Texas Electricity Guides

Last updated: October 18, 2026

The library below is the complete set of pillar guides on TexasPowerCost.com. Each guide covers one fundamental topic in the deregulated Texas electricity market in depth. Together they form a single, internally linked resource for understanding how Texas electricity is bought, sold, delivered, and billed. Every guide is updated against current PUCT tariffs and Power to Choose data.

Market Fundamentals

Start here if you are new to deregulated Texas electricity or want a clean mental model of how the market works.

• How the Texas Electricity Market Works — ERCOT, REPs, TDUs, EFLs, and why the 1000 kWh rate misleads.
• How Electricity Deregulation Works in Texas — the 1999 Senate Bill 7 reform and what it changed.
• Texas Deregulation Guide — the consumer-facing implications of deregulation.
• The Texas Power Grid Explained — why Texas runs its own grid (ERCOT), whether it's reliable after 2021, whether it can import power, and who controls it.
• Will Data Centers Raise Your Texas Electricity Bill? — the honest answer: energy vs delivery, who really pays, what SB 6 changed, and how to protect your rate.
• What the Permian Basin Means for Your Electricity Bill — why West Texas's oilfield is now a top power-demand center, the $30–40B 765-kV buildout, and how statewide transmission costs reach your bill.

Plan Types and Pricing Structures

Every plan structure Texas REPs file, with the math on which household profile each one fits.

• The 1,000 kWh Illusion — why the advertised "cheapest" rate usually isn't, with a worked example.
• Best Texas Electricity Plans for High-Usage Homes (2,000 kWh+) — why a large home needs a different plan than the one advertised cheapest at 1,000 kWh, and how to find it.
• How to Compare Texas Electricity Plans by Usage — the seven-step method, with the interpolation arithmetic worked by hand.
• What's the Best Site to Compare Texas Electricity Rates? — seven criteria for judging any comparison tool, plus our own disclosure.
• How to Use Power to Choose (Texas) — how to use the official free PUCT site well, and why the plan atop its default 1,000 kWh sort often isn't your cheapest.
• Every Type of Texas Electricity Plan, Explained — fixed, variable, indexed, prepaid, free-nights, bill-credit, tiered, green.
• Texas Electricity Contract Length: 6, 12, 24 or 36 Months? — today's filed rates by term (live), the end-month table for fall signings, and the no-fee exit rules in 16 TAC §25.475.
• How to Choose the Best Electricity Plan — practical shopping framework.
• How to Compare Texas Electricity Plans — what to actually look at on the EFL.
• How to Read a Texas EFL — decode the Electricity Facts Label line by line to spot the traps before you sign.
• Texas Electricity Plan Comparison Methodology — how this site\'s comparison engine works.

Using AI to Shop for Electricity

ChatGPT and other AI tools are powerful for understanding plans — and unreliable for pricing them. These guides show the honest, effective way to use AI to shop Texas electricity.

• How to Use AI to Choose a Plan — the full hybrid workflow: AI for meaning, live data for math.
• Can ChatGPT Find the Cheapest Plan? — the honest answer, and why it can't.
• Read Your EFL with ChatGPT — decode the fine print in seconds.
• The Best AI Prompts (Copy-Paste) — a tested prompt library.
• Compare Plans with AI — side-by-side, done right.
• Understand Your Bill with AI — is it your plan or your usage?
• 7 AI Shopping Mistakes to Avoid — and how to dodge each.
• ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Perplexity vs Claude — which AI for which task.
• Analyze Your Smart Meter Data with ChatGPT — the free-nights/TOU math, done by AI.

TDUs, ZIPs, and Cities

Where you live determines a lot of what you pay. These guides walk through the geography of Texas electricity rates.

