Pogo Energy

Company Overview

Here’s the truth about Pogo Energy: They’re not for most people—but for the right customer, they’re brilliant.

Pogo built their business for electricity nerds. Wholesale-plus pricing means you see what electricity actually costs each hour. Real-time smart meter data shows exactly what you’re using. If you’re the kind of person who tracks your Tesla’s charging efficiency or optimizes your dishwasher timing, Pogo rewards that behavior with real savings.

The risk is obvious: wholesale electricity prices spike during extreme weather. During Winter Storm Uri, unhedged exposure to wholesale prices cost some Texans thousands of dollars. Pogo isn’t responsible for that—variable pricing cuts both ways—but if you want predictable bills and never think about when you run your dryer, stick with fixed rates from TXU or Gexa.

For customers who can actually shift usage to off-peak hours, Pogo’s transparency saves money. For everyone else, it’s just stress.

The Pogo Model

Pogo’s core concept:

Wholesale-plus pricing: You pay something close to wholesale electricity costs plus a transparent margin. No hidden fees, no bill credit games.

Real-time data: Smart meter integration shows what you’re using and what it costs right now, not last month.

Time-of-use awareness: Because wholesale prices vary by hour, shifting usage to off-peak times can save real money.

Who Pogo Is Built For

This works best if you:

• Already check your smart meter data
• Can shift dishwashers, laundry, and EV charging to off-peak hours
• Enjoy optimizing things
• Have consistent usage patterns

This is risky if you:

• Run AC full blast whenever you’re hot
• Don’t want to think about when you use electricity
• Need predictable monthly bills
• Experienced Winter Storm Uri-style pricing anxiety

Where Pogo Operates

Pogo focuses on Oncor and CenterPoint territories—Dallas–Fort Worth and Houston metro areas. They don’t currently serve AEP Texas or TNMP regions.

Smart Meter Required

Pogo’s value proposition depends on smart meter data. If your home doesn’t have one, contact your TDU about installation before signing up.

Most Texas homes have smart meters by now, but older properties or recent constructions might not.

Plan Options

Time-of-use plans: Rates vary by hour based on market conditions. Lowest rates overnight and midday, highest during evening peaks.

Indexed plans: Tied to wholesale market prices with a transparent margin.

Fixed options: Available for those who want stability over optimization.

The Risk Factor

Wholesale-plus pricing can save money or cost more depending on:

• Whether you can actually shift usage
• Market conditions that year
• Extreme weather events

During normal market conditions, optimizers can save 10-20% vs. fixed-rate plans. During crises like Winter Storm Uri, unhedged exposure to wholesale prices is devastating.

The Bottom Line

Pogo Energy is excellent for data-driven customers who want to understand their electricity costs at a granular level. Their tools and transparency are best-in-class.

For customers who just want a predictable bill, companies like TXU or Reliant with straightforward fixed rates might be less stressful.