Got a disconnect notice? Do these 4 things today
Your company has to send a written notice at least 10 days before it cuts off power for an unpaid bill. Use those days. Do these in order, because the first call can buy you time while help is on the way.
- 1Call your electric company
Use the number on your bill. Ask for a deferred payment plan or a payment extension. Then ask, "What bill-help programs do you have?" State rules say it must tell you every payment option and assistance program it has.
- 2Call 2-1-1 or open Help for Texans
Both point you to your local CEAP agency, which can pay part of your bill. Bring your bill and the disconnect notice. Many agencies need the notice to put you first in line.
- 3Tell your company help is coming
Ask the agency to contact your company. Once an agency pledges to pay, state rules bar your company from cutting you off while it waits, and it has to give the agency at least 45 days to send the money. TXU says its agency partners can ask it to protect your account while assistance is being processed.
- 4Mention any medical equipment
If someone at home needs powered medical equipment, ask for the state's critical care form today. It adds protections around disconnections. See how it works.
The income line is 150% of the 2026 federal poverty guideline for a household of three, the cutoff for CEAP. Larger households have higher limits; your local agency will check.
Can my electric company shut off my power?
Yes, for an unpaid bill, but only after following state rules that give you time and several ways out. If you chose your electric company, these seven protections come straight from PUCT rule 16 TAC §25.483.
Your shutoff clock
- At least 16 days after the bill is issued.
- The earliest your company can send a disconnection notice.
- The earliest shutoff date. Never a weekend or holiday, or the day before one, unless staff can take payments.
- Your company must give the agency at least 45 days before cutting you off for that bill.
- On a business day, the reconnect order has to go out by 2 p.m.
From PUCT rules 16 TAC §25.480 and §25.483, for homes that chose their electric company. Co-ops and city utilities set their own timelines.
What payment plans can I ask for?
A deferred payment plan splits what you owe into smaller payments added to your next bills. The state caps the first payment at half of what you owe.
- First payment, never more than half$200
- Added to each of your next 5 bills$40 each
Illustrative. That’s the state rule for summer and extreme-weather plans: no more than half down, the rest spread over at least five bills, and your company can’t ask for an extra deposit because you’re on the plan. Many companies can block you from switching providers until the plan is paid off.
Good if a paycheck is a few days away. Reliant, for example, takes extension requests at 1-866-222-7100 or online. On autopay? Reliant asks you to call at least 3 business days before the due date.
Your company averages your bills so summer spikes don't hit all at once. It won't lower what you owe for the year, but it makes each month predictable.
What to say on the call: "I can't pay the full bill by the due date. What payment plans and bill-help programs do you offer?" Write down who you talked to, the date and what they promised.
What is CEAP, and do I qualify?
CEAP, the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program, is Texas's version of the federal LIHEAP program. Local agencies pay part of your energy bill if your household income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines.
- 1Check if you qualify
Your income has to be at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. If someone in your home gets SNAP, TANF or SSI, you may qualify without the full income paperwork.
- 2Find your local agency
Use TDHCA's Help for Texans finder or call 2-1-1. Local agencies, not the state, take applications.
- 3Bring your papers
Plan on a photo ID, proof of income, a recent electric bill and your disconnect notice if you have one. Your agency will tell you exactly what it needs.
Crisis help has the same caps on top. CEAP can also pay up to $9,000 to repair or replace a heating or cooling unit, and up to $12,600 per home per program year in all. Source: TDHCA’s 2026 state plan, pages 12, 15, 18 and 19.
In June 2026, the Governor announced $166 million in federal energy assistance for low-income Texans, run by TDHCA. It starts January 1, 2027. It covers bill payments plus efficient heating, cooling and refrigeration equipment, through 35 local providers in all 254 counties.
Don't wait for 2027 if you're behind now. Apply with your local agency today, because agencies set their own schedules. If your home also needs repairs to save energy, ask about free home weatherization.
Does my electric company have a bill-help fund?
Yes. State rules require every Texas electricity company to run a bill-help fund, paid for by customer donations. Most pay out through local agencies, so 2-1-1 is often the fastest way in. Ask for “bill payment assistance.”
If you qualify. CPS figure covers electric and gas. See our Austin Energy and CPS Energy guides for details.