• Texas TDU Delivery Charges, Fully Explained — Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, TNMP.
• Texas TDU Delivery Charges — Oncor vs CenterPoint vs AEP vs TNMP Compared — Side-by-side comparison table of all four TDU fixed charges and per-kWh rates, with a worked example showing how TDU territory affects your total bill.
• Cheapest Electricity in Texas — City-by-City Breakdown
• How Texas Electricity Rates Vary by ZIP Code
• Who Is the Cheapest Electricity Supplier in Texas? — there is no single cheapest supplier; the cheapest plan changes with your usage and ZIP.
• What Is a Good Electricity Rate in Texas? — how to benchmark a rate against the live market and against your own usage.
• How to Negotiate a Better Electricity Rate in Texas — why you switch rather than negotiate in a deregulated market.

Bills, Usage, and Saving Money

Reading the bill, understanding your usage, and lowering both the unit cost and the total bill.

• How Much Electricity Does the Average Texas Home Use?
• All-Electric vs Gas Home — what putting heat, hot water and cooking on the electric meter does to your bill, and why it makes your plan choice matter more.
• How to Read Your Texas Electricity Bill, Line by Line
• Budget & Average Billing — how levelized billing smooths your bill (but doesn't lower it), and the true-up to watch.
• Who Is My Provider & TDU? — find both fast, especially if you just moved in.
• Why Is My Texas Electricity Bill So High?
• Why Your Texas Electricity Bill Spikes in Summer — how AC pushes usage to 2,000+ kWh and changes which plan is cheapest.
• What Time of Year Are Electricity Rates Lowest in Texas? — why new fixed-rate offers tend to be cheapest in the fall shoulder season, and why you usually shouldn't wait to switch.
• What Is the Average Electricity Bill in Texas? — the typical monthly bill and usage, broken down by apartment vs house, and the all-in-rate nuance.
• What's the Most Expensive Time to Use Electricity in Texas? — why time of day only matters on time-of-use plans, and when the grid peaks.
• The Complete Guide to Lowering Your Texas Electricity Bill
• What Uses the Most Electricity in a Texas Home? — the appliance-by-appliance bill breakdown, biggest draws first.
• Does Unplugging Appliances Really Save Money? — phantom/standby power, power-strip safety, and whether turning off lights helps.
• The Cheapest Time to Do Laundry in Texas — why time of day only matters on a time-of-use plan, and what really costs you.
• Senior Electricity Discounts in Texas — the truth about "senior plans," plus CEAP/LIHEAP assistance and disconnection protections.
• How Much Does It Cost to Run Your Appliances? — the cost-per-hour table for TVs, dryers, dishwashers, AC and more at Texas rates.
• Why Did My Electricity Bill Suddenly Double? — the five usual causes and a two-minute usage-vs-rate diagnosis.
• Texas Home Energy Tax Credits in 2026 — the federal 25C/25D credits ended Dec 31, 2025; what's left for Texas homeowners.

Trouble Paying Your Bill? Assistance & Your Rights

If the bill has become hard to pay, Texas gives you real options — assistance programs, payment plans, weather protections, and a clear complaint process. These guides walk through each one, and what to do the moment a disconnection notice arrives.

• Help Paying Your Electric Bill in Texas — CEAP/LIHEAP, 2-1-1, and provider hardship funds, and how to apply before funds run out.
• Facing a Shutoff? How to Stop a Disconnection — the 10-day notice, weather and weekend rules, and the deferred payment plan that buys you time.
• What Happens If You Don't Pay Your Bill? — the timeline from late fee to disconnection, reconnection costs, and why the debt follows you.
• How to Dispute a Wrong or High Bill — meter re-reads, the REP-then-PUCT complaint path, and wrong-bill vs high-but-correct.
• Critical Care & Chronic Condition Protections — the physician form that shields a medically vulnerable household from disconnection.

Laundry Energy, Water & Running Costs

The laundry room is one of the most-searched corners of the home-energy world. These guides put real Texas numbers on what a washer and dryer actually cost to run, where the money really goes (the dryer and the hot water, not the machine itself), and how to cut both the kilowatt-hours and the rate you pay for them.

