Can you pick your own electricity company in a Texas apartment?
In Texas, you can pick your electricity company if your unit has its own meter and your area allows choice. If the building runs on one main meter, the owner buys the power and bills you under state rules. Then you don’t get to shop.
Only the first kind lets you choose a plan. Landlord bills follow PUCT rules. Rule 25.142 covers a landlord’s meter on your unit, called submetering. Rule 25.141 covers one shared bill split by unit size or use.
Here’s an easy way to tell. A unit with its own utility meter has its own ID number, called an ESI ID. Its bill comes from the electric company the tenant picked. Our guide to finding your ESI ID and utility shows where to look.
Some Texas cities aren’t open to shopping at all. If a city-owned utility like Austin Energy or CPS Energy serves your building, you buy power from that utility.
If your landlord bills you for electricity
State rules limit what an owner can charge when the building has one main meter. Here’s what they say.
How much electricity does a Texas apartment use?
Rented apartments in the South use about 690 kWh a month, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) found in 2020. That’s well under 1,000 kWh, the middle price on every fact label. A fact label is the price sheet each plan must post.
Dashed line: 1,000 kWh, the middle price on every fact label
kWh per month. Source: EIA’s 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, Table CE2.4, South region, with each year’s use divided by 12. Summer months run higher. The bars start at zero.
Where you land depends on your unit’s size, its AC and how often you’re home. If you’ve lived there a while, your bill shows your monthly kWh. Our Power to Choose guide shows how to look up your past use.
Why small users pay more for each kWh
Some charges on your bill stay the same no matter how much you use. When you use less, those dollars get split over fewer kWh, so each kWh costs more.
Every open-market bill has one charge like that: your delivery utility’s monthly fee. The delivery utility owns the poles and wires. October 2026 fact labels put its fee at $4.06 in Oncor’s Dallas–Fort Worth area. It’s $4.90 in CenterPoint’s Houston area.
Oncor’s new delivery rates apply to bills from October 4, 2026, on a temporary basis, under PUCT Docket 59249. Many plans add their own base charge on top. To see what a typical bill looks like, read what’s a normal Texas bill. If yours runs high, here’s why bills spike and where to get help paying.
Which electricity plans cost apartment renters more?
Three kinds of plans cost apartment renters more. Watch for a credit that starts at 1,000 kWh, a fee for low use, or a high base charge.
We pulled the state’s plan list on October 14, 2026. In all six open-market areas, the lowest price at 1,000 kWh came from a bill-credit plan. In Oncor’s area, that plan averaged 6.2¢ per kWh at 1,000 kWh but 19.1¢ at 500 kWh.
- 1A bill credit that starts at 1,000 kWh
It’s money off, but only in months you use enough. APG&E’s SimpleSaver 12 takes $125 off any bill of 1,000 kWh or more. In Oncor’s area, its fact label shows 19.8¢ per kWh at 500 kWh and 6.9¢ at 1,000.
- 2A fee for using too little
Direct Energy’s Live Brighter 1K+ 24 adds $9.95 to bills under 1,001 kWh. In Houston, its fact label works out to 19.1¢ per kWh at 500 kWh and 17.6¢ at 1,000.
- 3A high base charge
A flat monthly charge costs smal users more per kWh. The bigger the gap between a label’s 500 and 1,000 kWh prices, the more a low-use month costs you.
- TrueClassic 12 (no credit), bill at 690 kWh$84.46
- SimpleSaver 12 ($125 credit at 1,000 kWh), bill at 690 kWh$136.21
Bills before taxes, from each plan’s fact label plus CenterPoint’s current delivery charge ($4.90 a month and 6.5333¢ per kWh). Both plans run 12 months with a $150 cancel fee. The shaded band is 500 to 900 kWh, and the dashed line marks 690 kWh. The cost axis starts at zero.
At 690 kWh, SimpleSaver 12 costs $51.75 more a month than TrueClassic 12, the same company’s plain plan. That’s about $621 a year. At 1,000 kWh, the credit plan is $50 a month cheaper. Above about 1,670 kWh, the plain plan wins again. Same company, same term, same cancel fee: your usage picks the winner.
