Tired of paying too much for the electric bill at your newspaper? A new member service might have a solution.

Texas Press Association and Fox, Smolen & Associates have created the Texas Newspaper Electric Coalition, an aggregation service designed to get better utility rates for newspapers.

TPA members that join the coalition agree to let Fox, Smolen review their current electricity usage, pool that information with other newspapers and businesses around the state and go out for bids to find new, less expensive service. Fox, Smolen is an electric aggregator registered with the Texas Public Utility Commission.

A few newspapers already are participating in Fox, Smolen’s program through their local chambers of commerce.

Ramona Ferguson of The Banner Press said the newspaper’s two offices in Columbus and Sealy had been receiving electric service contracted through Fox, Smolen for about four years. Ferguson said the newspaper noticed a decrease and “quite a bit of difference” in its bills after signing up for the service.

Clyde King of Hartman Newspapers in Rosenberg said Fred Hartman coordinated that newspaper company’s electric service also through Fox, Smolen’s local chamber program. King said the newspaper definitely benefited from lower rates, especially since Hartman has its own printing operation, which requires a lot of electricity.

The Newspaper Electric Coalition is not a pool or group service policy. Individual newspapers that want to participate contact Fox, Smolen to start the process.

Production of electricity in Texas was deregulated in 1995 and most consumers and businesses now have a choice for what company provides their electric service. But the Newspaper Electric Coalition program is only available in the ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) grid, which only covers about 85 percent of Texas.

Newspapers served by cooperatives and municipal utilities are not eligible.

The coalition is for electricity only and does not include gas, phone or other utility services.

To start saving money on your newspaper’s electric bills contact Fox, Smolen today: Paul N. Smolen, 512-322-9090 Ext. 102 or e-mail.