• Does a Washing Machine Use a Lot of Electricity? — the machine is cheap; hot water is the real cost, and cold washes are nearly free.
• How Much Does It Cost to Run a Clothes Dryer? — per hour, per load and per month, plus gas vs electric vs heat-pump.
• Is It Better to Wash Full Loads? — why fewer, fuller loads cut energy, water and dryer runs.
• How Many Loads of Laundry a Week Is Normal (and What It Costs)? — typical loads per household and the monthly dollar figure.
• Front-Load vs Top-Load Washers: Which Is Cheaper to Run? — water use, energy and spin speed compared.
• Which Washing Machine Uses the Least Water? — and why less water means a lower electric bill on an electric water heater.
• How to Reduce Your Washing Machine's Water Use (and Cut the Bill) — the cold-water and cycle changes that save the most.
• The Real Downsides of a Washer/Dryer Combo — long cycles, small loads, and where the energy and water actually go.
• Why Won't My New Washer Fill With Water? — HE washers use little water by design, and why you shouldn't "trick" them.
• What Happens If You Never Clean Your Washing Machine? — smell, mold, scale, and the efficiency it quietly costs.

Appliance Lifespan, Repair & Buying

When a washer or dryer starts to fail, the real question is repair-or-replace — and the answer is part durability, part running cost. These guides cover how long the machines last, when a fix is worth it, which brands go the distance, and why a new efficient model paired with a low electricity rate is the cheapest setup over the machine's whole life.

• Repair or Replace Your Washer? The Real Math — the 50% rule, which repairs are worth it, and the efficiency tiebreaker.
• Is It Worth Fixing a 7-Year-Old Washer? — where a mid-life machine sits and when to let it go.
• What Is the 50/50 Rule for Appliances? — the age-and-cost shortcut for repair-or-replace, with a lifespan cheat sheet.
• How Long Do Washers and Dryers Last? — average lifespans, what shortens them, and how to get more years.
• Do Washers and Dryers Go Bad If You Don't Use Them? — why sitting idle harms a machine, and how to store one properly.
• Do Top-Load Washers Last Longer Than Front-Load? — durability versus the front-loader's lower running cost.
• Should You Replace Your Washer and Dryer at the Same Time? — when a matched pair makes sense and when it wastes money.
• What Brands of Washer and Dryer Last the Longest? — the durability reputations, measured fairly, plus total cost of ownership.
• What Month Do Washers and Dryers Go on Sale? — the best sale windows, and why efficiency plus a low rate is the other half of a cheap buy.

Air Conditioning & Cooling Costs

Cooling is the single biggest line on a Texas summer bill. These guides put real numbers on what your AC costs to run and the settings and equipment choices that actually move it.

• How Much Does It Cost to Run Your Air Conditioner? — per hour, per day and per month at Texas rates, by system size.
• The Best AC Temperature for a Texas Summer — the setpoint that balances comfort and cost, and what each degree is worth.
• Is It Cheaper to Leave the AC On or Turn It Off? — the setback myth, and what actually saves in a hot, humid climate.
• Central AC vs Window Units: Which Is Cheaper? — when cooling only the rooms you use beats whole-home central air.
• Does a Higher-SEER AC Really Save Money? — the efficiency-vs-price math, and when an upgrade pays back in Texas.
• Do Smart Thermostats Save Money in Texas? — where the savings come from, and the setup that captures them.

HVAC Systems: Sizing, Ducts & Replacement

Your cooling and heating equipment is the biggest energy user in a Texas home, so the decisions under the hood — sizing, ducts, upkeep, and when to replace — move the bill more than almost anything else.

