What is the power to choose energy in Texas?
In 2002, Texas deregulated its energy market, allowing residents and businesses to choose their power plan and provider instead of defaulting to the local utility. As a result, energy providers compete to win customers by offering low rates and unique incentives. This competition benefits consumers by giving them greater control over their electricity than in traditional markets.
Choose Energy helps you navigate Texas’ energy market and can match you with the best plan. Our marketplace lets you filter by rate type, plan length, provider, renewable energy, and more to narrow your options. Once you find a plan that suits your needs, you can sign up online in as little as 12 minutes. Enter your ZIP code to explore today’s best electricity options.
What is PowerToChoose.org?
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) operates PowerToChoose.org, which displays electricity plans and providers across the state. PowerToChoose.org is a public resource, but you cannot sign up for an electricity plan directly on the site. After you select a specific plan, PowerToChoose.org directs you to the provider’s website—where you’ll need to repeat the search to find the plan you selected.
ChooseEnergy.com is not affiliated with Power to Choose, powertochoose.org, or the PUCT.
How to contact the PUCT
The PUCT regulates energy suppliers and utility companies to help ensure fair pricing and reliable service. If you have questions about your utility service or want to file a concern, contact the PUCT:
- Mail: 1701 N. Congress Avenue // P.O. Box 13326 // Austin, TX 78711-3326
- Phone: 512-936-7000
- Email: consumer@puc.texas.gov
- Online: File a complaint online
Power to choose for business electricity
Texas’ deregulated energy market includes businesses as well. Choose Energy’s commercial electricity experts can help business owners shop for plans tailored to their organization’s needs. Visit our business electricity page to connect with an energy specialist and secure a custom energy plan.
Why you should shop on Choose Energy
Choose Energy is a free, independent marketplace that enables you to compare options and sign up in one easy place. With two decades of experience in deregulated markets and a team of energy experts, our marketplace shows straightforward plan details and all-inclusive pricing so you can pick the best plan for your home or business.
We also create educational resources to help you understand deregulation and make the most of your energy choices. Popular guides include:
How to use Choose Energy’s marketplace
Signing up for a power plan on our marketplace is a quick three-step process:
- Enter your ZIP code: Your location reveals providers and plans available near you with up-to-date rates.
- Compare your options: Use filters to refine results by rate type, provider, renewable content, term length, and other features.
- Sign up online or by phone: After reviewing the plan and its Electricity Facts Label (EFL), enroll online or call our experts for help.
After you sign up, your new provider handles account setup and the switch to your plan.
Texas energy providers
More than 100 retail electricity providers operate in Texas, offering competitive plans to residents and businesses. Choose Energy screens each provider for reliability and customer service. A few of our top Texas providers include:
Texas utility companies
Even in deregulated areas you choose your electricity supplier, your utility company—based on your address—still delivers electricity, maintains the distribution network, and restores power during outages. If your power goes out, contact the utility (not your retail supplier).
Types of deregulated energy plans in Texas
Customers in deregulated areas have access to several plan types. Popular options include:
- Fixed-rate plans: Lock in a set price per kWh for the contract term (commonly 12, 24, or 36 months). Good for predictable bills; early termination may trigger an early termination fee (ETF).
- Variable-rate plans: Rates change monthly with wholesale prices. No long-term contract or ETF, but prices can spike during high demand (often in summer).
- No-deposit / prepaid plans: If you don’t meet credit thresholds, some providers require a deposit. No-deposit or prepaid options let you skip the deposit by preloading an account.
- Renewable energy plans: Texas leads the U.S. in wind and solar generation. All Texas plans include some renewable content; some providers (e.g., Gexa Energy) offer 100% renewable plans.
