Can I still get power turned on today?
The checker compares any day and time with 12 companies’ same-day cut-offs, read October 14, 2026, in Central time. Pick your area and meter to see which ones you can still beat.
A smart meter can be switched on from the utility’s office. If yours can’t, a crew has to come.
- Until 2 p.m.: Gexa Energy, Frontier Utilities (2 h left)
- Until 3:30 p.m.: BKV Energy (3 h 30 min left)
- Until 5 p.m.: Now Power (5 h left)
- Until 6 p.m.: Payless Power, Pogo Energy, Reliant, Discount Power, Cirro Energy, Direct Energy (6 h left)
- Until 6:30 p.m.: 4Change Energy, TXU Energy (6 h 30 min left)
Plans and prices differ by address, so check yours when you sign up.
Call City of Austin Utilities at 512-494-9400 (toll-free outside Austin: 888-340-6465). Phones are open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. More in our Austin Energy guide.
Call CPS Energy’s First Connections line at (210) 353-2222. Its moving page asks new customers to request a letter of reference. More in our CPS Energy guide.
Call your co-op or city utility to set a start date. Not sure who serves you? Use our utility finder.
Look up your utility by address in our utility finder, then run the checker again.
If a credit check goes badly, the deposit can reach $360 at a $150 monthly bill. It can be due before your power goes on.
The checker uses each company’s own cut-off, read October 14, 2026, and the utility’s move-in days. When a company doesn’t name a time zone, we use Central. Areas come from Power to Choose and the companies’ own sites. The deposit figure is the state’s cap (16 TAC §25.478), using your bill for every month. Nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.
Partner toolWe may earn a fee if you sign up. It never changes our scores.
The checker can’t see your address, so it can’t promise an hour. Payless Power’s FAQ puts a typical hookup at 1 to 6 hours with a remote-ready smart meter. Pogo Energy says it often has power on within a few hours.
What time do you have to sign up for same-day electricity?
Same-day cut-offs run from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Central. On October 14, 2026, 6 p.m. was the most common, used by 6 of the 12 companies. Miss yours, and your start moves to the company’s next working day.
Same-day cut-offs, from each company’s own site
Complaint records differ a lot, too. In the PUCT’s September 2026 scorecard, TXU Energy and BKV Energy earned the top score, 5 of 5. Payless Power’s license holder earned 1 of 5, the lowest. Our guide to electricity company complaints explains what the scores measure.
6:30 p.m.: TXU and 4Change. 6 p.m.: Reliant, Cirro, Discount Power, Direct Energy, Pogo Energy and Payless Power. 2 p.m.: Gexa and Frontier. The top bar is Oncor’s own deadline for a remote move-in, so every company’s cut-off falls before it. The bars start at midnight.
- MonAll 12
- TueAll 12
- WedAll 12
- ThuAll 12
- FriAll 12
- Sat6 say yes
- SunNone
Saturday: Reliant, Cirro, Discount Power, Pogo Energy, Payless Power and Now Power say yes, and 4Change rules out only Sundays and holidays. Gexa, Frontier and BKV Energy say weekdays only. TXU and Direct Energy don’t say. Holidays: none of the companies that list their days offer it.
Two things to know. First, your company’s cut-off comes before the utility’s. Oncor takes same-day remote move-ins until 7 p.m. Central, but your company needs time to send the order. Second, a cut-off isn’t a promise. Payless Power says connection times “are not guaranteed” and can slip for meter issues, switch holds or weather. Reliant, Cirro and Discount Power warn that extra utility charges may apply.
Which of these companies serve your area?
Same-day power in Houston works the same way: your company’s cut-off first, then CenterPoint switches on the meter. Power to Choose, the state’s plan site, lists most of these companies by ZIP code. For prices, see Houston electricity rates or Dallas electricity rates.
How does a same-day move-in work?
Your new company sends a move-in order, and your delivery utility turns the power on. In Oncor’s area, a smart-meter order that arrives by 7 p.m. Central is done that day, with no visit.
- 1You sign up before the cut-off
You pick a plan and a start date of today. If you can’t show good credit, the company can ask for a deposit before service starts. Prepaid plans ask for a starting balance instead.
- 2The company sends a move-in order
State rules send it to ERCOT, the Texas grid operator (16 TAC §25.474). The order carries the start date you picked.
- 3Your utility gets the order
In most areas with choice, that’s Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas or TNMP. In Lubbock, it’s Lubbock Power & Light. Oncor finishes a smart-meter order the same day if it arrives by 7 p.m. Central. Sundays and holidays don’t count.
- 4The meter is switched on
A smart meter is turned on by remote command. A meter without that feature needs a crew, which is slower. There’s no set hour. 4Change says power on a chosen date may come on from 8 a.m. to midnight.