• What Size AC Do You Need in Texas? — why oversized units short-cycle and leave your home humid, and why a Manual J beats a rule of thumb.
• One AC Unit or Two? — cooling a two-story Texas home, and when zoning or a second system is worth it.
• What Are Leaky Ducts Costing You? — why 20–30% of your cooled air can vanish into a hot attic, and how to seal it.
• Does AC Maintenance Lower Your Bill? — the filter, coil, and refrigerant checks that keep a system efficient.
• When to Replace Your AC vs Repair It — the 50% rule, the R-22 trap, and how to avoid a panic mid-summer replacement.

Smart Home & Energy Tech

Smart devices only save power when they change how your biggest loads run. These guides give the honest take on what pays off and what's just a gadget.

• Does a Smart Home Actually Save Electricity? — where real savings come from, and where they don't.
• Are Home Energy Monitors Worth It? — what a whole-home monitor shows you, and how it actually saves money.
• Do Smart Plugs Save Electricity? — what they can trim, and why they can't touch your biggest loads.

Heating, Winter Bills & Outages

Texas winters are mild on average but punctuated by hard freezes that spike heating bills and stress the grid. These guides cover what electric heat really costs, the settings and weatherizing that cut it, and how to prepare for an outage.

• Why Is My Texas Electricity Bill So High in Winter? — how resistance heat and cold snaps drive the December–February spike.
• Electric Heating Costs: Heat Pump vs Resistance — why a heat pump can cut winter heating cost by more than half.
• The Best Winter Thermostat Settings for Texas — the setpoints that keep you warm without a January bill shock.
• How to Weatherize Your Texas Home for Winter — the cheap sealing and insulation fixes that pay back fastest.
• Preparing for a Texas Power Outage — a practical freeze-and-storm readiness plan after Winter Storm Uri.
• Texas Winter Electricity Checklist 2026–27, Month by Month — the rate in October, the heat in November, the holidays and outage kit in December, the cold-snap playbook for January, with the dates and rules.
• Can a Winter Storm Raise Your Texas Electricity Bill? — what a fixed rate locks, what variable and indexed plans can do, the post-2021 wholesale-indexed ban and the $5,000/MWh cap.
• ERCOT Grid Alerts Explained: Weather Watch to EEA 3 — the full notification ladder with ERCOT's MW triggers, how rotating outages are allocated, and every TDU's outage number.
• How Much Does a Space Heater Cost to Run in Texas? — per hour, per day and per month at 750, 1,000 and 1,500 W, and when a heater beats central heat.
• Backup Power in Texas: Generator vs Standby vs Home Battery — cost to buy and run, run-time, what each can power, CO rules, and who needs which.
• How Much Do Christmas Lights Cost to Run in Texas? — LED vs incandescent per 100 bulbs, C9 rooflines, inflatables, a 40-night season total, and the timer that cuts it.

Big-Ticket Loads: Pool, Water Heater & EV Charging

A pool pump, an electric water heater, and an EV are among the largest loads a Texas home can add. These guides show what each one costs and the plan and timing choices that keep them cheap.

• How Much Does a Pool Pump Cost to Run? — why the pump can rival the AC, and how to cut its runtime and rate.
• How Much Does an Electric Water Heater Cost to Run? — the second-biggest load in many homes, and heat-pump water-heater savings.
• How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV at Home? — the miles-to-kWh-to-dollars math and the plan that makes it cheapest.
• The Best Electricity Plan for an EV in Texas — free-nights and EV plans, and when they actually pay off.

Choosing a Provider, Deposits & Plan Type

There is no single "cheapest" or "best" electricity company in Texas — the right one depends on your usage, your ZIP, your credit, and the plan structure. These guides cut through the brand advertising to how you actually judge a provider and a plan.

