"Call the utility" is the wrong first move in most of Texas.
Most US move-in guides tell you to call your local utility, give them a date, and wait. In Texas, that advice fails for roughly 85% of new addresses.
About 85% of Texans live in deregulated territory served by an IOU wires company: AEP Texas, CenterPoint, Oncor, Texas-New Mexico Power or Sharyland. The wires company does not sell you electricity. You pick a REP on Power to Choose, the REP enrols you, and the wires company turns the meter on.
The other ~15% of Texas runs on cooperatives or municipal utilities (Austin Energy, CPS Energy in San Antonio, Pedernales Electric Cooperative, Bluebonnet, Bandera, and dozens more). In those areas, you call the co-op or city utility directly; there is no retail choice and no REP shopping.
Knowing which Texas you live in is the very first step. The widget above flags it by ZIP.
How a Texas move-in actually works.
Three moves in this order: identify the wires company and meter, pick the REP, let the REP coordinate the turn-on. Anyone who skips a step ends up paying for it.
Step 1
Find the TDU and the ESI ID.
Type the ZIP into Power to Choose: it returns the TDU. Then pull the 17-digit ESI ID from the prior occupant's bill or call the TDU. Without the ESI ID, no REP can sign you up.
Step 2
Shop REPs on Power to Choose.
Filter by TDU, plan length, plan type (fixed, variable, indexed, green) and the kWh band that matches your real use. Read each EFL: it is the only honest price.
Step 3
REP coordinates the meter.
The REP sends an 814_16 move-in transaction through ERCOT MarkeTrak. The TDU enables the meter electronically (smart meter) or sends a technician (older meter). Typical activation: 1 to 5 business days.
Co-op and muni customers skip steps 2 and 3 entirely. Their local utility owns supply, delivery and customer service together.
Every step, decoded.
Who handles each piece of the move-in, when it happens, and what document the conversation needs.
| Step | Who handles it | When | Documents needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify TDU + ESI ID | You + Power to Choose / TDU | 7 to 14 days before move | Address, ZIP, prior bill (if any) |
| Pick a REP and plan | You, on powertochoose.org | 3 to 7 days before move | EFL of 3 plans, your monthly kWh |
| Sign up with REP | The REP | 1 to 5 days before move | SSN or passport, DOB, ESI ID, move-in date, lease type |
| ERCOT 814_16 move-in | REP transmits, ERCOT clears | Same business day as sign-up | Nothing more from you |
| TDU enables the meter | Oncor / CenterPoint / AEP / TNMP | Same day (smart meter) to 5 days (truck roll) | Access to meter if older or cut |
| First bill arrives | Your chosen REP | About 30 days after activation | None; check kWh and rate against EFL |
Two utilities, one bill. The TDU charges the REP for delivery; the REP rolls that into your monthly invoice. You only get one bill.
Most Texans pick the first plan they see, and overpay $15 to $25 a month.
Roughly 70% of new Texas customers sign with the first REP plan that shows up on Power to Choose after applying a default sort, without computing total dollars at their actual monthly kWh.
The default ranking is by lowest energy charge per kWh. That hides bill credits, tiered usage cliffs and minimum-usage fees. A plan with a 9.5¢ headline rate plus a $9.95 monthly fee will beat a 7.9¢ plan with the same fee above ~620 kWh, and lose below it.
Across an average Texas home using roughly 1,176 kWh/month (EIA), the gap between "first plan shown" and "best plan at your actual usage" is typically $15 to $25 per month, or $180 to $300 a year, on identical service.
Texas average all-in monthly bill (May 2026)
What happens between sign-up and your first amp.
Behind the simple "sign with a REP" sentence sit four systems and two state rules. Here is the actual sequence.
You sign with the REP online or by phone.
The REP runs a soft credit check. Under PUCT Substantive Rule 25.478, a deposit can be waived with a satisfactory credit score, a letter of credit from a prior REP, or proof of certain protected statuses.
REP sends an 814_16 transaction to ERCOT.
The 814_16 is the standardised move-in message in ERCOT MarkeTrak. It carries the ESI ID, the requested service date and the new account holder. ERCOT routes it to your TDU within minutes.
