Texas: the only US state where you buy power from a REP, not a utility.

If your address sits inside the ERCOT retail-choice area (most of the state), you do not call your utility. You sign up directly with a REP through powertochoose.org or a directory like ours. The REP coordinates the meter activation with your TDU (Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, TNMP or Sharyland). If you live in Austin, San Antonio, Denton, El Paso or one of the co-op territories, call your bundled provider directly — no REP shopping needed. Full move-in walkthrough.

Roughly 85% of Texans can shop a REP. The other 15% live in municipally owned utility territory (Austin Energy, CPS Energy in San Antonio, Denton Municipal Electric, Garland, Bryan, New Braunfels), in electric cooperative territory (Pedernales, Bluebonnet, Magic Valley and dozens more) or in the El Paso Electric service area outside ERCOT. Those providers run as bundled utilities under PUCT and local oversight, with no separate REP choice.

Texas Senate Bill 7 (1999) split the old vertically integrated utilities in 2002. Generation, retail and delivery were separated. The TDU keeps the wires, the meters and the outage trucks but cannot sell you electricity. A licensed Retail Electric Provider buys wholesale energy on ERCOT, layers in the TDU pass-through and bills you a single monthly invoice. That is why outages, downed lines and gas-emergency calls still go to the TDU (or the muni / co-op), while billing questions go to your REP.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas runs the grid that serves about 90% of Texas load — Houston, DFW, Austin, San Antonio, the Rio Grande Valley and most of the rest. ERCOT is unusual because it sits outside the eastern and western US interconnections, so federal FERC oversight is limited and Texas runs an energy-only wholesale market (no separate capacity payments). When demand spikes, prices can swing from about $30 to the $5,000 per MWh systemwide cap, which is what generated the bill shock during Winter Storm Uri in February 2021. El Paso Electric and parts of east Texas sit outside ERCOT on the WECC and SPP grids respectively.

The EFL is the PUCT-mandated one-page disclosure that lists the all-in average price at 500 kWh, 1,000 kWh and 2,000 kWh, plus the fixed base charge, the TDU delivery pass-through, the term length, the early termination fee and any bill credits or minimum-usage fees. A plan that wins at 500 kWh often loses at 2,000 kWh, and vice versa — always read the column that matches your typical use. The flashy headline ¢/kWh on a marketing page is not the regulated number; the EFL is.

Always your TDU, muni or co-op — never your REP. Oncor: 1-888-729-9266. CenterPoint Houston: 1-800-332-7143. AEP Texas: 1-866-449-7398. TNMP: 1-888-866-8968. Austin Energy: 512-322-9100. CPS Energy (San Antonio): 210-353-4357. Wire on the ground? Dial 911 first, then the TDU.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), a three-member governor-appointed body, regulates TDU rates, licenses REPs, runs powertochoose.org and oversees ERCOT. The Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC) represents residential and small-commercial ratepayers in rate cases. Cooperatives are regulated by their member-elected boards. Municipally owned utilities are regulated by their city council. The Railroad Commission of Texas separately regulates natural-gas distribution and pipelines.

Yes. CEAP (Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program) is the Texas LIHEAP-funded benefit administered by the TDHCA and local community action agencies — eligibility runs up to 150% of the federal poverty level. 211 Texas is the statewide intake line for emergency utility assistance, weatherization and food. Many REPs also offer Average Monthly Billing and deferred payment plans on request. Disconnection rules: PUCT Substantive Rule 25.483 caps disconnection during declared extreme weather and on weekends adjacent to public holidays. Full assistance guide.