• Which Is the Best Electricity Company in Texas? — how to judge "best" and "highest-rated" using PUCT complaint data, not the ads.
• Is Reliant or TXU Cheaper? — an honest head-to-head of the two big incumbents, and why the cheapest plan is often neither.
• Can You Get Electricity With No Deposit in Texas? — how to skip the deposit with credit history, a 65+ waiver, or a prepaid plan.
• What Is a Variable-Rate Electricity Plan? — the flexible-but-risky rate, and the costly holdover trap when a fixed plan expires.
• Prepaid vs Postpaid Electricity in Texas — no-deposit pay-as-you-go versus the cheapest fixed plans, and which fits you.
• How to Shop for a Texas Electricity Plan — where to shop, the free official portal vs affiliate sites, and the sign-up traps to avoid.
• Texas Electricity Shopping FAQ — plain-English answers to the questions Texans actually ask when picking a plan.
• Refer-a-Friend Bonuses by Provider — which Texas providers pay a referral bill credit, the amounts, and the fine print.

Switching Providers in Texas

Switching electricity providers in Texas is fast, free (aside from your old plan's early termination fee), and never interrupts your power. These guides cover the timing, the requirements, and the few things that can get in the way.

• Is It Hard to Switch Electricity Providers in Texas? — what you need, why there's no service interruption, and why you don't cancel with the old provider.
• How to Cancel or Stop Service (Moving Out) — ending or transferring service when you leave, and when the early-termination fee is waived.
• What Is the Best Time to Switch Electricity Providers? — the 14-day fee-free window before your contract ends, and the holdover trap.
• How Long Does It Take to Switch Electricity in Texas? — 1–3 business days, same-day move-ins, and choosing your own start date.
• Can an Electricity Provider Refuse to Switch You? — credit, deposits, switch-holds, and switching back to a former provider.
• Do You Need a Smart Meter to Switch Plans? — the meter that makes switching fast, and which plans rely on its data.

Smart Meters in Texas

Every deregulated Texas home has a smart meter, owned and read by the local utility (the TDU). These guides answer the most-searched questions about it — bills, safety, reading the display, installation, moving, and more — with the Texas-specific facts (they measure electricity only, transmit automatically, and are viewed at Smart Meter Texas). For the basics and the opt-out, see also Smart Metering Explained, the smart meter opt-out, and using your meter data to pick a plan.

• Do Smart Meters Make Your Bill Higher? — no; it's usage and rate, plus the always-on loads that run when "nothing is on."
• Are Smart Meters Safe? EMF and Health Questions — a measured, evidence-based look at RF exposure, privacy, and fire.
• How to Read Your Texas Smart Meter — the kWh display, the blinking light, "888888," and why codes vary by manufacturer.
• Common Smart Meter Problems (and What to Do) — errors, failures, "activated?" — and why you call the TDU, not your retailer.
• Smart Meter Installation: What to Expect — who installs it, how long it takes, the cost, and what a "red tag" means.
• Can You Move, Unplug, or Take Your Smart Meter? — no; it belongs to the TDU and stays with the property.
• Does Your Texas Smart Meter Measure Gas? — electricity only; gas is a separate meter and a separate utility.
• Are Old Electric Meters Being Phased Out? — the analog-to-smart switch, and who owns and replaces the meter.

Moving to Texas: New-Resident Guides

New to Texas? In most of the state you choose your own electricity provider — and the move-in rush is exactly when people overpay. These guides get your power and utilities set up the right way, and show how the home and neighborhood you pick shape the bill.

• Moving to Texas: Complete Utility Setup Checklist — electricity, water/MUD, gas, trash and internet, with a move-in timeline.
• How to Set Up Electricity When Moving to Texas — the deregulated-market walkthrough and the move-in overpay trap.
• What Is an ESIID (ESI ID) and How Do I Find Mine? — the per-meter ID you need to start service, switch, or move.
• Apartment, Condo, Single- or Two-Story: How Home Type Changes the Bill — why the home you choose drives the cooling cost.
• Do Trees and Shade Lower Your Electricity Bill? — new-build saplings vs mature-canopy neighborhoods.
• Beach & Coastal Homes: Why Electricity Costs More Near the Coast — humidity, longer cooling season, and salt air.

