Reliant Energy

Affordable Energy through Reliant Energy

Reliant is a large energy company. Its primary market is Texas, where it has over 1.5 million customers, but it also serves various locations in DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Illinois.

Residential Electricity

Reliant offers a number of basic residential programs, with different rates, contract lengths, and standard variability. They have an option called “average billing” that averages a customer’s current month with the previous eleven, the idea being to smooth out payments over time.

The company does have renewable electricity plans, allowing consumers to pay a flat fee for the knowledge that their electricity is coming from a renewable source. A portion of this money is donated to an environmental charity.

Commercial Electricity

Reliant will make special accommodations to serve if you are a business, large or small. A business contract is worth more to them than a residential contract, since businesses continually use large amounts of electricity. Consequently, Reliant will cut deals with businesses to give them lower overall rates on their power.

Reliant also offers a piece of online software called Energy Commander to help businesses manage and pay for their electricity.

About the Company

Reliant began as the light company in Houston, offering customers a flat $3 monthly rate in exchange for nighttime electricity. It is now a subsidiary to NRG, one of the largest energy companies in the nation. (Its Texas business sold for $287.5 million.)

Reliant prides itself on Energy Assistance programs which are designed to bring electricity to places where it’s needed. The company also does its share of grants and scholarships.

It should come as no surprise that Reliant got to name Reliant Park–which includes the Reliant Astrodome, Reliant Stadium, Reliant Arena, and Reliant Center–in Houston.