You do not call the Texas utility to start power.
Half the move-in articles online tell you to "call Oncor" or "set up service with the local utility". Both are wrong for any address inside Oncor's DFW, west or east Texas territory. Texas deregulated its retail electricity market in 2002, and Oncor sits on the wires side of that split.
Oncor is a TDU. Its job is to operate the poles, lines, transformers and meter that physically deliver power to your new house. State law forbids it from signing up retail customers. The signing-up part is done by your REP.
You pick from 70-plus REPs on the official Power to Choose marketplace run by the PUCT. The REP then submits your enrollment to Oncor through the ERCOT MarkeTrak switching system. Oncor enables the meter. Your REP starts billing.
How DFW move-in actually works.
Three discrete steps, three different parties. You only deal with one of them directly. The other two happen behind the curtain via ERCOT.
Step 1, you
Find your ESI ID
Go to Power to Choose, enter the new address ZIP (most of Oncor sits in 75001-75999 and 76001-76999). The result page lists the ESI ID for that meter. Save the 17-digit number, every REP application asks for it.
Step 2, you
Pick a REP and enroll
Compare 12-month fixed plans for your ZIP on Power to Choose. Always look at the all-in price on the EFL at the kWh closest to your expected use, not just the headline rate. Sign up online, give the REP your ESI ID and move-in date.
Step 3, automated
REP triggers Oncor
Your REP submits a move-in transaction via ERCOT MarkeTrak to Oncor. If the previous occupant's service is already disconnected, Oncor sends a field crew to turn the meter back on, typically inside 5 business days. If it is still live, Oncor can read the meter remotely and activate the same day.
You only ever talk to the REP. Oncor is invisible to you during a normal move-in, only resurfacing on the bill as the "TDU delivery" line items and during outages.
Move-in workflow, step by step.
Which party owns each step, where it happens and how long it takes. Print this if you are coordinating a closing date or a same-day move.
| Step | Who | Where | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm the new address sits in Oncor territory | You | Power to Choose ZIP lookup | 30 seconds |
| Capture the 17-digit ESI ID for the meter | You | Same lookup, or a prior REP bill at the address | 1 minute |
| Compare REP plans at your expected kWh | You | Power to Choose, or our Texas REP directory | 15-30 minutes |
| Sign up with the REP (ID, ESI ID, move-in date) | You + REP | REP web form or phone | 10 minutes |
| REP submits move-in to Oncor via ERCOT | REP | ERCOT MarkeTrak switching system | Automated, minutes |
| Meter activation at the property | Oncor | Smart meter (remote) or field crew (in person) | Same day to 5 business days |
| First bill arrives | REP | Email or paper, your choice | 30-35 days after activation |
Rule of thumb: enroll 5-7 days before move-in for a stress-free activation. Same-day moves work only if the previous tenant's service is still live or your REP advertises a priority move-in service.
About 74% of your DFW bill is shoppable. Pick the right REP.
At a typical 1,000 kWh month on a fixed 14.5¢/kWh plan, roughly $145 of a $196 total goes to your REP as supply, and the rest, about $51, is Oncor's locked-in delivery share.
That means the single biggest financial decision you make at move-in is the REP, not the utility (which you cannot pick anyway). A bad plan locks 3 in 4 dollars of your monthly bill into a rate you regret. A good plan locks them in at a competitive rate for 12 to 24 months.
Avoid the two beginner traps: variable-rate plans (price moves monthly with the wholesale market) and ultra-short 3-month teasers that auto-renew onto something nasty.
all-in monthly bill, typical DFW move-in
What happens between your REP click and your power on.
Most new DFW residents see only the REP web form. Underneath, an automated four-step exchange is moving your enrollment through ERCOT to Oncor's field operations.
REP captures the enrollment
Your form submission validates your identity (often a soft credit check), your ESI ID, the move-in date and the plan you picked. The REP stamps it with a contract ID and queues it for the next ERCOT transaction window.
REP submits a move-in via ERCOT MarkeTrak
ERCOT runs the central switching registry for the deregulated Texas market. Your REP files a standardized move-in transaction tied to your ESI ID; ERCOT routes it to Oncor as the relevant TDU.