Moving to a Texas City

Comprehensive, city-by-city new-resident guides: which utility delivers your power, how to set up every utility, how the local home stock and climate affect your bill, and the neighborhoods, school districts and flood facts a newcomer needs.

• Moving to Houston — CenterPoint delivery; Inner Loop vs suburbs; MUDs, flood and school districts.
• Moving to Katy — big new-build two-story homes, MUD water, Katy ISD, reservoir flood history.
• Moving to Sugar Land — affluent Fort Bend master-planned homes; Fort Bend & Lamar CISD.
• Moving to Cypress — the quintessential treeless new-build suburb; CFISD; highest-AC scenario.
• Moving to The Woodlands — the forested exception where tree canopy actually cuts cooling; Conroe ISD.
• Moving to Pearland — coastal-leaning humidity and a long cooling season; Pearland & Alvin ISD.
• Moving to Spring — unincorporated MUD water and the rural co-op boundary caveat; Klein & Spring ISD.
• Moving to Conroe — Lake Conroe area; confirm CenterPoint vs the Sam Houston co-op before you shop.
• Moving to Dallas — Oncor delivery, Atmos gas; apartments to houses; DFW winter-freeze resilience.
• Moving to Fort Worth — Oncor + Atmos; historic tree-lined core vs treeless north growth.
• Moving to Frisco — corporate-relocation magnet; big treeless new builds; Frisco ISD.
• Moving to Plano — large homes at the 2,000 kWh tier; East vs West Plano; Plano ISD.
• Moving to McKinney — historic downtown vs new master-planned; McKinney ISD.

Switching, Providers, and Smart Metering

Picking a provider, switching cleanly, and using your meter data to verify everything.

• Tips for Switching Texas Electricity Providers
• Every Major Texas Electricity Provider, Compared
• Smart Metering in Texas Explained
• Can You Opt Out of a Smart Meter in Texas? — the non-standard metering rule, the fees, and the trade-offs.

Weather, Business, and Renewables

The specialized topics: weather-driven bill risk, commercial electricity, and where wind, solar, and EVs fit on the Texas grid.

• Texas Weather and Your Electricity Bill
• How Texas Business Electricity Is Different
• Renewable Energy in Texas — The Honest Guide

Business & Commercial Electricity

Texas business electricity is priced and shopped differently from residential. Start with how business electricity works, then these guides go deeper on demand charges and specific business types.

• How to Cut Demand Charges — the load-factor idea and the operational moves that shave your peak kW.
• What It Costs to Power a Restaurant — where a Texas restaurant's electricity goes, and how to cut it.
• Electricity for Churches & Non-Profits — the low-load-factor problem, the sales-tax exemption, and managing the peak.
• Should You Use an Electricity Broker? — how brokers are paid, the conflicts to watch, and how to vet one.

Rural, Ranch & Farm Electricity

Rural Texas plays by different rules: many addresses are served by an electric co-op and can't shop, and the big loads are pumps and outbuildings, not just the house. These guides cover both.

• Co-op vs Deregulated — and How to Tell — why ~15% of Texans can't choose, and what co-op members can still do.
• Farm & Ranch Electricity Costs — multiple meters, barns, pumps, and winter stock-tank heaters.
• What a Water Well Pump Costs to Run — the real monthly cost, and why a bad pressure tank quietly runs up the bill.
• What Irrigation Costs to Run — pump-fed vs city-water systems, and how to water for less.

Texas Electricity Generation & Clean Energy

How Texas electricity is produced — natural gas, wind, nuclear, solar, coal, and hydro — and what each source means for your bill, your plan choice, and the cost of going green.

