Who is my electricity utility in Houston?

CenterPoint Energy is the utility (TDU) that delivers electricity to most Houston-area homes. They own the wires and meters and handle outages and storm response. Your retail electricity provider is a separate company you choose — that's who sets the price you pay per kilowatt-hour.

Can I choose my electricity provider in Houston?

Yes. Houston is part of the ERCOT deregulated market, which means you pick your own electricity provider from a range of licensed retailers. WattKarma compares plans from those licensed suppliers side-by-side so you can see the actual rate, contract length, and fees before enrolling.

What's the best electricity plan for a Houston home?

It depends on your usage. Most Houston homes use 1,000–2,000 kWh per month during peak cooling season, so compare the displayed rate at that range, not the lowest advertised rate. Time-of-use plans like free-nights can work well if most of your usage hits in the evening; flat-rate plans are simpler if your usage is steady throughout the day.

Does switching electricity providers affect outages or storm restoration?

No. CenterPoint Energy is responsible for the wires and equipment that deliver power to your home, including outage response and storm restoration. That doesn't change when you switch retail providers.

Residential Electricity in Houston, TX

Name: WattKarma — Residential Energy in Houston, Texas
Telephone: +18559529288
Price range: Free

State

Texas

Grid Operator

ERCOT

Delivery Utility

CenterPoint Energy

WattKarma License

PUCT #BR220202

Serving Houston

Powering Up Houston Homes

Houston sits at the heart of Texas's deregulated ERCOT electricity market, which means you — not the utility — get to choose who supplies your home's electricity. WattKarma is a PUCT-licensed energy broker that helps Houston residents compare plans from multiple suppliers side by side — so you can find the rate that fits your household's usage, budget, and contract terms without paying a dime for our service.

From apartments and townhomes around Montrose and Midtown to family houses across the Energy Corridor and the surrounding suburbs, WattKarma works with households of every size across the greater Houston area. We cut through the complexity of electricity pricing and connect you with the right plan — quickly and at no cost to you.

Houston, Explained Locally

What Houston homeowners should know about their electricity

In Houston, your electricity bill has two halves that come from two different companies. CenterPoint Energy owns and maintains the poles, wires, and meter at your home — they're who you call during an outage and they handle storm restoration. The retail electricity provider is whoever you choose to sell you the kilowatt-hours that flow through those wires. CenterPoint's delivery charges are the same no matter which provider you pick; the price you actually shop for is the energy rate. That's the half WattKarma helps you compare.

WattKarma serves homes across Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties — from the Heights and Bellaire in the urban core out through Sugar Land, Katy, Cypress, and The Woodlands. If you live in greater Houston and your bill has a CenterPoint delivery line item, you can shop providers on this site.

A few things worth knowing if you're shopping a Houston home plan:

Cooling season is long. Houston's humid Gulf Coast climate means heavy summer AC use, often May through October. Compare plans at the 1,000–2,000 kWh price point — that's the realistic range for most Houston homes during peak months.
Hurricane reliability is a utility question, not a rate question. Outage response and grid hardening are CenterPoint's responsibility. Switching providers won't change how fast your power comes back after a storm.
Time-of-use plans can pay off for after-hours households. If most of your usage hits in the evening and overnight (kids home from school, AC running late), free-nights or off-peak plans can lower the bill — but only if your usage pattern actually matches the discount window.

Why WattKarma

The energy broker built for Texas homes.

Multiple Suppliers, One Search — We compare plans from every licensed retail energy supplier in your market, not just one provider's lineup. You see the whole picture, explained clearly.
100% Free for Your Home — WattKarma earns a commission from suppliers when you enroll. You pay nothing — no fees, no markups, no hidden charges.
Plain-Language Contracts — We explain every contract term before you sign — fixed vs. variable rates, contract length, early termination clauses. No surprises.

Simple Process

Three steps to a better rate.

No phone calls required. No paperwork. Just your ZIP code and a few clicks.

Enter Your ZIP

We instantly find every plan available to your Houston, TX address — based on your actual utility territory, not guesswork.

Compare Plans

Sort by price, contract length, or supplier. Every plan shows the real rate — with terms explained in plain language.

Enroll Online

Pick your plan and enroll right here — fast, secure, and complete in about two minutes. We handle the switch.

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Run a business in Houston? We power those too.

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Ready to Compare?

Compare electricity plans in Houston.

Call: 855-952-WATT (9288)

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Houston FAQs

Common questions from Houston homeowners

CenterPoint Energy is the utility (TDU) that delivers electricity to most Houston-area homes. They own the wires and meters and handle outages and storm response. Your retail electricity provider is a separate company you choose — that's who sets the price you pay per kilowatt-hour.
Yes. Houston is part of the ERCOT deregulated market, which means you pick your own electricity provider from a range of licensed retailers. WattKarma compares plans from those licensed suppliers side-by-side so you can see the actual rate, contract length, and fees before enrolling.
It depends on your usage. Most Houston homes use 1,000–2,000 kWh per month during peak cooling season, so compare the displayed rate at that range, not the lowest advertised rate (which is often tied to a different usage tier). Time-of-use plans like free-nights can work well if most of your usage hits in the evening; flat-rate plans are simpler if your usage is steady throughout the day.
No. CenterPoint Energy is responsible for the wires and equipment that deliver power to your home, including outage response and storm restoration. That doesn't change when you switch retail providers. The provider you choose only changes the price and terms of the energy itself, not how it's delivered or restored.