Green Mountain Energy · NRG-owned · review

Green Mountain Energy review

Green Mountain is the original 100% renewable provider — a credible, mission-driven brand at a premium price. Here's an honest look at its plans, reviews, and complaints, and where Base fits.

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Researched and written by the Base Power team · Last updated May 27, 2026

How we review: we pull each provider's ownership, plan structure, and fees from public filings and Electricity Facts Labels, and cite every review score to a named third party. Rates and scores change — we link the sources so you can check the current numbers.

The verdict

Green Mountain is the clear fit for Texans whose top priority is genuinely 100% renewable electricity from the category's pioneer, and who will accept a premium per-kWh rate to get it. It's a poor fit for strict price-shoppers — its rates sit among the market's highest, which is precisely the gap a flat-rate provider like Base targets.

The company

Who is Green Mountain Energy?

Green Mountain Energy is the original green electricity brand in America — founded in Vermont in 1997, headquartered in Austin since 2000, and the first retailer to offer renewable energy in Texas when the market opened in 2002. It has been owned since 2010 by NRG Energy (the same parent as Reliant and Cirro), but it has kept a distinct, mission-driven identity.

Its whole proposition is environmental: every plan is 100% renewable, backed by renewable energy certificates, and it has a long, verifiable green track record (REC matching, a renewable buyback program, and marquee projects). The trade-off is consistent and well-documented — Green Mountain's rates are among the highest in the Texas market, the premium you pay for the category's longest-running green brand.

Founded

1997 (entered Texas 2002)

Headquarters

Austin, TX

Parent company

NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG)

Ownership: Green Mountain was founded in Vermont in 1997 as the first 100% renewable retailer in the U.S., moved its headquarters to Austin in 2000, and became the first REP to offer renewable energy in Texas in 2002. NRG Energy acquired it for $350 million in 2010; it shares the NRG parent with Reliant and Cirro.

Scale & coverage: Green Mountain Energy hundreds of thousands of customers across seven states (exact Texas count not disclosed), across deregulated Texas — Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, and TNMP.

Plans & pricing

Green Mountain Energy plans and rates

Green Mountain's advertised rates are as advertised in late May 2026 and varies by utility zone and usage — treat these as representative, not a quote, and check the live Electricity Facts Label on Power to Choose before you sign up.

Pollution Free fixed plans

12–36 month 100% renewable fixed plans — the core lineup.

Conserve variants

Plans with a monthly charge structure aimed at lower-usage, conservation-minded homes.

Renewable Rewards (buyback)

A residential renewable buyback for solar export.

Rate at 1,000 kWh

~14.4–18.9¢/kWh

Among the highest in the Texas market — the premium for 100% renewable from the original green brand.

Pollution Free e-Plus 24

$0/mo charge, $295 ETF

Pollution Free Conserve 12

$5/mo charge, $150 ETF

ETF runs ~$150 (12–15-mo) to ~$395 (36-mo) by term.

Renewable energy: Green Mountain advertises 100% renewable energy on every plan, backed by renewable energy certificates, and was the first REP to offer renewable energy in Texas. A 'green' product still draws from the shared grid; the renewable claim is met through REC matching, which Green Mountain has done longer than anyone in the market.

The fine print

Green Mountain Energy fees and the fine print

Green Mountain's bill is its energy charge plus the pass-through TDU delivery charges your utility sets. The defining fact is price: its rates are consistently among the highest in Texas — that's the cost of 100% renewable energy from the category pioneer, not a hidden fee. Early-termination fees scale with term length (roughly $150 to $395). Notably, reviewers credit it for not price-gouging during Winter Storm Uri.

Every Texas provider passes the same regulated TDU delivery charges through to you, so delivery isn't where providers actually compete — the energy charge and plan structure are. Always pull the Electricity Facts Label and compare the all-in cost at your real usage.

What customers say

Green Mountain Energy customer reviews

Green Mountain's review picture is almost entirely about price. Its unsolicited scores are low (Texas Electricity Ratings 1.7/5), and the recurring complaint is straightforward: the rates are high. Its regulatory record is actually middle-of-the-pack with reportedly zero service-quality complaints — the friction is the bill, not the service. For the customer who specifically wants 100% renewable from the original green brand, that premium is the point; for everyone else, it's the catch.

