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.

Houston, TX Electricity Plans | Find your good power

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

State

Texas

Grid Operator

ERCOT

Delivery Utility

CenterPoint Energy

WattKarma License

PUCT #BR220202

Serving Houston homes

Houston electricity plans for apartments and houses

Houston sits in Texas's deregulated ERCOT market, which means you — not CenterPoint — choose who supplies the kilowatt-hours on your home bill. WattKarma is a PUCT-licensed energy broker that helps Houston residents compare plans from multiple suppliers side by side, at the 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 kWh checkpoints on each Electricity Facts Label.

From apartments around Montrose and Midtown to family houses in the Energy Corridor, Katy, Sugar Land, and The Woodlands, this page is written for Houston homes. Business industry pages are listed lower on the page if you also shop commercial service.

Houston, Explained Locally

What Houston customers 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.

Compare at your usage

Houston rates at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh

Texas Electricity Facts Labels must publish an average price at these three checkpoints. We do not invent sample Gexa, NRG, or TXU cents here — those numbers go stale the day they are typed.

How to read Houston plan prices — structure dated September 9, 2026. Live ¢/kWh requires your ZIP.
Monthly usage	Typical Houston home	What the EFL column tells you	Live ¢/kWh
500 kWh	Mild months, apartments, low AC	Watch base charges and minimum-usage fees	Enter ZIP
1,000 kWh	Shoulder months; the advertised comparison point	Often the sort-default — may hide a usage credit	Enter ZIP
2,000 kWh	Peak Houston cooling, May–October	Credits can dilute; high-use months belong here	Enter ZIP

As of September 9, 2026, published ¢/kWh offers change by ZIP and CenterPoint delivery charges. Enter your ZIP above for live Electricity Facts Label prices. Why the three columns jump.

Houston home guides

The energy broker built for Texas homes and businesses.

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 to Use — 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.

Houston businesses (secondary)

Also shopping commercial service in Houston?

This page is written for homes. Industry pages below are a secondary path if you also run a Houston business.

Restaurants Cafes Coffee Shops Gas Stations Bars Convenience Stores Pharmacies Florists

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Houston FAQs

Common questions from Houston customers

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.