Just when you thought you knew all the terms and lingo electricity companies use, they keep throwing new things at you. While ESI ID isn’t a new term by any means, it’s one that most people aren’t aware of and have no idea what it means. If you fall into this category and need to know more about an ESI ID number, what it means, and how to use it, you’ve come to the right place.
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What is an ESI ID Number?
ESI ID stands for electrical service identifier identification number. Because this is fairly redundant, most people refer to them as ESIDs. As its name implies, your ESID is the identifying number attached to the electric meter on your home or business. It serves the same purpose as your social security number or the VIN on a vehicle.
The ESID is always a unique 17 or 22-digit set of numbers, and every electric meter in Texas has its own. Each meter will always have a different ESID. The tricky part about ESIDs is that they aren’t actually attached to the side of your physical electric meter. Therefore, if you need to know your ESID, the only way to find it is with an ESID lookup tool.
Do I Have an ESI ID?
While most electric meters for homes or businesses will have an ESID, not all of them will. If you live in a deregulated part of Texas where you have the power to choose your electric provider, your electric meter will have an ESID. However, if you live in a part of Texas with regulated electricity, you won’t always have an ESID. If your electricity gets supplied by one of the following companies, you won’t have an ESID.
- El Paso Electric
- Entergy Texas
- Southwestern Public Service Company
- Southwestern Electric Power Company
In all other instances, you’ll likely have an ESID.
When and Why Do I Need to Lookup My ESI ID Number?
Just as you don’t always have to know your social security number or VIN, you don’t always need to know your ESID. However, if you’re shopping for electricity plans or switching providers, you’ll need to know your ESID. Unfortunately, because your ESID isn’t attached to the side of your electric meter, you’ll have to locate it another way.
Additionally, REPs and utility companies will need to know your ESID to know where to deliver electricity. Your ESID serves as an address for your electric meter, just as your home address and ZIP Code help people locate your house. Once a utility company knows your ESID, it can quickly and easily deliver electricity to your home.
Electricity companies will also use your ESID to look up your electricity history. They can gain helpful insight and information from your ESID, including things like your monthly electricity usage, your average rate in the past, and more. Using this information, electricity companies can also customize plans for you.
What’s the Easiest Way to Look Up My ESI ID?
Once again, because the ESID isn’t actually stamped to the side of your electric meter, the best way to find your ESID is to locate it within your electricity bill. Remember, it’s a 17 or 22-digit number, usually located near the top of your electric bill next to your account number.
If you recently moved to a new location and still need an electricity bill, the best way to find your ESID is by using an ESID lookup tool. Using this tool, you can enter your home address, hit the search button, and the lookup tool will quickly retrieve your ESI ID for you. ESID lookup tools are convenient when you don’t have an electric bill nearby or haven’t lived somewhere long enough to receive one.
After you locate your ESID, you can use it to look up all the electricity plans and companies in your area. Searching for electricity companies using your ESID will provide a more thorough and accurate list than searching for REPs using your ZIP Code. However, no matter which lookup method you prefer, it’s always a good idea to know your ESID.
Next Steps After Finding My ESI ID
Once you know your ESID, you can choose an electricity plan. When it comes to choosing your plan, you have three options:
- You can perform hours of research and choose the plan yourself.
- You can hire an electricity concierge service to use automated technology and choose your plan.
- You can use an electricity comparison tool to compare rates and plans in your area but ultimately make the final decision.
At ElectricityRates.com, we believe you know your electricity needs better than we do. That’s why when you use us to compare energy rates, we leave the final decision up to you.
Either way, however, we make it quick and easy to compare plans and help you choose the best one. We understand that you want control over how you spend your money and where it goes. That’s why we’re only here to serve as a tool to compare energy rates. While we’ll also recommend the best one, we’ll leave you the power to choose your plan.