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How to Find Your ESI Number?

esid number lookup

Electricity service is not just a necessity. It is a right that every US resident can practice. Life without electricity would be unimaginable, with electricity powering everything – from the device you are reading this article on to the washer running in the background. Not only that, but electricity also powers your car, hospitals, airports, and stoplights. Without it, we would really be lost. 

However, delivering the electricity to you is a challenging task. In fact, electric service relies on your ESI ID number to know whom to deliver electricity to and whom to charge for it. Here, we will explain this number and its role with energy providers and your local utility company. Let’s dive in. 

What is an ESID Number?

An ESID number, or the Electric Service Identifier, is a special, unique number that is assigned to every electricity meter connected to a home or a business in the US. This number can be 17 or 22 digits long and is the identification number electricity providers, the local utility, and the Transmission and Distribution company use to know where to deliver the service exactly. 

An ESI ID or ESID is an essential tool in a deregulated energy market. This is the number that you need to ensure that you get access to electricity service. It is also the number you must provide when looking for a new electricity service. You will also need this number if you plan on switching to a new energy plan for a lower electric rate. The ESI ID streamlines electricity service and enables you to choose among many energy plans offered in the area easily. 

Importance of ESID Number

The Electric Service Identifier (ESID or ESI ID), is an integral part of the electricity service. It enables:

  1. It allows for the timely and accurate delivery of electric service to the right address, 
  2. It enables the consumers to switch to a new energy provider and get the best rates in their area without opting for a new meter number or a new meter, and 
  3. It is crucial in tracking electricity usage and billing to a specific address. 

Firstly, it allows for electricity delivery to the right address. This unique number, however, is not the same as the number the meter is set to, or the meter number. Consider the ESI ID as something closer to a customer number, as it is tied to the address rather than the meter itself. With the modernization of the electric grid, many Texans and other US residents living in a deregulated energy market area can get a new meter, but their ESI ID stays the same. 

Secondly, the ESI ID lets you switch to a new energy provider with a simple EDI ID lookup on your energy bill. This simplifies the procedure, enabling the Retail Energy Provider (REP) to easily identify you and undertake the measures needed to secure lower energy rates to your Texas address. The new REP will also be able to see the services you previously took and the information on your energy usage, all from a simple ESI ID number. 

Thirdly, a single ESID lookup enables information on your energy usage and billing. This is the same information that your utility company and your REP use to bill you for energy usage, and this is the number that your meter readings are tied to. You can also rely on this number to see whether the previous owner has any unpaid balance that could compromise your future energy price and security. 

How to Identify Your ESID Number?

There are several ways to identify your ESID or ESI ID number: 

  1. You can check your previous energy bills, 
  2. You can check in with online tools for ESID lookup, or 
  3. You can check in with the utility company servicing your area (they will need to verify your address and provide the ESI ID number once the check-up was complete. 

To check on your last energy bill, check for a field called the ESI ID. This is not the same as the meter or customer numbers. For this reason, make sure you can find a field clearly labeled as ESID-ESIID- ESI ID and simply read out the number. 

In addition to this, you can rely on other services to help you with your ESI ID lookup. These are mostly online services and they will need information on your address and ZIP code, as well as some more (depending on the service), and you will need to look up some of this additional information. 

The third and final way to find out what your ESI ID is is to contact your local utility company. Bear in mind that your energy provider may not be able to give out this number to you, so your Texas ESID lookup may have to go through the utility company. These are the three ways to perform an ESI ID lookup. 

ESID vs Meter Number

When doing both a residential and a commercial ESID lookup, you should consider that there is a difference between a meter number and an ESID number. While the first one is tied to the electricity meter and the physical device (the meter) doing the reading, the second one is closer to the customer number and is used to identify the delivery address or your unique number within the system. 

So, the ESID number always stays the same within an address. This means that you will be given the same ESID number when moving into a home that has been owned previously. Whether a business or a residential building, each building needs a specific ESI ID and will be given one before the electric service is set up, but usually when the utility company is doing the meter setup. 

On the other hand, the meter number is connected to the physical device measuring your energy usage in a specific location. This number is used to track specific units and meters and is used to secure a good energy service to your Texas home. In any case, if your meter malfunctions or is changed with the intent of modernizing the grid, you will be given a new meter and a new meter number, but your ESI ID will stay the same – you can confirm this on any ESID lookup tool you may have access to. 

FAQs

How Can I Reduce my kWh Usage?

There are many ways to reduce how much kWh you use each month. Among these are: 

• Lower your thermostat in the winter and set it to a higher temperature in the summer, 
• Use appropriate pots and match them to the burner size, 
• Use an air fryer, 
• Use electricity during cheaper periods of the day, such as nights and weekends, 
• Insulate your home, 
• Use energy-efficient appliances, 
• Wash and dry your clothes only when really necessary, 
• Use a clothesline, 
• Reduce phantom load,
•and  Many more. 

Who Owns my Electricity Meter?

The utility company owns your electricity meter. In fact, the utility company owns everything to the fuse/breaker box, and they can change the meters if they suspect that your meter is not working properly. In most cases, you will be able to request a change of the meter for a smart meter, but even after the change, the meter does not belong to you. 

Can I Choose my Own Energy Supplier?

Yes, you can choose your energy supplier. Many US states have deregulated their electricity market, so many energy suppliers/providers are available. However, you cannot choose utility companies, as they are fixed per area, and the only way to change them is to move. Here is a list of deregulated states that allow you to choose between any energy providers: 

• California, 
• Connecticut, 
• Delaware, 
• Illinois, 
• Maine, 
• Maryland, 
• Massachusetts, 
• Michigan, 
• New Hampshire, 
• New Jersey, 
• New York, 
• Ohio, 
• Oregon, 
• Pennsylvania, 
• Rhode Island, 
• Texas, 
• Virginia, and 
• Washington DC. 

Is it Free to Switch Energy Supplier?

Yes, switching your energy supplier is free. This means you can choose a new power provider and make the switch at no cost. However, you should beware that your current energy provider may charge you an early termination fee, especially if you have a long portion of the contract term to go. 

Conclusion

If you live in Texas or other deregulated energy markets, you must know how to easily identify your ESI ID number. This is true for both business and commercial customers, and this number is very important as it ties the customers’ service to a specific location. This number is necessary to ensure your location is billed properly and issued, at least in Texas, for every building there is. The number is tied to the property address, so you can always check on the previous homeowner’s energy usage and rate, securing a more peaceful transition to a new home or a new energy provider. 

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