Texas Electricity Ratings

1.7 out of 5

364 reviews

Unsolicited reviews; the dominant theme is price (as of May 2026).

View source →

Google

~3.9–4.2 out of 5

Solicited; figures vary by source and date, May 2026 — verify live.

View source →

Better Business Bureau

~1.3 (customer reviews) out of 5

~41 customer reviews; confirm the current letter grade live.

View source →

Review scores are point-in-time and were last checked May 27, 2026; follow each link for the current figure. We cite third-party sources rather than publishing our own customer quotes.

Where it falls short

Common Green Mountain Energy complaints

Premium pricing — by far the dominant theme; its plans are among the highest-priced in the market.
Billing clarity and unexpected charges.
Customer-service responsiveness on disputes, such as cancellation and ETF friction.

Green Mountain logged on the order of 122–132 PUC complaints in a recent trailing year — roughly at or slightly above the per-provider industry average — but reportedly with zero service-quality complaints, the volume skewed toward billing. The takeaway: the complaints are about price, not broken service.

In fairness

What Green Mountain Energy is genuinely good at

Renewable leadership and tenure — the original (1997) and longest-serving 100% green REP in the U.S., with a credible, verifiable environmental track record.
Mission-driven brand trust among eco-minded customers, plus NRG's financial backing.
A reputation for not price-gouging during Winter Storm Uri, when many variable-rate customers were hit hard.

Side by side

Green Mountain Energy vs. Base

Green Mountain asks you to pay a premium for 100% renewable energy from the category pioneer — a fair trade if that's your priority. Base competes on transparent cost instead: one flat energy rate (advertised at 8¢/kWh) at any usage, a flat monthly membership, pass-through TDU delivery, and an optional whole-home battery as a separate product. If the environment is your top priority, Green Mountain's tenure is hard to match; if it's predictable cost, that's Base's focus.

	Flat & clear	Green Mountain Energy
Energy pricing	Flat 8¢/kWh at any usage Advertised energy charge	Varies by plan Often tiered, bill-credit, or time-of-use
Monthly charge	Flat $19–$29 membership	Energy charge + any plan fees
TDU delivery	Passed through, no markup	Passed through, no markup
Optional whole-home battery (separate product)	yes	no
Bottom line	Delivery charges are identical no matter who you pick — compare the all-in energy cost at your real usage on each EFL.

Base reports up to 32% savings versus Green Mountain in its own bill comparisons (basepowercompany.com/compare) — consistent with Green Mountain's premium green pricing. That's Base's own published figure, not a third-party finding; confirm against both EFLs at your usage.

You can obtain important standardized information that will allow you to compare this product with other offers. Contact Base Power at 512-518-1009 or basepowercompany.com.

Green Mountain Energy review FAQs

Green Mountain Energy is owned by NRG Energy, which acquired it for $350 million in 2010. It was founded independently in Vermont in 1997 as the first 100% renewable retailer in the U.S. and is headquartered in Austin. NRG also owns Reliant and Cirro.

If your priority is genuinely 100% renewable electricity from the category's original brand, Green Mountain is a strong fit — and reviewers credit it for not price-gouging during Winter Storm Uri. The catch is price: its rates are among the highest in Texas (the reason for its low unsolicited review scores), so it's a poor fit for strict price-shoppers.

Yes — every Green Mountain plan is advertised as 100% renewable, backed by renewable energy certificates, and it was the first REP to offer renewable energy in Texas (2002). The power still flows from the shared grid; the renewable claim is met through REC matching, which Green Mountain has done longer than any competitor in the state.

Green Mountain's rates are among the highest in Texas because its entire product is premium 100% renewable energy from the longest-running green brand — that's the trade-off, not a hidden fee. Its regulatory complaints skew toward billing/price rather than service quality. If price matters more than the green brand, you'll likely find cheaper renewable options.

Green Mountain charges a premium for 100% renewable energy; Base competes on transparent cost — one flat energy rate (advertised at 8¢/kWh) at any usage plus a flat monthly membership, with pass-through TDU delivery and an optional whole-home battery as a separate product. If the environment is your top priority, Green Mountain's tenure is hard to match; if predictable cost is, compare the all-in cost at your real usage on each EFL.

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Sources

Plan documents: Electricity Facts Label (EFL) · Terms of Service & Your Rights as a Customer. Products and pricing are offered to qualified customers in Texas only.