TDU enables the meter.
If you have a smart meter (most of Oncor and CenterPoint by 2026), the TDU pushes a remote command and energises the meter on the requested date. PUCT Rule 25.474 sets move-in service standards.
First bill arrives ~30 days later.
The REP sends one combined invoice: their supply charges, plus the TDU's delivery charges passed through, plus the PUCT-approved riders, plus state sales tax (where applicable). Texas has no state-level retail sales tax on residential electricity for most homes.
If you move out before the contract ends, PUCT Rule 25.475 bars the REP from charging an ETF when the move is documented (lease, utility bill at a new address, military orders). Always tell the REP it is a move, not a cancellation.
Mistakes Texans make when moving in.
Five patterns we see again and again on first bills after a move. Each is preventable in 5 minutes.
In a co-op or city utility? Your move-in is different.
If your address sits inside an electric cooperative (Pedernales, Bluebonnet, Bandera, CoServ and dozens more) or a MOU like Austin Energy, CPS Energy or Garland Power and Light, retail choice does not apply.
The co-op or city utility is your supplier, wires company and customer service all in one. Call them directly. Same documents (ID, lease, ESI-equivalent meter number), same 1 to 5 day activation, no Power to Choose comparison to run.
Roughly 15% of Texas addresses fall in this category. The widget at the top of this page flags it when your ZIP matches a known co-op or muni service area.
What to do this week, in order.
Find your ESI ID
Look on the prior tenant's last bill, on the TDU website or call the TDU's customer line. Without it, every REP call stalls.
Shop Power to Choose
Filter by TDU and your kWh band. Open three EFLs. Compute the total dollar bill at your real usage, not the headline rate.
Sign with the REP
Have ID, SSN or passport, DOB, ESI ID, move-in date and lease type ready. Ask for a deposit waiver under PUCT 25.478.
Schedule the move-in date
Pick a date 1 to 5 business days out. Confirm whether your meter is smart or whether a truck roll is needed.
Sign up for outage alerts
Each TDU runs a free SMS or email outage system. Register with your TDU, not the REP; the TDU is who restores power.
Check payment assistance
The Texas CEAP is the state's LIHEAP channel, run by TDHCA. Eligible households get help on first bills.
Common questions about Texas move-ins.
In about 85% of Texas, the local utility (the TDU) is a wires-only company. They do not sell electricity to homes. State law requires you to pick a Retail Electric Provider on Power to Choose. The REP enrols you, ERCOT clears the transaction, and the TDU energises the meter. Only co-op and city-utility customers call their utility directly.
Then you call the co-op or city utility directly. There is no REP to shop. Examples: Austin Energy, CPS Energy in San Antonio, Pedernales Electric Cooperative, Bluebonnet, Bandera, CoServ, Garland Power and Light. They handle supply, delivery and customer service together, with a 1 to 5 day activation similar to the REP path.
Same-day setup is possible when three things line up: the meter is a smart meter, the prior occupant has been disconnected, and the REP supports expedited move-ins. Otherwise, expect 1 to 5 business days. PUCT Substantive Rule 25.474 sets the maximum service-establishment timeline for move-ins.
The ESI ID (Electric Service Identifier) is a 17-digit number that uniquely identifies the meter at a Texas address. Find it on the prior occupant's most recent electric bill, on your TDU's online lookup tool, or by calling the TDU directly with your address. No REP can enrol you for service without it.
Yes. Under PUCT Substantive Rule 25.475, a REP cannot charge an Early Termination Fee when you move to a new address and provide documentation (new lease, new utility bill, military orders). Always tell the REP it is a move, not a cancellation, and send the proof in writing.
Not always. PUCT Substantive Rule 25.478 lets the REP waive the deposit when you can show a satisfactory credit score, a letter of credit from a prior Texas REP showing 12 months of on-time payments, age 65+, certain disabilities, or status as a victim of family violence. Always ask for the waiver before paying.
More U.S. states with energy choice
Same playbook, different utility. Pick another deregulated state to compare utilities, suppliers and switching rules.
