Houston Best Electricity Rates, Plans and Energy Providers

Electricity Companies in Houston: Compare electric companies in Houston and shop electricity plans from the best energy providers offering trusted no-gimmick Houston electricity rates for your home. Find the full list of light companies and rates for Houston on Home Energy Club by entering your zip code.

Reviews of Electric Companies in Houston: It’s important to read objective information about  electricity providers before you make the switch. Check out our Electric Companies reviews page to find reviews for top electricity providers. Reading reviews will help you find trustworthy providers offering cheap electricity in Houston. 

 

Houston Energy Plans & Rates

Energy Price Trends in Houston

Houston benefits from a deregulated energy market, allowing residents to choose among various Houston electricity providers rather than being tied to a single regional supplier.

This deregulation fosters competition, empowering residents to find the most suitable energy plans that meet their home and budget needs. To discover the most affordable energy rates for your home, you can easily compare top Houston energy companies and their plans on Home Energy Club.

Average Electricity Rates in Houston

The average residential energy rate in Texas is 14.19 ¢/kWh. The national average is 16.11 ¢/kWh, about 12% higher than the Texas average.

Centerpoint’s Move-in, Move-out, and Transfer

Centerpoint serves as the transmission and distribution utility (TDU) for the Houston area. Although you have the power to choose your preferred electricity provider, Centerpoint is responsible for managing Houston power outages and ensuring power delivery to your property. To learn more about rates, power outage information, and move-in instructions, you can find detailed information below.

Residential Electricity Service in Houston

If you’re planning to relocate to Houston, you’ll have various residential electricity services at your disposal, such as Cirro Energy, TXU Energy, and Reliant Energy. To simplify your decision-making process and compare different rates in your area, you can rely on Home Energy Club’s assistance.

Once you find a Houston electric company and plan that aligns with your budget, you can request Centerpoint to begin delivering electricity on your chosen start date. Read more about your power to choose in Houston.

Move-in, Move-out, and Transfer Service

Whether you’re moving into or out of Houston, you have options to manage your electricity service. You can request your current electricity provider to terminate your plan if you’re moving out of the area, and there won’t be an early termination fee for long-term plans.

If your current provider also serves your new city, you have the option to transfer your service. To ensure you receive the most affordable rate in your new zip code, it’s advisable to compare rates using Home Energy Club before making any decisions.

Switching Electricity Providers

Should you decide to switch energy providers, your new electricity company will assist you in transitioning from your old contract to the new one. However, if you’re switching plans for your current home before your contract end date, be mindful of early termination fees (ETFs).

The Electricity Facts Label (EFL) associated with each plan will disclose the fee you’ll need to pay if you decide to cancel early. If you find a plan with a significantly lower rate than your current one, it might be financially beneficial to pay the early termination fee and switch, but it’s essential to do the math first.

Waiting until 14 days before your current contract expires allows you to avoid the early termination fee. Additionally, you can often enroll in a plan weeks or months before the start date to secure the plan at the advertised rate at that time.

For more helpful information on moving to Texas or switching providers see our Electricity Shopping Guide.

Electric Companies in Houston

Home Energy Club collects reviews and customer satisfaction data on over 40 electricity companies servicing Houston from a combination of independent review sites, the State of Texas Public Utility Commission Complaints Stats, the Better Business Bureau and other sources. HEC combines third party information with its Home Energy Club/Amazon customer rating survey results to determine a rating for the energy providers listed in the first table below. The ratings can be found on the HEC electric company reviews page and Texas energy providers’ pages. You’ll find reviews, phone numbers and energy rate links for all providers in both tables. You can search for “electric companies near me” by entering your zip code on this page.4