Current Texas electricity rates
Explore some of the cheapest energy plans available on our marketplace.
| Plan Name | Plan Length | Rate* |
|---|---|---|
| Rhythm Energy - Rhythm Saver 12 | 12 months | $0.053/ kWh |
| 4Change Energy - Charitable Saver 12 | 12 months | $0.055/ kWh |
| Cirro - Smart Value 12 Online | 12 months | $0.088/ kWh |
| Flagship Power - Galleon 24 | 24 months | $0.106/ kWh |
| Pulse Power - Free Energy Weekends 12 | 12 months | $0.111/ kWh |
| Ohm Connect - VIPGreen 24 | 24 months | $0.111/ kWh |
| Reliant - Secure Advantage 18 | 18 months | $0.118/ kWh |
| TriEagle Energy - Simple Savings 12 | 12 months | $0.128/ kWh |
| Veteran Energy - Valor 36 | 36 months | $0.130/ kWh |
| Gexa Energy - Gexa Saver Deluxe 12 | 12 months | $0.136/ kWh |
| Atlantex Power - Luminous 9 | 9 months | $0.145/ kWh |
| Constellation - 12 Month Usage Bill Credit | 12 months | $0.150/ kWh |
| Payless Power - SmarTricity Easy Choice | 12 months | $0.151/ kWh |
| TXU Energy - Smart Edge 24 | 24 months | $0.154/ kWh |
| Frontier Utilities - Light Saver 24+ | 24 months | $0.157/ kWh |
| Direct Energy - Live Brighter 36 | 36 months | $0.161/ kWh |
| Smart Energy - SmartSaver 12 months | 12 months | $0.172/ kWh |
| Green Mountain - Pollution Free e-Plus 24 Preferred | 24 months | $0.182/ kWh |
Please note: All rates above are accurate as of 2/03/2026, 6:37:33 PM CST for ZIP Code 75001. Rates may have changed since this date/time. For the most up to date rates in your area, please enter your zip code above.
*All pricing shown in cents per kWh
Frequently asked questions about choosing your power in Texas
Why do Texans have the power to choose?
Deregulation gives consumers access to a wider variety of electricity options. You can compare low rates, innovative plans, and unique features to find the best fit within a competitive market. Enter your ZIP code or call Choose Energy’s experts to learn more.
How do I choose electricity in Texas?
Use an independent marketplace like Choose Energy to filter results by contract length, rate type, no-deposit options, renewable content, and other features. Consider your budget, usage, and desired term flexibility when comparing plans.
Who has the cheapest electricity plan in Texas?
Cheapest plans on our marketplace are frequently offered by APG&E, Frontier Utilities, Gexa Energy, and 4Change Energy. Rates fluctuate frequently, so enter your ZIP code to see current offers.
What type of energy plan is the best?
Our experts usually recommend fixed-rate plans because they provide predictable bills and protection from market spikes. However, the “best” plan depends on your unique needs — flexibility, budget, green preferences, and usage patterns all matter.
Energy deregulation gives you the power to choose
About 85 percent of Texans enjoy energy deregulation. This means they live an area where they have the power to choose their electricity provider. Texans should take advantage of energy choice by shopping around for an electricity provider. Switching suppliers can help residents save money on their monthly energy bills.
Choose Energy® helps Texans choose an electricity provider through its marketplace, which shows rates from trusted providers. Users can check rates in their area and sort by price, term, rate type, and more to narrow their search.
To start a search for cheap electricity rates in Texas, shoppers should enter their ZIP code to see whether their home or business is in a deregulated energy zone.
What is PowertoChoose.org, and how is Choose Energy different?
The Public Utilities Commission of Texas runs a website called Power to Choose. It shows electricity plans and rates across the state. Choose Energy also allows residents to compare electricity rates to exercise their Texas power to choose. But the easy-to use online marketplace offers additional benefits. Enter a ZIP code above to get rates in a particular location.
Many Texans find the official Power to Choose site confusing. Our marketplace allows shoppers to compare plans, see real-time rates, and make a switch all in one place! With PowertoChoose.org, consumers can compare plans, but that’s about it.
