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If you live in CenterPoint Energy’s service area and your power goes out or you come across downed power lines, contact CenterPoint, not your Retail Energy Provider (REP). Your REP cannot dispatch crews or make grid repairs. Below is CenterPoint Energy’s contact information.
CenterPoint Energy is the regulated Transmission and Distribution Utility, or TDU, that delivers electricity across much of the Greater Houston area. It operates under the oversight of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and works within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) electric grid. CenterPoint owns and maintains the physical grid, including high-voltage transmission lines, neighborhood distribution wires, substations, and smart meters that measure your usage.
CenterPoint’s predecessor served the Houston region since the late 1800s and was formerly known as Houston Lighting & Power before the market deregulated. Today, its role is strictly limited to delivery. It does not sell electricity, set your retail rate, or manage your contract. Those responsibilities belong to your Retail Electricity Provider (REP).
CenterPoint Energy’s role is focused entirely on delivering electricity across its service territory. Its responsibilities are:
| Alvin | Bacliff | Banquete | Baytown | Beasley | |
| Bellaire | Bellville | Boling | Brookshire | Channelview | |
| Clute | Conroe | Crosby | Cypress | Damon | |
| Danbury | Dayton | Deer Park | East Bernard | Freeport | |
| Fresno | Fulshear | Galena Park | Galveston | Guy | |
| Hempstead | Highlands | Hitchcock | Hockley | Houston | |
| Huffman | Humble | Hungerford | Katy | Kemah | |
| Kendleton | La Porte | Lake Jackson | Liverpool | Magnolia | |
| Manvel | Missouri City | Montgomery | Needville | Orchard | |
| Pasadena | Pearland | Pinehurst | Pledger | Porter | |
| Richmond | Rosenberg | Rosharon | Santa Fe | Seabrook | |
| Sealy | Simonton | South Houston | Spring | Stafford | |
| Sugar Land | Texas City | The Woodlands | Thompsons | Tomball | Waller |
| Wallis | Webster | Wharton |
While you can’t choose your TDU, there are many REPs to choose from in the CenterPoint service area. We’ve outlined a few below, but you can enter your ZIP code into Power Wizard’s comparison tool to view what’s available to you.
| Plan Name | ¢/kWh | Est. Bill | Term | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Utilities - Frontier Saver Plus 12 | 7.3¢ | $73.00 | 12 mos. | 4.8 |
| Gexa Energy - Gexa Eco Saver Plus 12 | 7.3¢ | $73.00 | 12 mos. | 5 |
| Express Energy - Flash Value 12 | 7.3¢ | $73.00 | 12 mos. | 4.7 |
| 4Change Energy - Maxx Saver Value 12 | 7.3¢ | $73.00 | 12 mos. | 4.9 |
| Companion Energy - Companion Savings + Benefits 12 | 7.3¢ | $73.00 | 12 mos. | 4.3 |
| APG&E - SimpleSaver 12 | 7.3¢ | $73.00 | 12 mos. | 4.8 |
| Energy Texas - The Lone Saver Plus 12 | 7.4¢ | $73.70 | 12 mos. | 4.7 |
| Rhythm Energy - Rhythm Max Saver 12 | 7.4¢ | $73.70 | 12 mos. | 4.8 |
| Chariot Energy - GridPlus 13 | 7.5¢ | $75.00 | 13 mos. | 4.4 |
| Octopus Energy - Octopus Lite 12 | 8.8¢ | $88.20 | 12 mos. | 4.1 |
In the center point service area the average electricity rate hovers around 14.8¢.
If you live in the Houston area or surrounding cities, your total electricity bill has two main components. One portion comes from your electricity provider for the energy supply itself. The other portion consists of regulated delivery charges from CenterPoint, the local TDU. These delivery fees are pass-through charges, meaning every provider in the CenterPoint service area must include them on your bill and cannot mark them up or discount them. You will see these listed clearly on your Electricity Facts Label (EFL).
TDU delivery fees include a monthly base charge that covers maintaining your connection to the grid and a per-kilowatt-hour (kWh) delivery charge based on the amount of electricity delivered to your home.
| Charge Type | Rate/Fee | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Base Charge | $4.90 | This is a combination of two charges: meter and customer charge.
Meter charge: Covers costs related to gathering usage data and testing, replacing, installing, or removing meters. Customer charge: Covers costs related to customer service activities. |
| Delivery Charge (per kWh) | $0.0515 | Delivering electricity over transmission and local distribution lines, including maintaining poles, wires, substations, and meters. |
When comparing plans, read the EFLs carefully to understand how the provider’s energy rate and CenterPoint’s delivery charges combine to determine your total effective price per kWh. Because one of these fees varies with your usage, it is helpful to use a kWh or electricity bill calculator to estimate your total monthly cost.
No. As a utility, CenterPoint does not sell energy plans; you must select a Retail Electric Provider (REP) for your energy supply.
CenterPoint does not charge a switching fee, but your current provider may charge an Early Termination Fee (ETF) unless you are moving or within the final 14 days of your contract.
The best time to shop for a new electricity rate in Texas is in the spring or fall when energy demand and prices are lower.
CenterPoint is investing in smart-grid technology, known as a self-healing grid, that senses local conditions and automatically reroutes power around faults to restore service faster.