Rates and Reviews for Electric Companies in Houston

Provider	Phone Number	Reviews	Energy Rates
Amigo Energy	888-469-2644	Reviews	Rates
Champion Energy	844-856-9388	Reviews	Rates
Chariot Energy	844-978-6797	Reviews	Rates
Cirro Energy	866-858-2841	Reviews	Rates
Constellation Energy	888-900-7052	Reviews	Rates
Direct Energy	855-461-9824	Reviews	Rates
Discount Power	866-485-4005	Reviews	Rates
Energy Texas	855-461-1129	Reviews	Rates
Express Energy	833-902-4230	Reviews	Rates
4Change Energy	833-962-0262	Reviews	Rates
Flagship Power	866-891-7839	Reviews	Rates
Frontier Utilities	866-891-7745	Reviews	Rates
Gexa Energy	855-918-0090	Reviews	Rates
Green Mountain Energy	866-950-9564	Reviews	Rates
New Power Texas	866-505-0115	Reviews	Rates
NRG	713 537-3000	Reviews	Rates
Just Energy	866-385-6065	Reviews	Rates
Payless Power	866-702-5033	Reviews	Rates
Pulse Power	888-856-1292	Reviews	Rates
Reliant Energy	866-928-1998	Reviews	Rates
Rhythm Energy	888-774-9846	Reviews	Rates
Tara Energy	713-830-1019	Reviews	Rates
TriEagle Energy	888-996-4602	Reviews	Rates
TXU Energy	855-545-5206	Reviews	Rates
Veteran Energy	888-367-7470	Reviews	Rates

Ratings and Reviews of Houston Energy Companies

Home Energy Club compiles comprehensive reviews of various electric companies serving Texas, enabling you to make well-informed comparisons of trusted light companies in Houston. Our data comes from customer satisfaction assessments conducted by independent review sites, the Better Business Bureau, and the State of Texas Public Utility Commission Complaints Stats. These evaluations contribute to our Home Energy Club customer rating for Texas energy companies.

You can find these ratings on our reviews pages, and you can simply enter your zip code to identify the best Houston electric company in your area.

No-Deposit Electricity Plans in Houston

No-deposit electricity plans are prepaid energy options that offer accessible electricity without requiring upfront deposits, credit checks, or long-term contracts. Here are some key facts about prepaid plans:

• They operate on a pay-as-you-go basis.
• Rates may vary from month to month.
• You can typically cancel them anytime without incurring termination fees.
• Due to credit risks, they often have higher rates compared to traditional plans.
• Some prepaid plans on certain websites may have gimmicks that lead to bill surprises.

Deposit Waivers

Under certain circumstances, you may qualify for a deposit waiver based on government regulations or the policies of specific Houston electricity providers. To obtain a waiver, you’ll need to provide one of the following documents:

• Letter of Credit: Your most recent energy provider can send a “letter of credit” confirming your last twelve consecutive months of payment history, with no more than one late payment.
• Low Income: You can request a letter from a governmental entity to prove your low-income status.
• Military Veteran: Provide a government-issued military ID for active duty and reservists.
• Age 65 or Older: Provide a state-issued ID card, U.S. driver’s license, or passport as proof of age.
• Medical Indigent: Provide a letter from a government agency certifying that you are medically indigent.
• Victim of Family Violence: Submit a certification letter from the Texas Council on Family Violence or the relevant government agency.

There are a few light companies in Houston specializing in no deposit prepaid energy plans who offer trustworthy plans at more affordable rates. You’ll find vetted prepaid plans from reputable Houston energy companies such as Payless Power on Home Energy Club.

Houston Business Electricity Plans

Whether you operate a small business or a large corporation, Home Energy Club is here to assist you in finding an energy plan that perfectly suits your needs. Our unique buyer’s club enables us to negotiate discount commercial electricity rates for your business by leveraging our significant bargaining power with top Houston electricity providers.

We prioritize your satisfaction and only allow the most trusted providers to offer their rates to you. In addition to considering price, we thoroughly evaluate various factors, including a provider’s history in servicing our clients, complaint statistics with the Public Service Commission, billing practices, and the fairness of their terms of service. Our specialty lies in delivering low prices with high-quality service.

