About Brad
In 2009, Brad moved from California to Texas and discovered something strange: you had to choose your own electricity company. In California, you just got PG&E and that was it.
Being an engineer, he did what engineers do—built a spreadsheet. He pulled every electricity plan he could find and started crunching numbers. That's when he discovered the game.
That "9¢/kWh" plan? It was 9¢ at exactly 1,000 kWh. Use 999 kWh and your rate doubled. Use 1,001 kWh—same thing. The advertised rates were engineered to win comparisons, not save you money.
So Brad built the first usage-based electricity comparison tool. You enter your actual usage, it shows your actual cost. No games. That tool became ComparePower, which has helped over 2.5 million Texans find honest rates since 2009.
At LightCompanies, Brad focuses on what matters beyond price: which companies treat customers well, which ones have a history of complaints, and which ones are worth trusting with your electricity service.
What Brad Works On
Rate Analysis
Breaking down how electricity pricing works. Why advertised rates don't tell the full story. What the EFL is hiding.
Company Research
Digging into who owns what, who has complaints, and which companies are worth your money versus which are just good at marketing.
Industry Patterns
After 15+ years watching this market, Brad spots patterns. Which pricing tricks are trending. What new games companies are playing.
Guides by Brad
Smart Meter Texas: What Your Usage Data Actually Tells You
Smart Meter Texas gives you 15-minute interval data on your electricity use. Here is how to read it, why it matters, and how to use it when shopping for a plan.
June 16, 2026Texas New Mexico Power: TDU Delivery Charges Explained
TNMP delivery charges explained: what you actually pay, how it compares to other TDUs, and what Texas shoppers need to know before signing a plan.
June 15, 2026Lubbock Power and Light: What the Data Actually Shows
Lubbock Power and Light operates outside the ERCOT choice market. Here is what that means for your rates, rights, and options as a Lubbock resident.
June 14, 2026Oncor Electric Delivery: What Texas Shoppers Need to Know
Oncor delivers power to 13 million Texans but never bills you directly. Here is how its TDU charges, outage response, and service territory actually work.
June 12, 2026Austin Energy: What It Is and How It Differs From Texas REPs
Austin Energy is a municipal utility, not a retail electricity provider. Here is what that means for Austin residents and when switching providers is possible.
June 11, 2026How Texas Electricity Providers Are Ranked: The Formula
LightCompanies ranks Texas electricity providers on five weighted factors built from PUCT complaint data, BBB ratings, and years in market. Here is the math.
June 8, 2026Texas Electricity Complaints, Q1 2026: What the PUCT Data Shows
PUCT logged thousands of Texas electricity complaints in Q1 2026. Billing disputes led the mix. See which companies ranked worst once counts are normalized.
June 6, 2026Rhythm Energy review 2026: where it ranks, where it doesn't
Rhythm Energy markets a 100% renewable, app-first electricity plan to Texas households. LightCompanies scores it on rate transparency, billing reliability, customer service, plan flexibility, and renewable mix. Here is where Rhythm beats the field, and where it lags.
May 22, 2026Research Companies
Browse company profiles and head-to-head comparisons.