Oncor enables the meter
If a smart meter is in place and the disconnect is recent, Oncor can re-energize remotely the same day. If the line was physically disconnected (vacant property, prior tenant moved out months ago), a field crew rolls within 5 business days.
REP starts billing
Once Oncor confirms activation, the REP triggers your contract start and runs its standard monthly cycle. The first bill arrives in 30 to 35 days and bundles Oncor's TDU charges (passed through, no markup) with the REP supply.
If a move-in stalls, it is almost always the REP, not Oncor. The most common reasons: identity verification on hold, deposit not posted, or the move-in date submitted too late. Call the REP customer line first.
5 mistakes new DFW residents make.
Recurring patterns we see in the first 12 months on a new Oncor address. Each costs real money or wastes real time.
Set up Oncor outage alerts the same week you move in.
DFW takes summer thunderstorms, occasional tornadoes, ice storms and the famous February freeze events. The single best move you can make in your first week is to enroll in My Oncor Alerts at stormcenter.oncor.com.
Two steps: (1) text REG to 66267 to register your meter for text alerts at this address, and (2) save the outage line 1-888-313-4747 to your phone. Both feed straight into the Oncor dispatch system at your ESI ID.
Your DFW move-in checklist.
Look up your ESI ID
Enter your new ZIP on Power to Choose. The 17-digit ESI ID appears on the address card. Save it; every REP application asks for it.
Pick a 12-month fixed plan
Compare on Power to Choose or our Texas REP directory. Read the EFL at your expected kWh, not just the marketing rate. Avoid variable for your first year.
Enroll 5-7 days early
Sign up with the REP at least a week before your move-in date. Hand them your ESI ID, ID, and move-in date. Same-day moves are possible but tight.
Register for outage alerts
Text REG to 66267 or sign up at stormcenter.oncor.com. Save the outage line 1-888-313-4747.
Know your bill help options
The Texas CEAP and federal LIHEAP cover REP arrears for eligible households. Apply through 2-1-1 Texas.
Calendar the renewal
Set a reminder 30 days before your fixed plan ends. Most REPs roll expired contracts onto a variable rate 30-100% higher. Reshop on Power to Choose and switch hassle-free.
Common questions about moving in to Oncor territory.
No. Oncor is your TDU, not your electricity seller. To start power at a new DFW address, pick a REP on Power to Choose, give the REP your ESI ID and move-in date, and the REP coordinates the meter activation with Oncor through ERCOT. You only call Oncor for outages (1-888-313-4747), never for new service.
The ESI ID (Electric Service Identifier) is the 17-digit unique number Oncor assigns to your meter, sometimes written ESIID. It tells ERCOT exactly which meter to enroll. You can look it up by ZIP on Power to Choose, find it on any previous REP bill at the address, or call the REP you want to sign up with and read your address to them.
If the previous tenant's service is still live on the smart meter, Oncor can re-energize remotely the same day your REP submits the move-in. If the line was physically disconnected, a field crew rolls within 5 business days of the ERCOT transaction. Plan on enrolling 5-7 days before your move-in date for the smoothest activation.
Oncor covers the DFW metroplex (Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Irving, Richardson, Garland, McKinney), most of east Texas (Tyler, Longview, Waco, Temple, Killeen) and large parts of west Texas (Midland, Odessa, Wichita Falls). Most Oncor ZIPs sit in the 75001-75999 and 76001-76999 ranges, but the only reliable check is the Power to Choose ZIP lookup, which returns your TDU as the first result. Other TX TDUs include CenterPoint (Houston), AEP Texas (Corpus Christi, Abilene, Rio Grande Valley) and Texas-New Mexico Power.
Default to a 12-month fixed plan for your first year on a new Oncor address. Fixed locks the supply ¢/kWh for the term so your bill only moves with your actual usage. Variable plans move with the wholesale ERCOT market and can spike during winter freeze events or summer scarcity (Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 sent some variable customers four-figure single-month bills). Reshop on Power to Choose 30 days before your fixed contract ends.
Same-day activation is possible only if (a) the previous occupant left service on, or (b) the REP you pick supports a priority same-day enrollment (most large Texas REPs do, often for a small fee). Have your ESI ID and a card ready, sign up before noon and call the REP customer line immediately after submitting to confirm the move-in transaction has been queued. If the meter was disconnected and the REP cannot expedite, expect up to 5 business days for a physical field activation.
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