For a rate quote tailored to your business’s requirements, visit our Texas Business Electricity info page.

Centerpoint Power Outages

For Houston power outages, call Centerpoint Energy’s power outage number at 800-332-7143. Also, the Centerpoint Outage Tracker Map provides a local map and the status of electric outages at the street level. To check the impact of an electric outage on your energy usage, view your usage data using your address and ESID at Smart Meter Texas.

Check our power outage phone guide for energy provider numbers. Below are the best immediate resources for you to determine the status of a Centerpoint outage and weather conditions in your area.

Centerpoint Energy Outage Map and Outage Tracker

As the transmission and distribution utility company (TDU, or TDSP) in the Houston area, Centerpoint Energy corrects power outages, checks meters, and maintains the wires, poles and electric infrastructure. The company serves more than 2 million customers and its Centerpoint Electric Outage Center provides a range of information.

The Centerpoint Outage Tracking Map allows you to:

• Enter your street and intersection for a more granular view of power outages
• Sign up for power outage alerts to receive alerts by text, phone call and email
• View the number of unplanned and planned Centerpoint outages in your vicinity by city, county and zip code
• View the number of customers without power in each area

New improvements on the CenterPoint Outage Tracker:

• Enhanced service maps
• Clickable outage clusters that allow for easy navigation and outage information
• Ongoing updates to estimated restoration times
• Updated Centerpoint outage causes to provide more transparency to customers
• New message templates for Power Alert Service (PAS) registered customers

Other Utility Service Areas in Texas

Looking for low electricity rates in a different service area or local utility company than Centerpoint?

Click on your Texas Distribution Utility (TDU) below for more helpful power outage and area-specific rate information:

• Oncor: 888-313-4747
• AEP: 866-223-8508
• Centerpoint Energy: 800-332-7143
• Texas New Mexico Power (TNMP): 888-866-7456
• Sharyland Utilities: 800-545-4513

About Houston

History: Houston gained its name in 1836, inspired by the Hero of San Jacinto, Sam Houston. Houston was a small town that was home to twelve residents along with a single log cabin. In the early 1900’s, the discovery of oil at Spindletop in Beaumont, Texas, turned Houston into a bustling city. On July 4^th, 1962, NASA opened what is now known as the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, bringing jobs and economic growth to the city. Currently, Houston is one of the largest cities in the U.S., with a population of over 2.3 million.

Website for the City of Houston, Texas

Google Map to Houston City Hall

 

Local Houston Businesses that Can Help You Reduce Your Energy Bill

Local A/C service providers that sell and install smart thermostats and energy-efficient A/C systems in Houston:

• John Moore (BBB Rated “A+): (713) 597-7200
• Airtron Air (BBB Rated “A”): (832) 460-5771

Local attic insulation companies in Houston with thermal insulation to help you cut energy costs:

• Payless Insulation (BBB Rated “A+”): (713)868-1021
• Lapolla Industries Inc. (BBB Rated “A+”): (713) 273-2016

Houston businesses where you can find LED light bulbs:

• Walmart: (713) 860-0700
• Home Depot: (713) 662-3950

Houston stores that sell certified Energy Star Products:

• Best Buy: (713) 552-1512
• Lowe’s: (713) 426-6300

Window installation companies in Houston that sell energy-efficient windows:

• Cambridge Doors & Windows (BBB Rated “A+”): (281) 530-8100
• Guardian Windows (BBB Rated “A+”): (281) 955-8994

Electricians in Houston that repair special energy-efficient lights and appliances (such as Google Nest):

• John Moore (BBB Rated “A+”): (713) 597-7200
• Bradbury Brothers (BBB Rated “A+”): (281) 651-5484 or (936) 271-2030

Business Organizations in Houston

• Houston Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce:
  Address: 5100 Westheimer Rd, Suite 200, Houston, TX 77056
  Phone: (713) 666-1521 or (713) 666-1523
• Better Business Bureau of Houston:
  Address: 1333 West Loop South, Suite1200, Houston, TX 77027
  Phone: (713) 868-9500

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations and Dealers in Houston

To find electric vehicle charging stations in Houston, click here!