Power to choose in Texas
State residents have the power to choose Texas electricity plans because lawmakers authorized energy deregulation beginning in 2002. Energy deregulation is just a fancy term for energy choice – meaning consumers can compare rates and plans and select a provider most suited to their needs.
About 85 percent of residents across the state have the power to choose. TX electricity providers that work with ChooseEnergy.com include TXU Energy, Gexa Energy, Frontier Utilities, and many more.
The power to choose isn’t just for the larger cities such as Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, and Houston. It extends to cities of all sizes, including the following:
For a larger list of deregulated cities, click here. One thing to remember: Regardless of which provider customers choose, the utility company for the area is in charge of getting the electricity to their home and maintaining the infrastructure to deliver power.
Power to choose Houston
Houston residents are among those with the power to choose an electricity provider. The city is the largest in Texas and the fourth-largest in the U.S. There are great temperature extremes in Houston, with temperatures occasionally hitting triple figures during the summer and dipping to the low 30s in winter, though they can go lower. That was proven during the February 2021 winter storm.
Those extremes mean it’s a good idea to exercise power choice. Heating and cooling a home account for about 30 percent of a typical home’s electricity use, according to the Energy Information Administration. Houston power to choose means residents can find a plan that suits their usage throughout the year.
Power to choose Dallas
The 1.3 million residents of Dallas experience similar temperature extremes as those in Houston. That means they have familiar reasons to be happy about the power to choose an energy provider.
Some providers are great for plans in which the customer uses less than 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month. Others are great for consumers who use more than 2,000 kWh each month. Choose Energy can help electricity shoppers figure out the sweet spot between those two levels, which is where typical users fall. That’s why power choice is so important in Dallas and other cities.
Power to choose Fort Worth
Fort Worth and Dallas are only about 33 miles apart, but residents of each city pride themselves on the differences between the two. Dallas says it has more of a big-city feel, and it is the larger of the two. Fort Worth says it has more charm. Both, of course, are great places and both benefit from the power to choose electricity providers.
Power choice allows consumers to sign up with electricity providers that offer plans to meet their specific needs. Among the needs that ChooseEnergy.com help with is the desire to purchase a renewable energy plan in Fort Worth. Power to choose expands options for Texans.
Why shop with ChooseEnergy.com?
The power to choose a Texas electricity provider is a great opportunity, but only if it is exercised properly. At ChooseEnergy.com, we don’t just show what the rates and plans are in a specific area. We provide the tools to make a good choice, including the following:
We allow shoppers to sort plans by rate, term, rate type, and more. They can customize usage, plus we’ll show estimates for monthly bills, and ratings for every provider.
We make the power to choose electricity providers work for consumers.
How to shop with ChooseEnergy.com
Exercising the power to choose with Choose Energy couldn’t be easier. There are just three simple steps:
- Enter a ZIP code. We’ll show plans from top providers serving that area.
- Find the right plan. Sort by rate, rate type, term length, green energy availability, and more. Call one of our power pros to clear up any confusion.
- Exercise the power to choose. Customers may sign up online or over the phone. Either way takes only minutes. The new provider will handle the switch.
Start now by entering a ZIP code. There’s no cost to use our marketplace.
How to contact the Public Utilities Commission of Texas
The Public Utility Commission of Texas authorizes licenses for electricity suppliers to ensure they have met strict requirements for doing business in Texas.
Need to contact Texas’ electricity watchdog? Here are three ways:
Mail: PO Box 13326, Austin, TX 78711-3326
Phone: 512-936-7000
Email: customer@puc.texas.gov
Regardless of which electric company supplies electricity to a home, the power will continue to be delivered by the local utility, which is regulated by the PUCT. When residents experience a power outage, they should call their utility company.
Disclaimer: ChooseEnergy.com® is operated by Choose Energy Inc. and is not affiliated with Power To Choose, powertochoose.org or the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT).
updated 3/25/2021