How to read a Texas EFL and compare rates
Every Texas plan has an Electricity Facts Label, or EFL. It lists the average price per kWh at 500, 1,000 and 2,000 kWh of monthly use, plus fees and contract terms. Find your usage on a past bill, compare plans at that number, and watch for bill credits that only kick in at certain usage.
Power to Choose is the state's official, free plan-comparison site run by the PUCT. We don't get paid when you click.
Why the EFL matters more than ad copy
Texas plans are sold in a competitive market, so marketing pages usually highlight the best-looking number. The Electricity Facts Label (EFL) is the standardized disclosure where the price, fees, and contract terms sit in one place.
If you only compare one ad rate, you can pick a plan that looks fine at one usage number and costs more at the usage you actually have. The EFL shows average price examples at fixed usage points.
Treat the EFL as the pricing summary. Read it, then compare two or three plans before you choose. Any cent figure you sketch while comparing is example math, not a real plan on this site.
- Use the EFL as the source of truth for price mechanics.
- Assume an advertised rate is incomplete until you read the EFL.
- Compare at your realistic kWh range, not only one column.
How to compare 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh
PUCT rule 25.475 is the customer-protection rule that covers Electricity Facts Labels and contract disclosures: https://www.puc.texas.gov/agency/rulesnlaws/subrules/electric/25.475/25.475.pdf
The label shows an average price at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh because credits and fees can change the price as usage changes. Start with a past bill. If your home is nowhere near 1,000 kWh, don't pick a plan only because it wins that column.
A simple method is to look at each plan at the usage closest to your own, then glance at the column on either side. A plan that is steady across the range you live in is easier to live with than one that only wins at a single point.
- Small apartment: pay more attention to the 500 and 1,000 kWh columns.
- Typical house: look at 1,000 and 2,000 kWh.
- Large home or heavy summer cooling: don't ignore the 2,000 kWh column.
The lines people skip
The surprises are usually printed, just easy to skip: a base charge, a bill credit that only applies in a narrow usage band, and an early termination fee.
Minimum-usage fees and credits that disappear above or below a threshold mean a household whose usage moves around can pay more than the headline suggested.
Also read the contract length. A variable product can change. The fixed-versus-variable guide covers that trap, including the notice a provider has to send before a fixed contract ends.
- Base charge or monthly service fee.
- Bill credit trigger and the exact wording.
- Minimum usage fee or other usage adjustments.
- Early termination fee and any exceptions.
A short way to choose
Pull a past bill, note the kWh, and open Power to Choose for your ZIP. Shortlist a few plans and read each EFL at your usage.
Then read the term, the cancellation terms, and the renewal language. The state's comparison site is free. This site does not enroll you.
Related pages
Questions
What is an EFL?
An Electricity Facts Label is the standard disclosure for a Texas electricity plan. It shows the average price at set usage levels, plus fees and contract terms.
Which usage number should I compare?
Use the usage on a past bill. Compare the 500, 1,000, or 2,000 kWh column closest to that number, and look at the neighboring column if your usage moves with the weather.
What's a usage credit or minimum-usage fee?
A usage credit lowers the bill only if you land in the range the plan describes. A minimum-usage fee does the opposite and adds cost if you use less than the plan requires. Both are on the EFL.
Where do I find the EFL?
Power to Choose links the EFL for each plan it lists: https://www.powertochoose.org
What's the difference between the EFL, TOS and YRAC?
The EFL is the price label. The terms of service (TOS) are the contract. The Your Rights as a Customer (YRAC) document explains customer protections. PUCT rule 25.475 covers these disclosures: https://www.puc.texas.gov/agency/rulesnlaws/subrules/electric/25.475/25.475.pdf
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
- PUCT substantive rule 25.475, customer protectionChecked October 12, 2026
- Power to ChooseChecked October 12, 2026
- ERCOT retail market overview, November 2025Checked October 12, 2026