The automotive industry is quickly evolving, and electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more and more common. There are important benefits to owning an electric vehicle, which include lower fuel costs and reduced CO2 emissions, and they typically require less maintenance than conventional vehicles.

Some of the top manufacturers of electric vehicles include Tesla, BMW, Nissan, Chevrolet, and Ford. The best-selling EVs from these manufactures include: Tesla Model 3, BMW i3, Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Bolt, and the Ford Fusion.

If you would like to lower your fuel costs while also reducing your CO2 footprint, consider visiting one of your local Houston dealerships that sell the EVs listed below. Read about electric vehicle dealers in Houston, and find information on others at the links below.

 

Mfg. & EV Model	Find Houston Dealer	Top Reviewed Dealership	Phone Number	Location
Tesla: Tesla Model 3	Locate	Tesla	(713) 622-3393	Houston Galleria
BMW: BWM i3	Locate	Momentum BMW	(855) 645-6452	10002 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77074
Nissan: Nissan Leaf	Locate	Sterling McCall Nissan	(281) 243-8600	12230 Southwest Fwy, Stafford, TX 77477
Chevrolet: Chevrolet Bolt	Locate	Classic Elite Chevrolet Sugar Land	(281) 969-4132	13115 Southwest Fwy, Sugar Land, TX 77478
Ford: Ford Fusion	Locate	Joe Myers Ford	(713) 766-3600	16634 Northwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77040

View Electricity Prices for Cities Near Houston

Looking for a cheap energy rate in another city near Houston? Find your city below and click to for area-specific electricity rate information or simply enter your zip code on this page.

Abilene	Alice	Baytown
Beeville	Bellaire	Deer Park
Dickinson	El Campo	Galveston
Humble	Katy	Kingsville
Lake Jackson	La Marque	La Porte
Laredo	League City	Longview

Helpful Articles for Energy Comparison

Below are more helpful guides to ensure you choose the right energy plan for your home in Houston.

• Electricity Shoppers Guide
• Smart Meter Guide
• 10 Ways to Cut Your Energy Bill

How to Lower Your Electricity Bill and Carbon Emissions

Reduce your rate and go green: Find cheap energy companies that suit your needs on Home Energy Club, and choose from some of the best electricity rates and plans in Houston.  Check out discount providers such as TriEagle Energy and Gexa Energy, which are based in Houston. Also, why not consider a 100% renewable energy plan, which you can enroll in for rates that are lower than those of traditional fossil-fuel plans and cut your CO2 footprint?

Reduce your usage to cut your bill: You can also reduce your monthly energy bill by following any of these 10 easy steps to lower your electricity cost.

Standby Generator Guide: Safely Power your Home during Outages

Read the sections of our Standby Generator Guide below to learn why natural gas and propane generators can provide reliable electricity to your home during power outages in the Houston metropolitan area.  They are a safe alternative to portable gasoline generators and can power your entire home while Centerpoint corrects your electricity outage.

Standby generators automatically activate when outages begin, thus keeping your heating and cooling units, refrigerator, and appliances and devices running. The generators also help prevent costly buildups of mold and mildew, as well as plumbing problems that can occur, helping to justify the investment.

It’s critical to select a certified dealer who can size your standby generator, and has factory-trained technicians to install the unit and provide service after the sale. Our guide includes the six questions you’ll need to answer to receive a price quote.

Here are our six Standby Generator Guide sections:

Benefits of Standby Generators

How to Select the Best Generator and Dealer in Houston

The Differences between Standby Generators and Portable Gasoline Generators

Sizing a Home Standby Generator

Installation of Standby Generators

How a Natural Gas Standby Generator Works

Houston Electricity Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the cheapest electricity rates in Houston?

