US retail energy supplier

Reliant Energy US

Headquartered in Houston, Texas and owned by NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG) since 2009, Reliant is one of the three largest retail electric providers in Texas, serving approximately 1.5 million households and businesses across Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP and TNMP territories. Reliant operates exclusively in Texas.

See Reliant plans Call 1-866-222-7100

Founded 2000 ~1.5 million Texas households and businesses Houston, TX 1 state served

Founded

2000

Years in the US market

Customers

~1.5 million Texas households and businesses

Households served

About

Who is Reliant Energy?

Registered as Reliant Energy Retail Services, LLC, Reliant Energy uses this legal name for state public-utility-commission filings and customer contracts. The trading name on bills is the shorter, more recognisable form.

The company is headquartered in Houston, TX, where it runs senior management, customer operations and regulatory liaison with state commissions.

Reliant Energy was established in 2000. A longer track record means more years operating under state-commission rules and a wider history of customer feedback, billing and regulatory interactions.

Reliant Energy is part of the NRG Energy group, which provides shared governance, financial backing and a broader pool of expertise in wholesale-market trading, hedging and regulatory work.

Service area

Where Reliant Energy operates

Electricity

1 state

Service availability varies by zip code within each state. Eligibility depends on your local utility's deregulation status — check on Reliant Energy's website with your zip code before enrolling.

Plan structure

What plan types does Reliant Energy offer?

Truly Free Weekends / Nights

Time-of-use plans where Saturday-Sunday (or nightly 8 p.m. - 5 a.m.) electricity is free. Higher weekday daytime rate compensates — only worth it if you genuinely shift usage.

Power on Promise / Conservation

Flagship long-term fixed-rate plans, 12 or 24 months. Standard pick for predictable bills in the Houston / DFW heat.

Predictable Pricing / Average Billing

Flat monthly amount based on a 12-month rolling average — useful for households that struggle with seasonal bill swings.

Green / 100% renewable

Matched with Green-e certified RECs; available in 12 and 24-month terms at a small per-kWh premium.

Vivint Smart Home bundle

Reliant bundles smart-home security and automation (Vivint partnership) onto an electricity contract — niche product, monthly fee on top of energy cost.

Renewable content: Reliant's 100% Green plans are matched with Green-e certified RECs sourced from US wind and solar farms. Parent NRG also owns and operates wind and solar generation in Texas (e.g. the Cottonwood, Greens Bayou plants).

See current Reliant plans & rates

Timeline

Reliant Energy — key moments

2000

Reliant Energy Retail Services launches as the unregulated retail arm of Houston-based Reliant Resources, ahead of Texas deregulation.
2002

Texas retail electricity market opens to competition; Reliant becomes the default REP for the former HL&P (Houston Lighting & Power) service area.
2009

NRG Energy acquires Reliant's retail business for $287 million plus working capital, after Reliant Resources' financial struggles.
2013

Launches the Truly Free Weekends plan, popularising the time-of-use marketing concept in Texas.
2021

Texas Winter Storm Uri — Reliant maintains supply but faces customer-service backlash over conservation messaging. Parent NRG absorbs settlement-cost exposure.

Contact

Reach Reliant Energy customer service

Reliant Energy's customer service handles enrollment questions, billing, switching and complaints. Have your account number from a recent bill ready to speed up the call.

Have your Reliant account number from a recent bill ready to speed up the call.
For service outages or downed wires, call your TDU — not Reliant. In Houston it is CenterPoint Energy (713-207-2222); in DFW it is Oncor (888-313-4747).
Reliant offers 24/7 customer service — the only Texas REP at this scale to do so.
Spanish-language service available at the same number.

Customer service

1-866-222-7100

24/7 customer service

Reliant Energy online account

Frequently asked

Reliant Energy — answers to common questions

Reliant Energy is regulated by the public utility commission in each state where it operates. Reliability is best judged against your own usage profile: read recent reviews, confirm the customer-service hours match when you actually need to call, and compare the unit rate against the utility's price-to-compare for your zip code.

Plans can typically be enrolled directly on Reliant Energy's website or by calling 1-866-222-7100. Before signing up, always compare the unit rate (¢/kWh for electricity, $/therm for gas) against your utility's price-to-compare for your zip code.

You can switch your retail supplier at any time, though early termination fees (typically $50-$200) may apply if you are on a fixed-rate plan and within the contract term. Check your enrollment letter or Terms of Service for the exact figure. Switching back to your default utility supply is always free.