STEC RETAIL AND THE NUECES ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE RETAIL DIVISION

In, 2002, South Texas Electric Cooperative (STEC) began work to establish retail service operations to support its member distribution cooperatives that “opted in” to the Texas competitive retail electric market. Until July 2004, STEC’s retail services concentrated on the establishment of a computer system that could operate in both the investor-owned utility (IOU), and the cooperative/municipal utilities competitive retail markets.

In August of 2004, Nueces Electric Cooperative (NEC) began its retail electric choice pilot program. NEC Retail (NEC RD) arranged to utilize the back-office services of STEC retail services for competitive retailer operations in order to physically and functionally separate their wires division from their retail division. NEC-RD began transitioning NEC customers into the competitive retail market on August 18, 2005. Unprecedented in the State of Texas, in addition to offering competitive retail services to the NEC distribution territory customers, NEC Retail also offers competitive retailer services in the AEP Central, AEP North, Centerpoint, TXU Electric Delivery and Texas New Mexico Power service territories. Customers within another cooperative’s or municipality’s territory are not eligible to receive service from NEC Retail as NEC is the only cooperative territory that has opted in to the deregulated market in Texas.

The STEC retail services department consists of four employees: Wendy Ohrt, Retail Services Supervisor; and Customer Service Representatives Connie Hermes, Ginger Lorance and Mark Martinez. The local television channels began broadcasting NEC Retail commercials that include the Retail Services employees working hard in their fast paced world to handle the hundreds of customer calls. New customers have already expressed their satisfaction and appreciation to STEC management for the representatives’ knowledge, expertise and personal care they provide as they educate and serve the public. As the number of NEC customers grows to a 25,000 customer base, Retail Services will continue to answer questions, switch or enroll customers and provide outstanding customer service with a smile.

For more information, Retail Services may be reached at 1-800-NEC-WATT or online at NEC Retail.

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