“Is this a gimmick-free plan?” Attach the EFL, and ChatGPT can accurately analyze it.
ChatGPT response can correct flag:
❌ Usage Credit Present
The EFL explicitly states:
The EFL explicitly states:
“A Usage Credit of $125.00 will be included for each billing cycle when your usage on this plan is greater than or equal to 1000 kWh.”
With the proper context, ChatGPT will clearly tell you whether a plan is:
- A true fixed-rate plan
- A bill-credit trap
- A usage-tiered plan or something in between
Final Verdict — Should you use ChatGPT to shop for electricity?
- ❌ Not as a search engine
- ❌ Not as a ranking tool
- ✅ Yes — as an EFL analysis assistant
AI is powerful, but electricity pricing is full of traps, and today’s models are only as good as the data they are fed. Unfortunately, the top search results for electricity are plagued by comparison websites that prioritize their own commissions over your savings.
The bottom line: Use AI to help you understand the fine print, but never trust it to pick the winner.
