EST. 2013
In Texas’ competitive electricity market, understanding who does what can get a little confusing. While you choose your electricity provider, your utility company is assigned based on where you live. These companies play a major role in keeping your lights on.
We’ll break down the major electric utility companies in Texas, what they do, where they operate, and why their role matters. Plus, we’ll show you how Energy Ogre helps Texans get the most out of the competitive market—without the stress and guesswork.
Why Trust Energy Ogre?
At Energy Ogre, we help Texans navigate the electricity market every day. We’ve reviewed hundreds of thousands of electricity plans, monitored pricing trends across the state, and managed service for nearly 400,000 locations. We understand utility companies, how the market works, and how to help you avoid overpaying for electricity.
Table of Contents
Oncor Electric Delivery
Oncor Electric Delivery is the largest utility company in Texas, serving over 400 communities and operating more than 143,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines. Its vast service territory stretches across North Texas and parts of West Texas, including cities like:
Dallas–Fort Worth
Waco
Tyler
Wichita Falls
Midland
And more
As a utility, Oncor’s role is to deliver electricity—not sell it. That means maintaining power lines, transformers, meters, and more. It is also responsible for outage response, grid reliability, and infrastructure upgrades to support growing demand and renewable energy. Customers can track outages and report issues via Oncor’s website or mobile tools.
If you live in this area, your electricity is delivered by Oncor—but your electricity plan comes from a retail electricity provider (REP).
CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy is the primary utility for the Greater Houston area and surrounding Gulf Coast communities, including:
Houston
Sugar Land
Galveston
Katy
Baytown
And more
CenterPoint manages the dense infrastructure that powers homes, skyscrapers, and businesses. It is responsible for grid maintenance, meter systems, and emergency response—especially during hurricanes and severe storms.
They also offer outage maps, safety alerts, and storm updates. Like Oncor, CenterPoint doesn’t sell electricity; it works behind the scenes to ensure reliable service.
AEP Texas
AEP Texas, part of American Electric Power, operates two divisions:
AEP Texas Central: Corpus Christi, McAllen, Laredo, Victoria, and more
AEP Texas North: Abilene, San Angelo, Big Spring, Vernon, and more
AEP supports a mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas across West and South Texas. Its job is to maintain the infrastructure—lines, poles, meters—and ensure electricity is delivered safely and efficiently. They also handle repairs and grid inspections.
No matter which division you’re in, your electricity plan still comes from a retail electricity provider—not AEP itself.
Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP)
Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP) is smaller than other Texas utilities but plays a critical role in serving remote and fast-growing regions. Their service area includes:
Lewisville
Alvin
Pecos
Various rural and underserved areas
TNMP handles local electricity delivery, infrastructure maintenance, and emergency outage response. It ensures growing communities receive reliable power—without directly selling electricity plans.
To get service in TNMP territory, you’ll still need to choose a retail electricity provider.
Understanding Your Texas Utility Company
If you live in a competitive part of Texas, your utility is assigned based on your address. You can’t choose it—but you can choose your electricity provider and plan. That distinction matters.
Utility Companies Handle
Electricity delivery to your home
Power line and equipment maintenance
Meter reading and outage restoration
Emergency response after storms or accidents
Retail Electric Providers Handle
Selling you an electricity plan
Setting your rate
Sending your monthly bill
Providing customer service
Not sure who your utility is? Check your electricity bill or look at your home’s electric meter.
The Role of Energy Ogre in the Texas Electricity Market
Energy Ogre isn’t a utility or a retail electricity provider. We’re your personal electricity assistant—analyzing your usage and comparing thousands of plans from dozens of providers to find the best fit for you.
We handle:
Shopping the market, and enrolling members in the best available plan
Plan comparisons and renewals
Avoiding bill spikes and bad contract terms
Making sure you don’t overpay or fall into higher rates
Signing you up for the right plan in the right renewal cycle
We simplify your power to choose—so you can save money and stress less. See how much you could save with our savings calculator. Or sign up today to get started.
Conclusion
Texas utilities like Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP, and TNMP maintain the grid and deliver power—but they don’t sell electricity or send you a bill. In competitive areas, it’s up to you to choose your provider—and that decision impacts your rate, service, and overall experience. That’s where Energy Ogre comes in.
We do the heavy lifting—comparing plans, tracking contracts, and ensuring you’re always in the best position possible. From Dallas to Houston to the Panhandle, we’re here to make electricity easier.
Want to save money without the hassle? Check out these tips, or let Energy Ogre handle it all for you. If you’re currently in a long-term plan but want to join Energy Ogre once it ends, use the reminder tool below. We’ll notify you when it’s time to sign up.
Contract Expiration Reminder
Recommended Articles
