Map of Electrical Providers in Texas

If you’re in a deregulated energy market in Texas, you can choose REPs (Retail Energy Providers). The REP is the company that sells electricity to consumers, and it’s also the name that appears on the bill. Some people confuse the REP with the TDU. The terms Retail Energy Providers, REP, and electric companies are often used interchangeably in Texas.  However, they’re different from the TDU (Transmission Distribution Utility). TDUs deliver power to everyone within a given region. It’s the TDU that maintains the power lines and responds to outages.

There are seven regions in Texas – the Panhandle, North Texas, East Texas, Central Texas, West Texas, South Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast. Below are some options of retail electrical providers’ plans by region.

North Texas

6.8 million people live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth and Arlington metro area, with 7.1 million in the North Texas region. The population continues to grow. In fact, up to 7.8 million people are predicted to call the North Texas region home by 2020. The TDU for most of North Texas is Oncor, with the TNMP serving other parts. Residents and businesses can choose between a broad range of plans and providers. If you’re new to the area and have not established any credit, Payless Power offers pre-paid electricity plans, and everyone is approved. TXU is one of the best-known REPs in the area, offering a variety of plans including free nights and 100% renewable energy options. Don’t worry about coming up with a deposit when you choose the right plan from First Choice Power.

East Texas

The region of East Texas represents 8% of Texas’ total population. Beaumont and Tyler are the two most populous cities in this region, and the residents in this region can choose an electrical provider. Oncor is the TDU serving most of East Texas, and the TNMP serves the rest. Residents can sign up for a free 3-day weekend electricity plan from Gexa or find a plan from Cirro Energy offering auto-pay options. If you’re new to the area, consider a plan from Payless Power, where everyone is approved, and you can have same day activation.

Central Texas

Residential and commercial customers in Central Texas cities like Killeen can choose electricity providers. The TDUs that serves the Central Texas area is the TNMP and Oncor. There are a variety of great electricity plans in this area. Businesses can find no term contract plans from Cirro Energy. If you want to make the switch to green energy, check out 100% renewable energy plans from TriEagle. Lock in a low green energy plan with a fixed rate from Direct Energy. With proper usage management, you can receive bill credits from plans offered by 4Change Energy.

Upper Gulf Coast

The region known as the upper gulf coast is where you’ll find Houston, the largest city in Texas. Centerpoint is the TDU for the Houston area. Discover great plans for larger homes to save you money, such as Eco Saver plans from 4Change Energy. If you’ve just moved to the Houston area and have yet to establish credit, consider a no credit check, no deposit plan from Payless Power. If you work from home, you’ll want to look into plans with free mornings and nights from Gexa. When you’re ready to go green, you can make the switch to Green Mountain Energy or go with the Houston-based Champion Energy, among others.

South Texas

The South Texas region has seen a 7-percent increase in population since 2010. The cities of San Antonio and Corpus Christi reside in this region. AEP Central is the TDU for South Texas. San Antonio is exempt from deregulation, but you can find cheap electricity rates and plans in Corpus Christi and other areas in this region. Lock in a great rate with a 24-month fixed electricity plan from First Choice Power. If you want to switch to a renewable energy plan, TriEagle features 100% renewable energy options, and TXU Energy offers green energy plans with free nights. Worried about bad credit? Payless Power provides no credit check electricity.

West Texas

You can find deregulated electricity providers in West Texas cities like Abilene. Oncor, AEP, North and TNMP are the TDUs that serve this region. 4Change Energy offers generous save plans, which are great for larger homes. If you’re planning to move to another place, Direct Energy and TXU Energy offer convenient month-to-month plans, and you can find plans by First Choice Power with no contract required. Gexa Energy wants you to be happy with their services, so they offer a 60-day happiness guarantee.

Panhandle

The Texas panhandle accounts for 1.7% of the state’s population. Most of the panhandle region of Texas has not adopted power to choose electricity.

Vault Electricity makes it easy to compare the best electricity companies in Texas. Find an electricity plan in your region that is best suited to your needs.

Cooperatives

Many area in Texas aren’t open to electric choice.  These areas are served by one of the dozens of electric co-ops that serve mainly the rural areas of Texas.  See below for a map showing the service areas of the cooperatives.

Transmission & Distribution Utilities (TDU) Map

TDUs in Texas a responsible for maintaining the infrastructure in a particular region and delivering power to electricity consumers. Click here for more information on TDUs.