Green Mountain Energy vs Frontier Utilities

At a Glance

Factor	Green Mountain Energy	Frontier Utilities
Best For	Green energy purists	Budget-conscious shoppers
Price Level	Premium (green tax)	Budget (10-15% below big brands)
Years in Texas	27	15
Prepaid Available	No	No
Green Plans	All plans are 100% renewable	Available as option

Bottom Line: This is a values question. Green Mountain costs $250-$400/year more but sources from actual renewable infrastructure. Frontier saves you money on identical grid electricity.

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The Short Answer

How much is genuine renewable energy worth to you?

Green Mountain: $250-$400/year premium for 27 years of real renewable energy sourcing from Texas wind farms and solar installations.

Frontier: Pocket the savings. Same electrons hit your meter. Donate the difference to an environmental charity if you want—you’d do more good with $300 than Green Mountain’s premium accomplishes.

This comparison comes down to one question: Is funding renewable infrastructure through your electricity bill worth $25-$35/month?

Overview

Green Mountain Energy went 100% renewable in 1997—five years before Texas deregulated. They contract directly with Texas wind farms and solar generators. Your premium funds actual renewable infrastructure, not paper certificates.

Frontier Utilities skips the marketing budgets and passes savings to you. 10-15% below TXU and Reliant on most plans. They offer green options, but nobody picks Frontier for environmental credentials.

NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG) owns Green Mountain. Centrica plc (LSE: CNA) owns Frontier. Both are stable. Neither is going bankrupt.

The Price Difference

Let’s do the math.

Average Texas household: 1,200 kWh/month

Green Mountain rate: 12-14 cents/kWh (typically) Frontier rate: 9-11 cents/kWh (typically)

Monthly difference: $25-$40 Annual difference: $300-$480

That’s real money. The question is whether genuine renewable sourcing justifies it.

Green Energy: Authentic vs. Available

Green Mountain wins on authenticity. Not even close.

Green Mountain’s approach:

• Contracts directly with Texas wind farms
• Sources from actual solar installations
• 27 years of renewable-only operation
• Can tell you exactly where your electricity comes from
• Your premium funds new renewable infrastructure

Frontier’s approach:

• Offers green plans as an option
• Uses Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) like most providers
• Green is a checkbox, not a mission
• Budget rates remain the priority

If you choose Green Mountain, your money actually supports renewable energy infrastructure. If you choose Frontier’s green plan, you’re buying the same paper credits TXU sells.

Customer Service: Neither Wins

Both companies invest in rates over support. You’ll notice.

Green Mountain:

• Phone wait times: 10-15 minutes average
• Functional website, nothing impressive
• Staff understand renewable energy—ask questions, get real answers
• No prepaid, no 24/7 support

Frontier:

• Phone wait times: 20-30 minutes average
• Website looks like 2012
• Daily usage texts are useful
• No prepaid, no 24/7 support

If customer service quality drives your decision, look at TXU or Reliant. Neither Green Mountain nor Frontier prioritizes support.

Plan Variety

Frontier offers more flexibility.

Green Mountain plans:

• Fixed-rate renewable (12-36 months)
• Variable-rate renewable
• That’s it. Everything is green.

Frontier plans:

• Fixed-rate (1-36 months)
• Variable-rate
• Green options (if you want them)
• Traditional options (if you don’t)

Green Mountain doesn’t offer non-renewable plans—by design. If you want conventional electricity from Green Mountain, you can’t have it. Frontier gives you the choice.

The Environmental Math

Here’s the honest calculation:

Option A: Pay Green Mountain’s $300/year premium. Your money funds Texas wind/solar infrastructure through direct contracts.

Option B: Pay Frontier’s budget rates. Donate $300/year to a renewable energy nonprofit. Your money probably accomplishes more because you’re not paying NRG’s overhead.

Green Mountain is legitimate. But they’re also a subsidiary of NRG Energy, a Fortune 500 corporation that profits from conventional electricity too. Your premium funds real renewable infrastructure, but also corporate overhead, executive salaries, and shareholder returns.

If maximum environmental impact is your goal, run the numbers on direct charitable giving vs. Green Mountain’s premium.

The Verdict

Choose Green Mountain if:

• Genuine renewable energy sourcing is worth $25-$35/month to you
• You want 27 years of environmental receipts, not marketing pivots
• You’ll feel good knowing your electricity comes from actual wind farms
• The convenience of supporting renewables through your power bill matters

Choose Frontier if:

• Price matters more than energy source
• You’d rather donate savings to environmental causes yourself
• Green energy is nice-to-have, not essential
• You set up autopay and never think about electricity

The real question: Is $300/year for genuine renewable sourcing the best use of your environmental budget? Green Mountain is legitimate, but your $300 might do more good elsewhere.

Related Pages

Company Profiles

• Green Mountain Energy Company Profile
• Frontier Utilities Company Profile

Related Comparisons

• Green Mountain vs TXU
• Green Mountain vs Reliant
• Frontier vs TXU