Renting? The same steps apply in most apartments. Our guide to electricity for apartments shows how to match a plan to your lease. To learn what the plan will cost, our fact label guide takes about 2 minutes.
Keep readingMoving soon? Every step to set up power at a new homeWhat if your meter can’t be turned on remotely?
Then a crew has to come, and same-day becomes a rush order called a priority move-in. In Oncor’s and CenterPoint’s tariffs, it must reach the utility by 5 p.m. Central on a business day. It can cost extra.
- Monday to Saturday, but not holidays
- Oncor: order in by 7 p.m. Central for that day
- Your company’s cut-off is the real deadline
- Business days only, Monday to Friday
- Rush order: at the utility by 5 p.m. Central
- Regular order: two business days ahead in Oncor’s area
Some meters can’t be switched from a distance. Oncor’s tariff calls one kind an AMS-M meter. It has every smart feature “except for remote disconnection and reconnection.” Others are older meters or meters with that switch turned off.
For these, Oncor needs a regular order at least two business days ahead. A same-day rush order must reach it by 5 p.m. Central on a business day. CenterPoint’s tariff filing uses the same 5 p.m. business-day rule for its meters that need a crew.
A regular start may cost nothing extra. Payless Power’s prepaid terms, for one, list a $0 move-in charge in Oncor, CenterPoint and AEP Texas areas. In TNMP’s area, it’s $54. A same-day request can still bring utility charges: Frontier’s moving page says “charges from the utility may apply.”
Not sure which meter you have? Ask when you call. TXU, for one, offers same-day service only to “customers with AMS meters,” meaning smart meters.
What can stop your power from coming on today?
Eight problems can push a same-day start to a later day, from a missed cut-off to a hold on the address. Each one has a fix.
How to clear a switch hold fast
A switch hold is a block the utility puts on an address. After meter tampering, Texas rules say it must stop move-ins there until a new resident proves they’re new. Your new company collects proof that you’re new, like a signed lease, a landlord’s sworn statement or closing papers. You also sign a statement that you aren’t tied to the last resident.
Once the utility has the request and papers, it gets four business hours to decide (16 TAC §25.126). Payless Power says removal requests sent before 1 p.m. on a utility working day are done by 8 p.m. that day.
Cut-offs differ, so when one company has closed for the day, another may still be open.
Can you get same-day power with no deposit or credit check?
Yes, with a prepaid plan. Pogo Energy, Payless Power and Now Power say they run no credit check, and Texas’s prepaid rule bans deposits. It also caps a home’s starting balance at $75.
These limits come from the state’s prepaid rule, 16 TAC §25.498. Pogo Energy asks for $60 for same-day service. Now Power says its smart meter plan needs a first payment but doesn’t list the amount on its FAQ. the same-day clock still applies: Pogo and Payless use 6 p.m., and Now Power uses 5 p.m.
Payless Power asks for $40 to start, and that money goes onto your balance. But skipping the credit check can cost more per kWh. On October 14, 2026, Payless Power’s 12-month prepaid plan in Oncor’s area was 17.5¢ per kWh at 1,000 kWh on Power to Choose. Its 12-month postpaid plan, which needs a credit check, was 15.0¢. At 1,000 kWh a month, that gap is about $300 a year.
Prepaid has no credit check or deposit. Postpaid needs a credit check and may need a deposit. In CenterPoint’s area, the same plans were 17.3¢ and 14.7¢. Bars start at zero and end at 20¢.
A credit-check plan works differently. If you can’t show good credit, the company can ask for a deposit before your power goes on. By rule, it can reach one-fifth of a year’s bills or two months’ bills, whichever is more (16 TAC §25.478). With a $150 monthly bill, that’s up to $360.
Our no-deposit and prepaid guide covers deposit rules, refunds and what prepaid costs. For one prepaid company’s fees, read our Payless Power review. En español: luz sin depósito.
Same-day electricity, answered
Can I get electricity turned on today in Texas?
Usually, yes. With a smart meter, sign up before your company’s same-day cut-off on a Monday through Saturday that isn’t a holiday. On October 14, 2026, the 12 companies we list had cut-offs from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Central.
What is the latest time to sign up for same-day power?
6:30 p.m. is the latest we found. TXU and 4Change Energy offer same-day service to customers with smart (AMS) meters who sign up before 6:30 p.m. Reliant, Cirro, Discount Power, Direct Energy, Pogo Energy and Payless Power use 6 p.m.
Can I get my power turned on on a Sunday?
Not the same day. None of the 12 companies we checked lists Sunday as a same-day option. Oncor’s tariff doesn’t count Sundays as smart-meter move-in days either. Sign up anyway: Payless Power says Sunday orders are connected first thing the next morning.
How long after I sign up will the lights come on?
