Electricity plans in Austin
Austin is served by Austin Energy — a regulated municipal utility. There is no competitive retail market here, so we don't list third-party REP plans.
Live Texas rates, updated June 2026
About Austin
What you're shopping for power in.
Austin is the Texas capital, a 965,000-person city built on a tech-and-government economic base that's pulled in waves of west-coast transplants since 2015. It's served by Austin Energy, a city-owned utility — not by the ERCOT competitive market. Austin residents do not shop electricity plans the way Houston, DFW, and Lubbock residents do.
Climate & bill pattern
Hot dry-to-humid summers — 100°F days run from June through September — with mild winters punctuated by occasional ice events (Uri 2021 was the worst in living memory).
Austin Energy uses a tiered residential rate — the per-kWh price steps up at 500, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,500 kWh per month. High-summer bills can hit the top tier fast on a typical 2,000+ sq ft home with central AC. Council sets the rates; there is no plan-shopping to do, but household efficiency choices (thermostat setbacks, attic insulation, time-of-use programs) still move the bill materially.
Major employers
- ·University of Texas at Austin
- ·Dell Technologies
- ·Apple
- ·Tesla
- ·IBM
- ·Oracle
- ·Indeed
- ·State of Texas
Known neighborhoods
- ·Downtown
- ·East Austin
- ·South Congress (SoCo)
- ·Hyde Park
- ·Mueller
- ·The Domain
- ·Westlake
- ·Tarrytown
- ·Zilker
Heads up
No competitive REP plans in Austin
Austin is served by Austin Energy, a regulated municipal utility — not by the deregulated retail market that powers most of Texas. That means you can't shop for a competitive electricity provider here. Rates are set by Austin Energy through public tariff filings, not by a contract you sign with a private REP.
If you've moved here from Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, or any deregulated Texas city, your old REP doesn't follow you. Austin Energy will be your one-and-only provider for as long as you're at this address.
Browse deregulated citiesLocal guide
About electricity in Austin
Austin is served by Austin Energy, a regulated municipal utility with a population of 965K. Unlike most of Texas, the Austin area is not part of the deregulated retail electricity market — there are no competitive REPs to choose from.
The average rate is currently 14.9¢/kWh, set by Austin Energy's tariff filing. If your bill goes up, that's not a contract issue you can fix by switching — it's a rate change that affects every Austin Energy customer at once.
If you have questions about your bill, payment plans, or service, contact Austin Energy directly.
FAQ
Common questions
Can I shop for an electricity provider in Austin?
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No. Austin is served by Austin Energy, a regulated municipal utility. Texas's competitive retail market doesn't extend to Austin Energy's service territory — there is one rate, set by the utility.
What is the average electricity rate in Austin?
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Approximately 14.9¢/kWh at 1,000 kWh, set by Austin Energy. Rates change by tariff filing, not by shopping.
Who is the TDU for Austin?
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Austin Energy owns the wires, generates or buys the power, and bills you directly. There's no separate TDU charge like in deregulated Texas.
What if I move to a deregulated area?
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If you move to Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, or anywhere on Oncor / CenterPoint / AEP / TNMP, you can shop 129+ competitive plans. Use our city pages to compare.
Explore Austin
More on Austin electricity
Austin electricity rates
Austin Energy tariff rates explained
Austin electricity plans
Why no competitive shopping here
Start service in Austin
How to apply with Austin Energy
Switching providers
Why it's not available in Austin
Deregulated Texas cities
Where you can shop for a REP instead
How the Texas market works
Why some cities can shop and others can't