- No bill credit, or one you’ll earn every month
- No fee for using too little
- A small base charge, or none
- A 500 kWh price close to its 1,000 kWh price
- A credit that starts at 1,000 kWh
- A minimum-usage fee or “usage charge”
- A big monthly base charge
- A term that ends before your lease does
Want to test a plan at your own usage? Plug the numbers from its fact label into our plan cost calculator.
Keep readingSee what a bill credit plan really costs, month by monthWhich plans cost the least at apartment usage this week?
As of October 14, 2026, these are the five cheapest plain plans at apartment usage in each open-market area. We rebuild the table every week from Power to Choose, the state’s official plan list.
Jump to your area: OncorCenterPointAEP CentralAEP NorthTNMPLubbock
How we pick these plans
- Fixed-price plans that run 6 months or longer.
- No bill credits, no minimum-usage fees, no time-of-day pricing and no prepaid plans.
- A plan’s 500, 1,000 and 2,000 kWh prices must line up, allowing for rounding. That keeps out hidden credits and price steps. If they don’t line up, its fact label must show one price per kWh from 500 to 1,000 kWh.
- The 500 kWh price comes straight from Power to Choose. The 900 kWh cost is our estimate on a straight line between its 500 and 1,000 kWh prices. Delivery charges are included.
- We sort by the cost at 700 kWh, close to an average apartment. The five lowest in each area make the table. Ties go A to Z by company, then by plan.
- The same rules every week, for every company.
Want all three usage levels? See this week’s cheapest plans at 500, 1,000 and 2,000 kWh. Prepaid plans live on our no-deposit and prepaid page. Before you sign, check the company’s record in our company rankings. To judge any price, see what counts as a good Texas rate.
How long should your electricity plan be when you rent?
Your electricity plan should last at least as long as you’ll live in the apartment. A plan that ends early leaves you shopping mid-lease. A longer plan is fine. When you move, a PUCT rule bars the cancel fee once you give a forwarding address, plus proof if asked.
This plan runs 12 months past your lease. Moving nearby? You can ask to take it with you. Or end it with no cancel fee by giving a forwarding address, plus proof if asked.
Skip the forwarding address when you move, and a $150 cancel fee could land on your final bill.
Based on PUCT rule 25.475. Cancel fees vary by plan. APG&E’s SimpleSaver 12 charges a flat $150 (fact label dated October 14, 2026). Direct Energy’s Apartment Basics 12 charges $10 for each month left (dated September 30, 2026). Your answers stay on this page. We don’t store or send them.
Partner toolWe may earn a fee if you sign up. It never changes our scores.
Only a few months left? A month-to-month plan can’t charge a cancel fee under PUCT rules, but its price can change every month. Fixed-price plans must run at least 3 months. Our guide to fixed or variable rates explains the trade-off.
Do you pay a cancel fee if you move out before your plan ends?
In Texas, moving out can’t trigger an electricity cancel fee once you give a forwarding address. The company may also ask for proof of the move. That’s PUCT rule 25.475, and it also says you don’t have to take your plan to your new home.
- 1Tell the company before you go
Give your move-out date and your forwarding address. Ask it to stop service at your old unit on your last day.
- 2Keep proof of the move
The rule lets the company ask for reasonable proof that you moved. Keep something that shows it, like your new lease.
- 3Check your final bill
If it shows a cancel fee for the move, ask the company to remove it. Point to PUCT rule 25.475. Still there? File a complaint with the state.
You can ask to move your plan to the new address if you like its price. You don’t have to. Ending it costs no fee once you give your forwarding address.
Plans are priced for one delivery area, and each fact label names its area. You’ll likely need a new plan. Ending the old one costs no fee once you give your forwarding address.
Plan ending before your lease does?
Your company must send you at least three notices in the last third of your plan. For plans longer than 4 months, the last one comes at least 30 days before the end.
If you do nothing, you move to a month-to-month plan. You can cancel that any time with no fee, but its price can change. Here’s what to do when your contract is ending.
Moving in instead?
Line up power at the new place before move-in day. Price plans at 500 to 900 kWh while you shop.
Apartment electricity, answered
Can I choose my electricity company if I rent an apartment in Texas?