Often within hours, but there’s no set time. Payless Power says a home with a remote-ready smart meter is typically connected within 1 to 6 hours. 4Change says that on a chosen start date, power may come on any time from 8 a.m. to midnight.
What happens if I miss the cut-off?
Your start moves to the next day the company works. Reliant says late requests are connected the next business day. Direct Energy says your power can be on the following morning. Signing up late still gets your order in.
What is a priority move-in?
It’s a rush order for a home whose meter can’t be switched on remotely, so a crew must come. In Oncor’s area, the order must reach the utility by 5 p.m. Central on a business day. The utility can charge extra, and companies warn that such charges may apply to you.
What is a switch hold, and can it stop my move-in?
Yes, it can. A switch hold is a block on an address, for example after meter tampering. It stops move-ins until you prove you’re a new resident. A signed lease or closing papers can work, and the utility then has four business hours to decide.
Do no-credit-check companies offer same-day service?
Yes. Pogo Energy and Payless Power use a 6 p.m. cut-off, and Now Power uses 5 p.m., all Monday through Saturday. All three say they don’t run credit checks. See no-deposit and prepaid plans.
How much money do I need to start prepaid power today?
No more than $75 for a home. That’s the state’s cap on the starting balance for residential prepaid service. Payless Power asks for $40 and Pogo Energy for $60, and both amounts go onto your account balance.
Which same-day electricity companies serve Lubbock?
Eight of the 12 companies we list showed Lubbock plans on Power to Choose on October 14, 2026. They were TXU, Reliant, Cirro, Discount Power, Direct Energy, Gexa, Frontier and BKV Energy. We couldn’t confirm Payless Power, Pogo Energy, Now Power or 4Change Energy there, and we didn’t check Lubbock Power & Light’s own move-in rules, so ask about timing. More in our guide to Lubbock electricity.
My home was just built. Can I get power today?
Probably not. A new meter has to be installed, and Oncor won’t start until inspections and permits are done. Its tariff gives a regular new-meter move-in two business days.
My power still isn’t on. Who do I call?
Call the company you signed up with first, since it sent the order. If it can’t fix the problem, the Public Utility Commission of Texas takes complaints at 1-888-782-8477 or consumer@puc.texas.gov. Our guide to electricity company complaints shows how.
What do you want to do next?
Every Texas guide, by topic
Every Texas guide lives on our Texas hub, and our price map compares average prices state by state.
Sources and updates
Sources (27)
- TXU Energy, Move center, read October 14, 2026: same-day service for “customers with AMS meters who sign up before 6:30 p.m.”; flexible deposit options; phone 888-228-1144.
- Reliant, Same-day electricity, read October 14, 2026: 6 p.m. Central cut-off, Monday through Saturday, not Sundays or holidays; late requests go to the next business day; utility charges may apply; prepaid plans typically have no credit check; phone 1-866-222-7100.
- Direct Energy, Same-day electricity service in Texas, read October 14, 2026: sign up by 6 p.m.; late orders go to the next business day or the following morning; prepaid plans with no credit check; phone 1-855-461-1926.
- Cirro Energy, Moving, moving FAQ and home page, read October 14, 2026: 6 p.m. Central for move-ins, Monday through Saturday except holidays, smart meter needed; deposit shown at sign-up; phone 1-844-358-3133.
- Discount Power, Moving, read October 14, 2026: 6 p.m. Central, Monday through Saturday except holidays, smart meter needed; utility charges may apply; phone 1-877-455-4674.
- Discount Power, Residential Terms of Service (PUCT Certificate No. 10177), read October 14, 2026: an initial deposit may be required before service if you can’t show satisfactory credit.
- Pogo Energy, home page, FAQs, same-day page and contact page, read October 14, 2026: sign up and pay $60 before 6 p.m. Central; not Sundays or holidays; no credit checks or deposit; power often on within a few hours; serves Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Central, AEP North and TNMP areas; phone 888-764-6669.
- Payless Power, home page, FAQs, same-day page and no-deposit page, read October 14, 2026: fund the account before 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday; Sunday and holiday orders connect the next morning; orders after 5 p.m. may be delayed; the same-day page also lists weekday hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 1 to 6 hours with a remote-ready smart meter; connection times not guaranteed; switch-hold removal timing; $40 connection balance; no deposit or credit check on prepaid; phone (866) 963-9353.
- Payless Power, prepaid terms of service, read October 14, 2026: move-in charge of $0.00 in AEP Texas Central, AEP Texas North, CenterPoint and Oncor areas and $54.00 in Texas-New Mexico Power’s area; utility charges passed through.
- Now Power, Same-day electricity service and FAQs, read October 14, 2026: enroll before 5 p.m.; Monday through Saturday except national holidays; no credit check or deposit; first payment required; utilities named: Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas and TNMP; phone 844-227-2648.
