Green Mountain vs Veteran Energy: Two Cause-Driven Brands Compared

At a Glance

Factor	Green Mountain Energy	Veteran Energy
Parent Company	NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG)	Vistra Corp (NYSE: VST)
Years in Texas	29	16
Credit Check	Yes	No
Prepaid Available	No	No
Green Plans	Yes (100% renewable, all plans)	Yes (add-on or default option)
On ComparePower	Yes	No

Bottom Line: Two cause-marketing plays from Fortune 500 parents. Green Mountain is the real deal on renewable energy but charges premium prices. Veteran Energy donates to veteran charities at mid-tier rates with no credit check.

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The Corporate Reality

Different Fortune 500 parents, different cause-marketing strategies.

Green Mountain Energy is NRG Energy’s environmental brand. NRG bought them for $350 million in 2010. Same parent as Reliant, Direct Energy, Cirro, and Discount Power. Green Mountain has been 100% renewable since 1997. The environmental credibility is genuine. The money flows to NRG’s bottom line.

Veteran Energy is Vistra Corp’s mission-driven brand. Same parent as TXU Energy, 4Change Energy, and Express Energy. A portion of your bill goes to veteran charities (Fisher House, Paws for Heroes, Texas VFW Foundation). The donations are $2-$4/month. Modest but verified.

Both are Fortune 500-backed. Neither is going anywhere. The cause marketing adds a story to what is otherwise commodity electricity.

What They Actually Sell

Green Mountain (all plans 100% renewable):

• Pollution Free Conserve 12/24 at 17.5 cents/kWh
• Pollution Free e-Plus 12/24 at 17.8 cents/kWh
• Green Savings Plus 24 at 21.7 cents/kWh
• Renewable Rewards solar buyback (three tiers)
• Green-e Energy certified
• 24/7 phone and chat support
• 4.8/5 on Texas Electricity Ratings (17,329 reviews)
• ETFs: $150 (12-month) or $295 (24-month)

Veteran Energy:

• Fixed-rate plans (1-36 months) at mid-tier rates
• Variable-rate plans
• Green Choice add-on ($6.95/month for 100% wind energy via RECs)
• Secure Green 24 (100% renewable default, 24-month term)
• 60-day penalty-free switch period
• $2-$4/month to veteran charities
• $50 referral bonuses
• No credit check required

The honest math at 1,200 kWh/month:

• Green Mountain at 17.5 cents: ~$210/month
• Veteran Energy at mid-tier rates: ~$145-$165/month
• Gap: $45-$65/month, $540-$780/year

The Credit & Deposit Question

This is where Veteran Energy stands out. No credit check required. Deposits are conditional based on other criteria, but the credit check itself is waived. Unusual for a non-prepaid provider.

Green Mountain requires a credit check. Fail it and you’re paying a deposit equal to two months’ estimated bills. At Green Mountain’s rates, that’s a significant deposit. No prepaid fallback.

If your credit is a concern, Veteran Energy offers traditional fixed-rate plans without a credit screening. Green Mountain can’t match that.

The Verdict

Choose Green Mountain if:

• 100% renewable energy is your genuine priority
• You want 29 years of environmental credibility with Green-e verification
• Solar buyback for rooftop panels matters
• 24/7 support and 4.8-star service ratings matter
• You’re willing to pay $540-$780/year more for environmental commitment

Choose Veteran Energy if:

• Supporting veteran charities is meaningful to you
• No credit check matters for your situation
• The 60-day penalty-free switch reduces your risk
• Mid-tier pricing is more palatable than Green Mountain’s premium
• Simple fixed-rate plans without green premium complexity sound right

The honest take: If environmental credibility is your identity, Green Mountain is worth the premium. If veteran support is your cause, Veteran Energy delivers on that. If neither cause moves you enough to pay above-market rates, skip both and save $200-$700/year with a budget provider.