Every company we’ve reviewed names its program in its terms. See the details in our reviews of TXU, Reliant, Champion, Direct Energy, Constellation, Gexa, Green Mountain, Rhythm, Frontier and Cirro, or compare them all in our company ranking. Each company runs its fund a little differently from the next, which usually means a call to 2-1-1 is the quickest start.
Does someone at home need medical equipment? Get on the critical care list
If losing power would put someone in danger, ask for the state's critical care form. Your doctor sends it to your utility. It adds protections, but it isn't a free pass on the bill.
- Adds protections when a disconnection is ordered.
- Gets you advance notice of planned outages.
- Puts your home on your utility's list.
- It doesn't erase what you owe.
- Power can still be cut for nonpayment.
- It doesn't promise power during outages.
How to apply: get the state's critical care form from your utility or electric company. Your doctor fills it out and sends it to your utility; TNMP, for one, only accepts it from the doctor. The utility tells you and your electric company if you're approved. Status expires, so watch for a renewal notice. Also see our power outage guide for a plan when the lights go out.
What the status gets you: once your doctor confirms it and you set up a payment plan, your company can’t cut off power for 63 days from the bill. You also get 21 days of notice instead of 10, and the utility has to call or visit before any shutoff. It isn’t a free psas on the bill, and it doesn’t keep the power on during an outage; see our power outage guide for backup plans.
What if my electric company won't work with me?
File a free complaint with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. The state asks you to call your company first. If that doesn't fix it, the PUCT's Customer Protection Division steps in.
Have your account number, the dates you called and what you were told. Complaints also feed the state's complaint ratings, which we use in our company rankings.
How do I keep this from happening again?
Once the crisis is handled, find out why the bill got so big. Often it's the plan, not just the heat.
Programs that cut future bills
Texas electric bill help, answered
How can I get help paying my electric bill in Texas?
Call your electric company first and ask for a payment plan or extension. Then call 2-1-1 or use TDHCA's Help for Texans finder to apply for CEAP. This state program helps pay energy bills for homes at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. Some companies, like TXU and Reliant, also have bill-help funds.
Can my power be shut off during a heat wave in Texas?
Not for nonpayment in a county under an extreme weather emergency. The state uses National Weather Service advisories, like a heat advisory, to define those days. Your company must also offer a payment plan for bills that come due during the emergency.
How much notice do I get before a disconnection?
At least 10 days of written notice before your power is cut off for an unpaid bill. Use that time to call your company and apply for help.
What is a deferred payment plan?
It splits what you owe into smaller payments added to your next bills. The first payment can't be more than half of what you owe. Your company must offer one for bills due in July, August or September, and for bills due during an extreme weather emergency.
Who qualifies for CEAP in Texas?
Households with income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. If someone in your home gets SNAP, TANF or SSI, you may qualify without the full income paperwork. Apply through your local agency, which you can find through 2-1-1 or TDHCA's Help for Texans finder.
How much can CEAP pay?
Up to $1,800 a year toward your bills, plus up to $1,800 in crisis help, for homes at or below 50% of the federal poverty guidelines. The caps are $1,500 each at 50% to 75%, and $1,200 each at 75% to 150%. CEAP can also pay up to $9,000 to repair or replace a heating or cooling unit, up to $12,600 per home per program year.
What is the $166 million in Texas energy assistance?
Federal energy assistance announced by the Governor in June 2026 and run by TDHCA. It starts January 1, 2027. It covers bill payments and efficient heating, cooling and refrigeration equipment, through 35 local providers in all 254 Texas counties.
Does TXU or Reliant help with bills?
Yes. TXU's Energy Aid program works through local agency partners. Reliant's CARE program pays through partner agencies, has given more than $18 million since 2002, and can take up to 8 weeks. Call 2-1-1 to find a partner agency near you.
What is critical care status?
A state designation for homes where losing power would endanger someone who needs powered medical equipment. Your doctor sends the form to your utility. It adds protections around disconnections and gets you notice of planned outages, but you still have to pay your bill.
How do I file a complaint against my electric company?
Call the Public Utility Commission of Texas Customer Protection Division at 1-888-782-8477 or email [email protected]. The state asks you to try your company first.
Do CPS Energy and Austin Energy have discounts?
