Texas Power ComparisonCompare plans on Power to Choose

TDU vs provider on a Texas electric bill

Two companies touch your Texas electric bill. Your retail provider sells the energy and handles billing. Your delivery utility, like Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, TNMP or Lubbock Power & Light, owns the lines, reads the meter and fixes outages. You choose the provider. The utility comes with your address.

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What each one does

The retail provider sets the energy price and the contract. The delivery utility (TDU or TDSP) maintains the poles, wires, and meter. In a choice area you can switch providers without switching who shows up for an outage.

  • Delivery utility: lines, meter, outages.
  • Retail provider: plan, contract, energy bill.

Oncor, CenterPoint, and AEP Texas

Oncor delivers power across a large part of North and Central Texas, including Dallas and Fort Worth on the ZIPs we checked. CenterPoint Energy delivers power in the Houston area. AEP Texas Central showed up for Corpus Christi and Laredo. AEP Texas North showed up for Abilene.

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TNMP

Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP) showed up alongside CenterPoint on Power to Choose for Galveston ZIP 77550, League City ZIP 77573, and Pearland ZIPs 77581 and 77584. In those cities the utility depends on the street.

Lubbock Power & Light

Lubbock Power & Light is the delivery utility for the Lubbock ZIPs we checked. It is a city utility that opted into retail choice. Competitive retail service there started March 4, 2024: https://www.ercot.com/services/comm/mkt_notices/M-A022724-01

Sharyland

Sharyland Utilities publishes a company site, but the McAllen ZIPs we checked on Power to Choose returned AEP Texas Central, and one ZIP also returned Oncor. They did not return Sharyland. If your bill names Sharyland, use that name when you call about an outage, and confirm the ZIP on Power to Choose before you shop.

Who to call

Lights out: call the delivery utility. Bill or plan question: call the retail provider. The phone numbers are on the bill.

Related pages

CenterPoint EnergyOncorAEP Texas CentralAEP Texas NorthTNMPSharylandLubbock Power & Light

Questions

Who do I call in an outage?

Call the delivery utility on your bill. The retail provider does not repair the lines.

Can I pick my utility?

No. The utility is set by the address. You pick the retail provider, and only in areas that have retail choice.

Why is there a delivery charge?

That charge pays the utility that owns the wires. It is regulated and passed through. Switching providers does not remove it.

Who reads my meter?

The delivery utility reads the meter. The retail provider uses that read to bill you.

Compare plans on Power to Choose ↗

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