- BKV Energy, Same-day electricity service, read October 14, 2026: applications before 3:30 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday only, not weekends or holidays; soft credit check; any deposit due before service starts; phone 1-855-258-4797.
- 4Change Energy, service questions (FAQ), read October 14, 2026: sign up before 2 p.m. for a likely same-day start; call (855) 784-2426 before 5 p.m. for a priority request; on a chosen date, power may come on from 8 a.m. to midnight.
- 4Change Energy, plan list for ZIP 75201, captured October 14, 2026: plans offered in Oncor’s area (Dallas), and its plan list for ZIP 77002 showed plans in CenterPoint’s area (Houston); both pages say same-day service is “available for customers with AMS meters who sign up before 6:30 p.m.” and not on Sundays or holidays.
- Gexa Energy, same-day electricity guide and contact page, read October 14, 2026: requests before 2 p.m. Central, Monday through Friday; no weekends or holidays; credit check, deposit or deposit waiver; no same-day prepaid; customer service (866) 961-9399.
- Frontier Utilities, Moving help, read October 14, 2026: requests after 2 p.m. (CST) go to the next business day; no weekend or holiday connections; utility charges may apply; phone 877-437-7442.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Power to Choose plan list (export of all English listings), pulled October 14, 2026: which delivery areas each listed company offers plans in; Payless Power’s 12-month prepaid plan at 17.5¢ (Oncor) and 17.3¢ (CenterPoint) and its 12-month postpaid plan at 15.0¢ and 14.7¢, all at 1,000 kWh.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Retail Electric Provider Complaint Scorecard, September 2026 release covering March 1 to August 31, 2026, read October 14, 2026: 5 of 5 for TXU Energy and BKV BPP Retail (BKV Energy); 4 of 5 for Reliant, Direct Energy and Gexa; 3 of 5 for Retail Energy Solutions (Frontier Utilities) and Value Based Brands (4Change); 2 of 5 for US Retailers (Cirro, Discount Power); 1 of 5 for Young Energy (Payless Power).
- Oncor, Tariff for Retail Delivery Service (table of contents effective June 1, 2026), read October 14, 2026: an AMS operational day is “any day but Sunday or a holiday”; smart, AMS-M and older meters defined; hours and holidays (Section 3.18); service starts at a retailer’s request (Section 4.3.2.1).
- Oncor, Common Transactions and Timelines (effective May 1, 2023), read October 14, 2026: smart-meter move-ins by 7 p.m. on an AMS operational day; crew meters by 5 p.m. on a business day, two business days ahead.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Oncor tariff pages in Docket 53601, read October 14, 2026: the wording of the 7 p.m. smart-meter move-in rule, the 5 p.m. priority move-in rule and the two-business-day new-meter rule.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, CenterPoint tariff exhibit in Docket 56211, read October 14, 2026: 5 p.m. business-day rules for move-ins and priority move-ins at meters without a remote switch.
- 16 TAC §25.474, Selection of Retail Electric Provider (Cornell LII), read October 14, 2026: the company sends move-ins to the registration agent; three federal business days to cancel a switch; no cancel right for a move-in.
- 16 TAC §25.478, Credit Requirements and Deposits (Cornell LII), read October 14, 2026: deposit cap; deposit before service; age 65 and older and family violence as ways to show good credit; paying amounts due after a nonpayment shut-off.
- 16 TAC §25.498, Prepaid Service (Cornell LII), read October 14, 2026: no deposits; $75 cap on a home’s starting balance; reconnect request within one hour; low-balance warning at least one day ahead; no weekend or extreme-weather shut-offs.
- 16 TAC §25.126, Meter tampering and switch holds (Cornell LII), read October 14, 2026: switch holds stop move-ins; proof a new resident can send; four business hours to decide.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, complaint process and Office of Consumer Assistance, checked October 14, 2026: complaints at 1-888-782-8477 or consumer@puc.texas.gov.
- City of Austin Utilities, Utility service, and CPS Energy, Moving, read October 14, 2026: Austin Customer Care 512-494-9400 and 888-340-6465, with phone hours, and fees and security deposits for new homes; CPS Energy’s First Connections line (210) 353-2222, a letter of reference for new customers and a possible deposit waiver for military families.
Changelog · last updated October 16, 2026 · 2 updates
- October 16, 2026: Linked our new Killeen and Irving move-in 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, "Can you get electricity turned on today in Texas?", updated October 16, 2026, https://theday.company/tx/same-day-electricity.
This guide explains how same-day electric service works in Texas; it isn’t legal or financial advice. Cut-off times come from each company’s own website on October 14, 2026, and can change without notice, so confirm yours when you sign up. Ads and any partner referral fees help fund the site, but neither has any say in our scores or picks. The Day Company is not affiliated with any electric company named here.