Yes. CPS Energy's Affordability Discount Program takes about $18 a month off electric and gas, or $220.32 a year. Austin Energy's Customer Assistance Program waives the $17.35 monthly customer charge and takes 10% off, about $560 a year.
Can my power be shut off during a heat wave in Texas?
Not for nonpayment in a county under a National Weather Service heat advisory, on the advisory day or either of the two days before, if you chose your electric company. The same goes for days when the high stays at or below 32 degrees. Your company must also offer a payment plan for bills that come due then.
What if an agency is paying part of my bill?
Once an energy assistance agency pledges to pay, your electric company can’t cut you off for that bill, and it must give the agency at least 45 days to send the money. You still need to pay or arrange any part the pledge doesn’t cover.
Can I get free repairs that lower my electric bill?
If your household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, about $54,640 a year for three people in 2026, the Texas Weatherization Assistance Program can make free upgrades like insulation, air sealing and AC repairs. Call TDHCA at 800-525-0657 to find your local agency.
Sources and updates
Sources (19)
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Rule 16 TAC §25.480, Bill Payment and Adjustments (Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute copy of the state rule): the duty to explain every payment option, the bill-help fund every company must run, summer and extreme-weather payment plans, the 50% first-payment cap and the no-extra-deposit rule.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Rule 16 TAC §25.483, Disconnection of Service (Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute copy of the state rule): the 10-day notice, the heat-advisory and freeze definitions, the 45-day agency pledge rule, critical care protections, bills that can’t trigger a shutoff and reconnection timing.
- Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Help for Texans: the local provider finder for energy assistance.
- Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, 2026 LIHEAP state plan: CEAP income and categorical eligibility, and benefit maximums (pages 12, 15, 18 and 19).
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2026 poverty guidelines: the guideline used for the CEAP cutoff; 150% for a household of three is $40,980.
- Office of the Governor, Governor Abbott announces $166 million in energy assistance funds (June 2026): uses, start date, and 35 providers serving 254 counties.
- TXU Energy, TXU Energy expands its Winter Warmth program (November 2025): TXU Energy Aid’s $140 million over 40 years, about 20,000 families a year, and the 2-1-1 referral.
- Reliant, Payment assistance and CARE: CARE agencies, more than $18 million since 2002, and timing.
- Reliant, Electricity bill financial aid programs: payment extensions (1-866-222-7100), the autopay notice and deferred payment plans.
- Direct Energy, Terms of Service, Residential Postpaid: 10-day disconnection notice, deferred payment plan terms, average billing and Neighbor to Neighbor.
- CPS Energy, Affordability discounts: the Affordability Discount Program.
- City of Austin Utilities, Utility bill discounts: the Customer Assistance Program and how to qualify.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Application for Chronic Condition or Critical Care Residential Customer Status (copy hosted by ERCOT): who qualifies, the doctor’s role, and what the status doesn’t cover.
- TNMP, Critical care: residential: physician-submitted applications, approval notices and expiration.
- Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Weatherization Assistance Program: free weatherization for households at or below 200% of the poverty level.
- City of Austin, Power Partner thermostat incentives (March 9, 2026): the $75 credit per thermostat and $30 a year.
- CPS Energy, HVAC rebates: $90 to $310 per ton for efficient AC and heat pumps.
- Texas Comptroller, State Energy Conservation Office, HOMES and HEAR rebate FAQ: the $690 million set aside and the status of the rebates.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price, Table 5A: the 2024 Texas average of 1,096 kWh and $163.72 a month.
Changelog · last updated October 5, 2026 · 2 updates
- October 5, 2026 (update): Added a shutoff clock timeline, six programs that cut future bills, and a new answer on free home repairs.
- October 5, 2026: Guide published: a bill help finder, seven Texas shutoff protections from the state rule, payment plans, CEAP and its benefit limits, the bill-help fund every company must run, critical care and the complaint line.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Can't pay your electric bill in Texas? Every way to get help in 2026", updated October 4, 2026, https://theday.company/tx/help-paying-electric-bill.
This guide explains public programs and state rules in plain language; it isn’t legal advice. Program rules and funding can change, so confirm details with your electric company or local agency. The Day Company is not affiliated with any electric company, utility or agency named here, and no company pays for placement.