Moving or opening your first account
Set up electricity in Texas
Setting up electricity at your Texas home works differently depending on where you live. In much of the state, you choose an electricity company; in other areas, one local utility serves your address. Enter your ZIP code below to see which applies and who to contact.
Who do I contact for my address?
Enter a ZIP code to see the likely setup path. Some ZIPs cross utility boundaries, so the full service address is the final check.
Need the exact service identifier? Find the address's ESI ID.
The quick answer
Three steps from address to confirmed service
- 1
Find the setup path for your address
Enter your ZIP code for a first pass. In a retail-choice area you open service with a retail electricity provider. In a municipal, cooperative, or regulated area you contact the local utility directly.
- 2
Choose the date and a plan if needed
Pick the day the account should start. If your address has retail choice, choose a plan available for its delivery area. If it does not, use the rate offered by the assigned utility.
- 3
Open the account and confirm service
Provide the full address, account-holder details, and requested start date. Complete any identity, credit, deposit, or payment step requested, then save the confirmed service date.
Need power today?
Same-day service may be possible, but it is not automatic
- Start early and choose a move-in or start-service request for the new address.
- Ask for the cutoff, any priority fee, and the confirmed start date before you finish.
- An existing remote-capable meter helps. New construction, permits, inspections, meter issues, weekends, and holidays can change the timing.
Have these basics ready
- The complete Texas service address, including the apartment or unit number
- The account holder's legal name, email, phone number, and requested start date
- Any identity, credit, or prior-service information the provider specifically requests
- A payment method if a deposit, connection charge, or prepaid balance is due
You usually do not need to know the meter number or the delivery utility before starting; the full address is enough for most enrollment flows. Ask the company what it specifically requires.
Why the address comes first in Texas
People often use “electric company,” “provider,” and “utility” to mean the same thing. In a retail-choice area, they are two different jobs. In a non-choice area, one utility handles both.
You choose this in a retail-choice area
Retail electricity provider
The provider offers the plan, opens the account, sends the bill, and requests the start of service. Plan price, contract length, deposit policy, and features can differ.
Assigned to the address
Delivery utility (TDU)
The utility owns the meter, poles, and wires and restores outages. You do not choose it. In a retail-choice area, the provider sends it the start request for you.
In Austin, San Antonio, much of El Paso, and many cooperative territories, there is no separate retail choice step. You open the account directly with the local utility. Why these areas sit outside the competitive market.
If you need to choose a plan, focus on three things
1. The real price, not just the headline
Use the average price shown on the Electricity Facts Label at a usage level close to the home. A low advertised rate can depend on hitting a bill-credit threshold or another usage condition, so check how the price behaves in lower- and higher-usage months.
2. What fits your home
Price is not the only source of value. Solar buyback, home battery programs, EV charging benefits, time-of-use pricing, and renewable-energy options can make one plan a better match for how your home uses power.
3. The company and contract
Consider customer service, billing tools, company reputation, contract length, renewal terms, and any early termination fee. Your provider experience can differ; outage response does not, because the same local utility delivers the power.
New to the document? Read how to read a Texas Electricity Facts Label.
What changes in common moving situations?
This is your first electricity account
You are not expected to know the utility, ESI ID, or past usage. Start with the complete address. If a company asks for the identifier, you can look up the ESI ID by address. A postpaid plan may ask for credit or prior-service information; a prepaid plan starts with money funded in advance. Compare the full cost, not only whether a deposit is advertised.
The apartment already has lights on
Do not treat that as an active account in your name. Confirm whether electricity is included or individually metered, then schedule your account for the date your responsibility begins. Read the apartment electricity guide.
You already have a provider
Treat the new address as its own setup decision. Plans and pricing can change with the delivery area, so confirm what is available there and schedule the new start date and old-address stop date separately. Do not assume the current plan or rate follows you. Leaving a contract because you moved usually does not trigger an early termination fee — how the moving waiver works.
The home is brand new
Ask the builder whether the permanent meter, city release, and service address are ready. New construction can require a permit, inspection, or meter installation, so a same-day retail enrollment does not guarantee same-day power.
What about deposits and credit checks?
A retail provider may use credit or prior electric service history when deciding whether a deposit is required for a postpaid account. If it asks for a deposit, read whether it is refundable, when it is returned, and whether the company accepts another way to establish satisfactory credit.
Prepaid electricity works differently: you fund the account before using power instead of receiving a standard monthly bill afterward. It can reduce the upfront credit step, but it is not automatically the lowest-cost plan. Compare the Electricity Facts Label and prepaid disclosure before enrolling.
Texas deposit rules include specific protections and exceptions. See the current PUCT credit and deposit rule for the official details.
Set up electricity in a specific city
These local guides identify the likely utility, explain whether retail choice applies, and point you to the right setup route.
Questions about starting electricity service
How early should I set up electricity before moving in Texas?
Once your move-in date is firm, scheduling a few business days ahead gives you time to resolve an address, identity, deposit, or meter issue. Some providers and utilities accept requests much earlier. If you need service today, submit the request as early as possible and confirm the actual start date before assuming it is available.
Can I get same-day electricity in Texas?
Sometimes. Same-day service is most likely at an address with an existing remotely operated meter when the request is completed before the provider's or utility's cutoff. Availability, fees, business-day rules, permits, and meter conditions vary, so the enrollment confirmation is what counts.
What information do I need to start electricity service?
Start with the full service address including the unit number, the account holder's legal name and contact details, and the requested start date. The company may also request date of birth, identity or credit information, prior utility history, and a payment method. Requirements vary, so you do not need to gather every possible document before you begin.
Do I call the utility or an electricity provider?
It depends on the address. In a retail-choice area, enroll with the retail provider; it sends the start request to the assigned TDU. In a non-choice area, the local municipal, cooperative, or regulated utility opens the account and provides the electricity.
The lights are already on. Do I still need an account?
Yes, unless your lease says electricity is included. Power may still be on under a landlord, builder, or previous occupant's arrangement. Put service in the responsible account holder's name for the correct date and keep the confirmation.
Is setting up electricity different for an apartment?
The basic process is the same if the tenant is responsible for electricity. Use the exact unit number and ask the leasing office whether electricity is individually metered or included in rent. In a retail-choice area, a landlord's suggestion usually does not replace your right to choose the provider, unless the property is master-metered or the lease says otherwise.
Do I need to be home when the electricity is turned on?
Often not when the address already has a remotely operated meter, but do not assume. The provider or utility will tell you if access, a permit, an inspection, or a technician appointment is required. New construction and meter problems usually need more lead time.
Sources checked July 25, 2026. This guide provides general educational information; company requirements and service timing can change. Confirm the full address and start date with the company opening the account.
Primary references: Public Utility Commission of Texas electric-industry report and PUCT electricity customer rights.