US retail energy supplier

Spark Energy US

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, Spark Energy is one of the longest-running competitive retail-energy suppliers in the US, serving electricity in 8 states and natural gas in 9. Formerly listed on NASDAQ as SPKE, the company is now part of a larger private group following its 2022 acquisition.

See Spark plans Call 1-877-547-7275

Founded 1999 ~700,000 RCEs Houston, TX 12 states served

Founded

1999

Years in the US market

Customers

~700,000 RCEs

Households served

About

Who is Spark Energy?

Registered as Spark Energy, LLC, Spark 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.

Spark Energy was established in 1999. A longer track record means more years operating under state-commission rules and a wider history of customer feedback, billing and regulatory interactions.

Spark Energy is part of the Retailco / Spark HoldCo (W. Keith Maxwell III) group, which provides shared governance, financial backing and a broader pool of expertise in wholesale-market trading, hedging and regulatory work.

Service area

Where Spark Energy operates

Electricity

8 states

Natural gas

8 states

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

Plan structure

What plan types does Spark Energy offer?

Fixed-rate electricity

Lock in a ¢/kWh unit rate for the contract term — typically 6, 12 or 24 months. Insulates you from market volatility.

Variable-rate electricity

Unit rate adjusts each billing cycle based on wholesale market prices. Common default after a fixed contract expires.

Fixed-rate natural gas

Lock in a $/therm rate for the contract term in any of 9 gas markets.

Green / renewable plans

Fixed-rate plans matched with Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) covering all or part of your electricity consumption.

Renewable content: Spark Energy offers green-electricity plans matched with RECs. The exact renewable percentage varies by plan and state — confirm in the Terms of Service.

See current Spark plans & rates

Timeline

Spark Energy — key moments

1999

Spark Energy founded in Houston by W. Keith Maxwell III, initially focused on the Texas gas market.
2014

Spark Energy, Inc. IPO on NASDAQ (ticker SPKE).
2017

Spark acquired Verde Energy USA, expanding the Northeast retail footprint significantly.
2022

Spark Energy taken private after a tender offer from Retailco; delisted from NASDAQ.

Contact

Reach Spark Energy customer service

Spark 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 Spark Energy account number from a recent bill ready to speed up the call.
For outages or downed wires, contact your local utility — Spark Energy does not handle the physical grid.
Spanish-language customer service is available.
Spark Energy is the parent brand for Verde Energy and other retail-energy brands under the same group.

Customer service

1-877-547-7275

Mon-Fri 7 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. CT

Spark Energy online account

Frequently asked

Spark Energy — answers to common questions

Spark 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 Spark Energy's website or by calling 1-877-547-7275. 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.