• Texas Electricity Generation Mix — What Powers Your Home — ERCOT fuel breakdown: gas, wind, nuclear, solar, coal, hydro and how each affects your bill and plan choice.
• Texas Wind Energy — How It Affects Your Electricity Bill — Why Texas leads the U.S. in wind, how overnight wind suppresses prices, and why green plans are cheap here.
• Texas Solar Energy — Utility Scale, Rooftop & Your Bill — How utility-scale solar growth changes midday prices, rooftop solar buyback economics, and Texas solar incentives.
• What "100% Renewable" Really Means in Texas Electricity — How RECs work, what the EFL must disclose, additionality explained, and whether a green plan is worth it.

Solar, Batteries & Energy-Upgrade Payback

Thinking about solar panels, a home battery, an EV, or efficiency upgrades? The 2026 rules changed — the federal solar and efficiency tax credits ended after 2025 — so the payback math is different now. These guides give the honest numbers for Texas, with no sales pitch.

• Is Solar Worth It in Texas in 2026? — an honest cost check now that the 30% federal credit has expired.
• Texas Solar Buyback Plans Explained — why there's no net metering here, and how to compare export credits.
• Are Home Batteries Worth It in Texas? — backup, bill savings, and getting paid through a virtual power plant.
• Is an EV Cheaper Than Gas in Texas? — the cost-per-mile math for home charging versus the pump.
• Which Home Energy Upgrades Pay Back Fastest? — a payback-ranked plan for a cooling-dominated Texas climate.
• Best Electricity Plans for Texas Solar Homes — how to pick a plan (and a buyback) when you have rooftop solar and export power.

City-Specific Electricity Guides

Each guide below covers one Texas city in depth — which TDU delivers electricity there, how many plans are typically available, local ZIP code quirks, and how to find the lowest-cost plan for that market.