Yes, if your unit has its own meter and your area is open to competition. Then you can pick any company that serves your area, just like a homeowner. If the building has one main meter, or power comes with your rent, the owner picks the company.
How do I know if my apartment has its own electric meter?
Ask the leasing office, or check who your lease says provides electricity. A unit with its own utility meter has its own ESI ID number, and you pick the company. If the landlord bills you for power, the building has one main meter, sometimes with the landlord’s own submeters.
What does it mean if my apartment is submetered?
The owner reads a meter on your unit and bills you for what you used, under PUCT rule 25.142. Your rate is the owner’s own cost per kWh, with no extra charges added. When you sign your lease, the owner must give you a copy of the rule or a PUCT summary.
Can my landlord charge more for electricity than the electric company does?
No. Under PUCT rules, a landlord can’t add charges on top of what the electric company billed. The main exception is a one-time late fee of up to 5%, and only if your lease states it. You can ask to see the building’s electric bills for the past 12 months.
What if my electricity is included in my rent?
Then the owner pays the electric company and picks the plan, so there’s nothing for you to shop. Does the owner bill you for power separately, by meter or unit size? Then PUCT rules 25.142 and 25.141 limit what you can be charged.
Can my landlord shut off my electricity?
Not because you’re behind on rent. The PUCT says cutting off a tenant’s electric service over unpaid rent is a violation. If your landlord bills you for power, Texas Property Code section 92.008 covers when it can be shut off.
What’s the best electricity plan for low usage, like 500 kWh a month?
Look for a plain fixed-rate plan with no bill credit, no minimum-usage fee and a small base charge. On its fact label, the 500 kWh price should be close to the 1,000 kWh price. Our weekly table lists the lowest plain plans at 500 and 900 kWh in each area.
How can I check an apartment’s electric costs before I sign?
Does the building split one bill among units? Then PUCT rules say the lease must state your unit’s average monthly bill for last year. For a unit with its own meter, price a plan at about 690 kWh, the South’s average for rented apartments. Our plan cost calculator does the math.
Should my electricity plan end when my lease ends?
It should last at least as long as you’ll live there. If it ends first, you’ll need to shop again mid-lease, or you’ll move to a month-to-month price that can change. A longer plan is usually fine, since you can end it with no fee when you move.
Do I owe an electricity cancel fee if I break my lease and move?
Not because of the move. A PUCT rule bars a move-out cancel fee once you give a forwarding address and any proof asked for. The rule is about the move, not your lease, so leaving early is covered. The fee can still apply if you switch plans and stay put.
What should I send my electricity company when I move out?
Your move-out date and your forwarding address. The company may also ask for reasonable proof that you moved. Keep something like your new lease handy. Then check your final bill, and ask for any cancel fee to be removed.
What do you want to do next?
Every Texas guide, by topic
More renter and shopping guides live on the Texas hub, and our state price map compares average prices across the country.
Sources and updates
Sources (18)
- Power to Choose, the Public Utility Commission of Texas’s official plan list, full plan export pulled October 14, 2026 (English listings, six open-market areas): every row of this week’s table; APG&E’s SimpleSaver 12 and TrueClassic 12 listings; and the lowest 1,000 kWh price in each area, a bill-credit plan in all six (in Oncor’s area, APG&E’s Simple Saver 3 at 19.1¢ at 500 kWh and 6.2¢ at 1,000).
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, 16 Tex. Admin. Code §25.475 (via Cornell’s Legal Information Institute), read October 13, 2026: no cancel fee because of a move once you give a forwarding address and any required proof, and no duty to keep the plan at a new address (c)(2)(C); fixed-price plans run at least 3 months (b)(5); month-to-month plans can’t carry a cancel fee (b)(7); three expiration notices and the month-to-month default (e); fact-label prices at 500, 1,000 and 2,000 kWh (g)(2)(C).