The energy providers offering the cheapest electricity rates and plans in Houston are featured on HomeEnergyClub.com, which vets each plan to help you avoid bill surprises. The top four with the cheapest rates in Houston are currently:

• Gexa Energy (855-639-8212): Low rates plus bill credit and 60-day guarantee
• Pulse Power (888-853-4219): Low rates plus bill credit
• Cirro Energy (833-392-9778): Low no-gimmick rates, Reliant Energy affiliate
• TriEagle Energy (888-380-4813): Low no-gimmick rates, TXU Energy affiliate

Compare dozens of electric companies on Home Energy Club, the one-stop shop for vetted energy plans (using TrustPlan™), special discount rates, reviews and ratings, complaint statistics and Houston information. Enter your zip code on the site and instantly view rates for your area. The comparison site uses its bargaining power with providers to offer special low rates, and there are never any membership fees.

What are best electric companies (light companies) in Houston?

At HomeEnergyClub.com, the current Top 12 Best Electric Companies in Houston are:

• Reliant Energy (833-339-0416): most trusted brand in Houston, first-rate service
• Gexa Energy (855-639-8212): trusted brand, very low rates, 100% green plans
• TriEagle Energy (888-380-4813): no-gimmick plans, consistently low rates
• Green Mountain Energy (833-339-0421): granddaddy of 100% green plans
• Pulse Power (888-853-4219): ultra-low rates, high customer responsiveness
• Cirro Energy (833-392-9778): straightforward rates, simple enrollment
• Just Energy (866-385-6065): well established brand, straightforward rates
• Chariot Energy (844-978-6797): affordable solar energy, no equipment required
• Amigo Energy (888-864-0599): well established brand, straightforward rates
• TXU Energy (800-818-6132): most trusted brand in Dallas, first-rate service
• 4Change Energy (855-784-2426): low rates, trusted brand, TXU affiliate
• Champion Energy (844-856-9388): well established brand, moderate rates

See reviews and ratings for 40+ residential electric companies in Texas, based on objective sources of information such as the Better Business Bureau, Public Utilities Commission, and major review sites such as Google and Yelp. Home Energy Club looks for the following qualities when determining rankings for the best electric companies in Houston:

• Pricing, valued according to rates and the level of service provided
• Transparency and trustworthiness
• Customer service and complaint resolution
• Quality of practices in billing

What is a good rate per kWh in Houston?

The best per kWh rates in Houston recently dropped as low as to 5 cents and 6 cents on HomeEnergyClub.com, but seasonal fluctuations are normal and rates will rise as commodity prices recover. At this time, it would be wise to consider enrolling in a 24-month, 36-month, or 60-month energy plan to lock in these unusually low rates, which came about due to a crash in commodity prices. As commodity prices recover, the costs of power generation will rise and residential rates will follow. In recent years, the average price of residential electricity in Texas was about 11 cents/kWh.

Who is the best alternative in Houston to Power to Choose? 

HomeEnergyClub.com is the best alternative to Power to Choose because, in addition to using its significant bargaining power with providers to offer special discount pricing, the comparison site moves each plan through a manual vetting process called TrustPlan™ to eliminate plans with tricky gimmicks that cause bill surprises. Power to Choose, a government website, does not vet plans or use a viable quality control process, and state government leaders have considered shutting the site down due to large numbers of consumer complaints over many years.

Where can I compare electricity companies in Houston?

HomeEnergyClub.com is a top-rated site (4.9 out of 5 stars on Google) where electric companies and plans in Houston are compared side-by-side with objective information. The free service vets each energy plan using its TrustPlan™ process to help you avoid bill surprises. Here’s how it works:

• Enter your zip code for Houston electricity rate comparisons
• You can take advantage of special low discount energy rates (often lower than those found on the providers’ own sites), due to the site’s bargaining power with electric companies
• Through the TrustPlan™ vetting process, plans that have deceptive gimmicks are eliminated
• The site advocates for the consumer, provides objective information and never sells preferred treatment to energy companies
• Simple-to-use, well-written guides are provided to assist you in choosing the best energy plan for your home
• You can count on never paying a club membership fee because providers pay the site a small fee for a listing, but it is built into the special discount rates you receive

Home Energy Club makes it convenient for you to choose the best energy plan for your home with thousands of verified ratings, reviews, and complaint statistics from such objective sources as the State of Texas, the BBB, and major independent review sites.