• Houston Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint Energy territory; 60–100+ plans; summer usage, ZIP breakdown, and how to find the true lowest cost.
• Dallas Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; DFW market dynamics, Oncor TDSP charges, and plan comparison methodology.
• Fort Worth Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; Tarrant County ZIP guide, summer usage expectations, and plan selection tips.
• Arlington Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; diverse housing from UTA apartments to large suburban homes — usage-dependent plan selection.
• Irving Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; Las Colinas apartments vs. Valley Ranch houses — why your ZIP and home type drive plan choice.
• Garland Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; older housing stock, higher summer usage, and weatherization tips that compound plan savings.
• Plano Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; large newer homes in Collin County drive above-average usage — critical to compare at the 2,000 kWh EFL tier.
• Frisco Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. with a housing stock skewed to large, high-usage homes.
• Sugar Land Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint territory; ZIP codes 77478, 77479, 77498; Riverstone and First Colony usage profiles and true summer cost at 1,700–2,200 kWh.
• Katy Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint territory; 77449, 77450, 77494; Cinco Ranch and Cane Island large-home market; builder-referral plan warning.
• The Woodlands Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint territory; ZIP codes 77380–77389; large-home high-usage market; village-by-village usage breakdown.
• Pearland Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint territory; ZIP codes 77581, 77584, 77588; Shadow Creek Ranch and Silverlake usage profiles.
• Pasadena TX Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint territory; ZIP codes 77502–77507; older housing stock, efficiency ROI, LIHEAP/CEAP assistance programs.
• League City Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint territory; ZIP codes 77573 and 77574; NASA corridor suburbs; coastal humidity and hurricane-season rate protection.
• Galveston Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint territory; ZIP codes 77550, 77551, 77554; island market; hurricane fixed-rate strategy; vacation rental usage profiles.
• Conroe Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint territory; ZIP codes 77301–77304; Lake Conroe area; Sam Houston Electric Co-op boundary note for rural addresses.
• Spring TX Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint territory (mostly); unincorporated north Harris / south Montgomery County; co-op boundary note.
• Cypress TX Electricity Rates & Plans — CenterPoint territory; ZIP codes 77429 and 77433; Bridgeland; 1,600–2,400 kWh August usage; builder plan warning.
• Corpus Christi Electricity Rates & Plans — AEP Texas Central territory; ZIP codes 78401–78418 including Padre Island; hurricane risk and fixed-rate protection.
• Lubbock Electricity Rates & Plans — AEP Texas territory; joined ERCOT deregulated market in 2021; two-season demand with hot summers and cold winters.
• Amarillo Electricity Rates — Not Deregulated — Xcel Energy (SPS) territory on the Southwest Power Pool grid; why Amarillo cannot shop for competitive plans and what options exist.
• Tyler TX Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; East Texas humid subtropical climate; ZIP codes 75701–75709; plan comparison at 1,100–1,600 kWh.
• Longview TX Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; ZIP codes 75601–75605; East Texas usage profile; bill-credit plan math at realistic usage levels.
• Beaumont TX Electricity Rates & Plans — Entergy Texas territory (not CenterPoint); ZIP codes 77701–77708; Southeast Texas humidity; hurricane season risk.
• Waco TX Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; ZIP codes 76701–76712; diverse housing from Baylor-area older homes to new Hewitt/Woodway suburbs.
• Killeen TX Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; ZIP codes 76540–76549; Fort Cavazos military community; holdover variable-rate trap for incoming military families.
• McKinney TX Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; ZIP codes 75069–75072; Collin County large-home market; 2,000 kWh EFL tier as primary comparison point.
• Bryan & College Station Electricity Rates — Bryan is BTU municipal utility (not deregulated); College Station is Oncor territory — ZIP-by-ZIP breakdown of who can shop.
• McAllen TX Electricity Rates & Plans — AEP Texas Central territory; ZIP codes 78501–78504; Rio Grande Valley extreme heat; 1,400–2,200 kWh August usage.
• Brownsville TX Electricity Rates & Plans — AEP Texas Central territory; ZIP codes 78520–78526; southernmost Texas city; seven-month cooling season.
• Laredo TX Electricity Rates & Plans — AEP Texas Central territory; ZIP codes 78040–78046; one of the hottest cities in the US; 1,500–2,300 kWh August usage.
• Abilene TX Electricity Rates & Plans — AEP Texas territory; ZIP codes 79601–79606; West Texas two-season demand; Dyess AFB military housing note.
• Austin Electricity Rates & Plans — Austin Energy municipal utility (not deregulated); why Austin residents cannot shop for plans; GreenChoice, tiered rates, efficiency programs.
• San Antonio Electricity Rates & Plans — CPS Energy municipal utility (not deregulated); largest municipally owned electric and gas utility in the US; fuel adjustment clause; efficiency programs.
• El Paso Electricity Rates & Plans — El Paso Electric on the Western Interconnection (not ERCOT, not deregulated); why El Paso is on a different grid; solar opportunity.
• Round Rock TX Electricity Rates & Plans — Oncor territory; ZIP codes 78664–78682; deregulated (unlike nearby Austin); large-home suburbs; bill-credit plan math.
• Georgetown TX Electricity Rates & Plans — Georgetown Utilities municipal utility (not deregulated); 100% renewable portfolio; ZIP boundary with Oncor; efficiency programs.
• Why Austin Energy Customers Can't Choose Electricity — Focused explainer on Senate Bill 7, municipal utility opt-out, and what Austin residents can do instead.
• Why CPS Energy Customers Can't Choose Electricity — Focused explainer on why San Antonio is outside Texas deregulation and what CPS Energy customers can do to lower bills.

Tools That Go With These Guides

The guides explain how Texas electricity works. The tools apply the explanations to your actual ZIP and usage. The fastest path is the ZIP search tool on the homepage — enter your ZIP and bedroom size, and the system returns the cheapest plan for your real usage profile, calculated using the methodology described in the comparison methodology guide. The True Cost Calculator exposes the math step by step.

For city-by-city averages and a full directory of supported Texas cities, see the cities directory. For provider-by-provider profiles, see the providers directory.