Shop Texas electricity without the headache
If you live in a deregulated part of Texas, you pick your own electricity company, and the wires company stays the same. The free, official place to compare every plan is Power to Choose, run by the state utility commission. We explain how to read the fine print so you pick the right one.
Power to Choose is the state's official, free plan-comparison site run by the PUCT. We don't get paid when you click.
Can I choose?
Not everyone in Texas can. Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth can. Austin and San Antonio cannot, because a city-owned utility serves those homes. If you are unsure, check the address on Power to Choose, or read the guide to areas without choice.
How to compare
Find your utility. Your address decides it, and Power to Choose will show it when you enter a ZIP.
Read the Electricity Facts Label at your usage. The price at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh can tell different stories.
Check the contract length and the fees, including what happens when the contract ends.
Guides
- How Texas electricity deregulation worksTexas splits electricity into the company that sells it and the utility that delivers it. Here's who does what, who regulates them, and who gets to choose.
- How to read a Texas EFL and compare ratesThe Electricity Facts Label shows a plan's real price at 500, 1,000 and 2,000 kWh. Here's how to read one and compare plans at your actual usage.
- Fixed vs variable electricity plans in TexasFixed plans lock your energy rate for the contract; variable plans can change monthly. Here's how each works, plus what happens when your contract ends.
- No-deposit electricity in Texas: how it actually worksWhy Texas providers ask for deposits, how to avoid one with good payment history, and how prepaid plans work. No hype, just the rules and the options.
- Switching electricity in Texas without an outageSwitching providers in Texas doesn't cut your power. Here's the timeline, what to check first, and how to avoid an early termination fee.
- Moving in Texas: getting your electricity turned onMoving to a new Texas address? Here's how to check whether you can choose, pick a plan before move-in, and avoid paying two bills at once.
- Parts of Texas where you can't pick your electricity companyAustin, San Antonio and many co-op and city-utility areas don't have retail choice. Here's why, how to tell if that's you, and what you can do.
- TDU vs provider on a Texas electric billYour provider sells the power; your utility (Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, TNMP and others) delivers it. Here's who to call and what each charge means.
- How to find the best Texas electricity plan for youThere's no single best Texas electricity plan. The right one depends on your usage, contract length and fees. Here's a simple way to narrow it down.
Cities by utility
Twelve reviewed cities. The full list, including places where you cannot choose, is on the cities page.
- Electricity in Houston, Texas
- Electricity in Dallas, Texas
- Electricity in Fort Worth, Texas
- Electricity in Arlington, Texas
- Electricity in Plano, Texas
- Electricity in Irving, Texas
- Electricity in Corpus Christi, Texas
- Electricity in Lubbock, Texas
- Electricity in Sugar Land, Texas
- Electricity in The Woodlands, Texas
- Electricity in McKinney, Texas
- Electricity in Midland, Texas
Related pages
Questions
Can everyone in Texas choose their electricity provider?
No. In a deregulated area you pick the retail provider. City-owned utilities such as Austin Energy and CPS Energy, most electric co-ops, and some areas outside the competitive market do not offer that choice. ERCOT's November 2025 overview says about 85% of Texas electricity consumers can choose: https://www.ercot.com/files/docs/2025/11/17/ERCOT-Grid-Insights-Retail-Market.pdf
Is Power to Choose legit?
Yes. The Public Utility Commission of Texas operates Power to Choose as its official comparison site. ERCOT's retail market overview says so: https://www.ercot.com/files/docs/2025/11/17/ERCOT-Grid-Insights-Retail-Market.pdf
Does switching cause an outage?
No. The utility that owns the poles and wires stays the same. Only the company that sells the power and sends the bill changes.
Who do I call when the power goes out?
Call your delivery utility, not the company you pay for the energy. Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, TNMP, or Lubbock Power & Light handles outages in its area. The number is on your bill.
Do you get paid when I pick a plan?
No. Right now we earn nothing when you click through to Power to Choose. If that changes, the how-this-site-works page will say so.
Power to Choose is the state's official, free plan-comparison site run by the PUCT. We don't get paid when you click.
Sources
- ERCOT retail market overview, November 2025Checked October 12, 2026
- Power to ChooseChecked October 12, 2026
- PUCT municipally owned utilities and co-ops FAQChecked October 12, 2026