Who vets Houston electricity plans to eliminate gimmicks?

The staff at HomeEnergyClub.com manually vets each energy plan to prevent gimmicky electricity plans which cause bill surprises from being listed on the comparison site. The process is called TrustPlan™ and is based on the company’s extensive experience and analytics since 2011. Here are other features on the site that help you to choose the correct plan:

• You’ll find a filter on the home page that allows you to exclude the energy plans that have less predictable billing
• Use the site’s “Compare Plans” feature in the filter section to compare plans side by side, including rates, cancellation fees and other key information
• 60-day guarantee on plans from electric companies such as Gexa Energy, which allows you to switch to another of their plans in case you choose one that’s not a fit for your home.
• Plan benefits and warnings are noted in the “Plan Details” section associated with each plan
• Handy guides which show you how to choose the best plan for your home

Energy bill surprises can also occur for many reasons other than plan gimmicks, such as electricity usage spikes in summer months, but Home Energy Club strives to reduce the chances that Houstonians will experience an energy bill shock.

Where to find objective electric company reviews and ratings in Houston?

It is recommended that you do not rely on the reviews developed by websites that sell electricity due to potential bias. Home Energy Club uses the following independent, objective sources for ratings, reviews, and complaint statistics:

• The Better Business Bureau (BBB)
• The Public Utility Commission of Texas
• Google Reviews
• Yelp Reviews
• Home Energy Club/Amazon surveys of Amazon’s customer base

View reviews and ratings of Houston electric companies from objective sources at HomeEnergyClub.com.

Why is my Houston energy bill so high?

HomeEnergyClub.com helps you avoid electricity bill shocks in Houston by vetting each energy plan to help you avoid tricky gimmick plans. But there are other reasons you may receive surprisingly high electric bills, such as:

• Expiration of a fixed-price plan. You’ve been on a fixed price energy plan but didn’t realize it had expired. A common process among energy providers is to bill customers at their highest rate when they fail to renew their current plan or don’t switch to a new plan with the provider before the date of their plan’s expiration.
• The energy supplier has increased their rates. If you are on a variable rate plan, your electricity rates can be raised by the energy company at any time. Beware of plans offering “wholesale prices” because this terminology often accompanies variable rate plans, which are associated with staggering bill surprises.
• Your energy use does not match the energy plan you chose. A common reason for awful bill surprises is when consumers using about 500 kWh in an apartment sign up for a plan intended for a large home that uses 2,000 kWh or more. Make certain that the energy plan you choose is a correct match for your home’s energy usage by reviewing the Electricity Facts Label (read our guide).
• Other factors that can increase your energy costs include triple-digit temperatures in summer and a lack of energy efficiency of the home.

Where to find electric vehicle charging stations in Houston?

On the Houston page at HomeEnergyClub.com, you will find location information for electric vehicle charging stations in Houston. Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more common as the automotive industry continues to evolve. To reduce your CO2 emissions, you may want to consider an EV for your next car. You may be surprised at the size of your current carbon footprint.

Is Reliant Truly Free Nights and Weekends (or days) worth it?

Your home’s pattern of electricity usage determines whether or not the Reliant plan with free nighttime use of electricity is worth it for you. For instance, the cost is quite high for energy used during the hours that are not free. High-consumption activities should be saved for the free hours. If most of your electricity is used during hours when it is free, the free nights and weekends plan (or whichever time of use plan you’ve chosen) may very well be a good choice for you. Go to HomeEnergyClub.com to learn about energy plans with free hours of use.