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, 16 Tex. Admin. Code §25.142, submetering for apartments, read October 13, 2026: no extra charges, the 5% late-fee limit, 12 months of records, the 30-day answer on disputes and a copy of the rule at lease signing.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, 16 Tex. Admin. Code §25.141, shared (non-submetered) bills, read October 13, 2026: split by floor space or submeter, no charges beyond actual costs, and the lease must state the unit’s average monthly bill for the last calendar year.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, fact sheet: Submetering for apartments, condos and mobile home parks, read October 13, 2026: no shared-area costs on your bill, bills due at least 7 days after issue, power can’t be cut over unpaid rent, and the PUCT complaint line.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, fact sheet: Central system or nonsubmetered master metering, read October 13, 2026: how shared bills are split, and the pointer to Texas Property Code §92.008 for owner disconnections.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Office of Consumer Assistance, checked October 14, 2026: complaint line 1-888-782-8477 (toll-free) or 512-936-7120, and consumer@puc.texas.gov.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Docket 59249, item 105 (Oncor filing of August 20, 2026), read October 14, 2026: Oncor’s temporary delivery rates apply to bills rendered on and after October 4, 2026.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, Table CE2.4, South region (released 2023, revised March 2024), read October 13, 2026: yearly kWh per home of 8,068 for apartments in buildings with 5+ units, 9,086 for 2–4 units, 10,312 for townhomes, 13,106 for rented single-family homes, 15,150 for detached houses and 8,293 for rented apartments.
- AP Gas & Electric (APG&E), fact label, TrueClassic 12, CenterPoint area, dated October 14, 2026, read October 14, 2026: 4.997¢ per kWh, no base charge, no credit, 12 months, a $150 cancel fee; it lists delivery at 6.413¢ per kWh plus $4.90.
- APG&E, fact label, SimpleSaver 12, CenterPoint area, dated October 12, 2026, read October 14, 2026: 12.497¢ per kWh, no base charge, a $125 credit at 1,000 kWh or more, 12 months, a $150 cancel fee; it lists delivery at 6.413¢ per kWh plus $4.90.
- APG&E, fact label, SimpleSaver 12, Oncor area, dated October 14, 2026, read October 14, 2026: 19.8¢ at 500 kWh, 6.9¢ at 1,000 and 12.9¢ at 2,000; 12.127¢ per kWh; a $125 credit at 1,000 kWh or more; Oncor delivery of $4.06 a month plus 6.8673¢ per kWh.
- APG&E, Your Rights as a Customer, Oncor area, read October 13, 2026: you may end the contract without penalty when you move and give reasonable evidence.
- Direct Energy, fact label, Apartment Basics 12, CenterPoint area, dated September 30, 2026, re-checked October 14, 2026: 8.7113¢ per kWh up to 1,000 kWh and 10.7113¢ above, a $4.95 base charge, a $10 cancel fee for each month left that doesn’t apply when you move, and CenterPoint delivery of $4.90 a month plus 6.5333¢ per kWh.
- Direct Energy, second fact label, Apartment Basics 12, CenterPoint area, dated September 30, 2026, re-checked October 14, 2026: 9.5581¢ per kWh up to 1,000 kWh, the same $4.95 base charge and $10-a-month cancel fee, and 18.1¢ per kWh at 500 kWh.
- Direct Energy, fact label, Live Brighter 1K+ 24, CenterPoint area, dated September 30, 2026, re-checked October 14, 2026: 9.5588¢ per kWh, a $9.95 usage charge under 1,001 kWh, a 24-month term and a $295 cancel fee that doesn’t apply when you move.
- Direct Energy, fact label, Auto Pay Texas 12, CenterPoint area, dated September 1, 2026, read October 13, 2026: the earlier CenterPoint delivery charge of 6.4130¢ per kWh.
- Payless Power, fact label, PTC 12 Month – Postpaid, CenterPoint area, effective October 4, 2026, read October 14, 2026: CenterPoint delivery of $4.90 a month plus 6.5333¢ per kWh.
Changelog · last updated October 16, 2026 · 2 updates
- October 16, 2026: Linked our new Irving and Waco renter guides. No figures changed. We also added our new city guides, four new company reviews and the Smart Meter Texas guide to the guide map.
- October 14, 2026: Published.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "What’s the best electricity plan for a Texas apartment?", updated October 16, 2026, https://theday.company/tx/apartment-electricity.
This guide explains how apartment electricity works in Texas; it isn’t legal or financial advice. Plan examples come from fact labels on the dates shown and can change, so check each plan’s current label before you sign. The Day Company is not affiliated with any electric company named here.