Smart Choice - 12 by Just Energy
Smart Choice - 12 is a 12 month fixed rate plan from Just Energy. It often shows up near the top of PowerToChoose when you sort by price. That low advertised rate depends on a bill credit. If your usage fits the credit, the plan can be cheap. If it does not, you pay far more than the ad suggests. This page shows both outcomes with real numbers.
- Advertised · 500 kWh
- 24¢
- True · 500 kWh
- 24.2¢
- Advertised · 1,000 kWh
- 11.1¢
- True · 1,000 kWh
- 18.3¢
- Advertised · 2,000 kWh
- 17.2¢
- True · 2,000 kWh
- 17.1¢
Active plan. Pricing checked July 12, 2026.
The true cost of every Texas plan
Ready to see your real numbers?
The advertised price
On PowerToChoose, Smart Choice - 12 shows 24 cents at 500 kWh, 11.1 cents at 1,000 kWh, and 17.2 cents at 2,000 kWh. Those are the three checkpoints every plan gets scored on. They are averages at exact usage levels, not a promise about your bill.
How the price is built
The key piece is the bill credit. Smart Choice - 12 pays a $125 credit in any month you use 1,000 kWh or more. That credit is what makes the 1,000 kWh checkpoint look cheap. In a month below 1,000 kWh the credit vanishes, and your effective rate jumps. This plan also charges a $4.99 fee in any month you use less than 400 kWh. Small homes and light users pay extra on this plan.
What a month costs: January as an example
The standard 1,000 kWh usage profile puts January at 1,010 kWh. Here is how Smart Choice - 12 prices that month in the Oncor area:
That works out to 11.1 cents per kWh for the month. But notice how close the call was. January cleared the credit line by just 10 kWh. If this home had used 990 kWh instead, the credit would vanish. The same month would cost $232.94, which is 23.5 cents per kWh.
The cliff
Right at 1,000 kWh the cost per kWh drops sharply. One kWh less and the whole $125 credit is gone for that month. Most homes swing hundreds of kWh between seasons, so landing on the right side of that line every month is hard.
What it costs at real usage
At a 1,000 kWh monthly average with normal seasonal swings, here is the true annual cost by delivery area:
Your own months decide which side of the credit you land on. A single month under 1,000 kWh costs you the full $125.
Just Energy contract fees
Just Energy’s Terms of Service contract lists 9 separate fees.
See how Just Energy compares to 43 other providers in the full hidden fee study.