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Analysis + how-to for Texas electricity shoppers.
Where we sit with market trends, consumer-protection alerts, and seasonal shopping windows.
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Why Is My Electric Bill So High in Texas?
A high Texas electric bill usually traces back to a small set of causes. This guide walks through each one with real numbers so you can find the problem fast.
Smart Meter Texas: How to Read Your Data and Find Your ESID
Smart Meter Texas gives every Texas household free access to hourly electricity usage data and the ESI ID tied to their address. Here is how to use it.
Power to Choose Texas Explained: A Plain-Language Guide
PowerToChoose.org is the state-regulated electricity shopping site for Texas deregulated markets. Before enrolling in any plan, shoppers need to understand what the site shows, what it omits, and how to read the Electricity Facts Label correctly.
No Deposit Electricity in Texas: A Practical Guide
Texas electricity providers can require deposits based on your credit score, but several legal paths let you start service without paying one upfront. Here is how to find them.
What the PUCT Does: Texas Electricity Regulator Explained
The Public Utility Commission of Texas sets market rules, licenses retail electric providers, and resolves consumer complaints. It does not operate the grid or set electricity prices.
Best Electricity Plans for Low Usage in Texas
Many Texas electricity plans penalize households that use fewer than 1,000 kWh per month. This guide shows low-usage customers how to identify penalty-free plans using the Electricity Facts Label.
How to Find Your TDU in Texas in Under Two Minutes
Your TDU in Texas is set by geography, not by choice. Three quick methods identify whether Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, or TNMP serves your address.
Why Texas Electricity Rates Are Higher in Summer
Texas electricity bills spike in July and August because ERCOT's wholesale market prices surge when heat-driven demand approaches the grid's capacity. Fixed-rate plans insulate households from this volatility; variable and index plans do not.
Free Nights Electricity Plans: What They Really Cost in Texas
Free nights electricity plans charge above-market daytime rates to subsidize the overnight free window. For most Texas households, the math does not work in their favor.
How to Read an Electricity Facts Label in Texas
The Electricity Facts Label is the one document that determines whether a Texas electricity plan costs what it appears to cost. This guide walks through every section and shows how to use the three price columns to avoid rate surprises.
Texas Electricity Early Termination Fees: What You Actually Owe
A Texas electricity early termination fee typically runs $100 to $250, but PUCT rules mandate waivers in several common situations. Knowing the conditions before signing is the only reliable way to avoid an unnecessary charge.
Moving Electricity Service in Texas: The Checklist
Moving in Texas means starting fresh electricity service at the new address, not transferring it. This checklist walks through ESI ID, timing, deposits, and same-day options.
The Best Time to Switch Electricity Providers in Texas
The best time to switch electricity providers in Texas is the last 14 days before your contract ends. Switch then to avoid the early termination fee.
Fixed vs variable electricity rates in Texas: when each actually makes sense
Most Texas households should pick a fixed rate. The exceptions are narrow: short-term renters who will move in under six months, anyone with credit issues blocking fixed-plan approval, or people who think they can time the market. Here is the framework to decide which group you are in.
What the TDU delivery charge is, why it's on your bill, and why your provider can't lower it
Roughly a third of every Texas electricity bill goes to the company that owns the poles and wires, not to your retail provider. That charge is regulated, identical across every plan in the same territory, and not something you can shop. Here is what it actually buys.
CenterPoint Energy is your wires, not your electricity plan
If CenterPoint shows up on your Houston electric bill, you don't have a plan with them. They're the TDU, the wires, poles, and the meter. Your REP sets the rate. Here's why understanding that split is the first step to shopping plans honestly.
Texas electricity rates dropped 4.2% in Q1 2026. Here’s why
Mild winter plus falling natural-gas futures pushed wholesale rates to a three-year low. Retail customers will see the savings land in May and June bills. Here’s what it means for your next plan.
Why your 9.8¢ plan bills like a 13.6¢ plan
The marketing rate isn’t the rate you pay. Most Texas electricity plans advertise the rate you hit at exactly 1,000 kWh, then hide the reality at 500 kWh or 2,000 kWh. Here’s the math.
Oncor vs CenterPoint: which TDU has the cheaper delivery charge?
Your TDU handles the wires, poles, and meter, and charges you for it on every plan, regardless of provider. We compared 2026 tariffs for the two biggest Texas utilities.
Are 100% renewable plans actually worth the extra penny?
We analyzed 847 green plans vs their grey-power equivalents. The premium is smaller than you think, and in some cases, the green plan is actually cheaper.
Rhythm Energy review: the small provider quietly winning Texas
A 89% customer retention rate, no base fees, and transparent pricing. We dug into their billing data to see if the hype holds up.
Your contract expires in 60 days. Do this now.
The holdover rate trap costs the average Texan $340/year. Here’s the 15-minute renewal checklist that keeps you from falling into it.
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