The average electricity consumption of homes in Texas is 1,146 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month, according to the latest data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). However, this figure represents average consumption across homes of all sizes — larger properties can easily exceed 2,000 kWh per month. The best electricity plan for high usage Texas homes is usually one that offers a consistently low rate every month.
Recommended Electricity Plans for High Usage in Texas
If you own a home with high usage electricity in Texas and want to save on power bills, there are two main types of plans that can help:
- A plan with affordable fixed rates at all consumption levels
- A plan with usage-based bill credits at high consumption levels
Frontier Utilities is a Texas electricity provider with a Google score of 4.7 out of 5, based on nearly 15,000 customer reviews. The company offers both fixed-rate and bill credit plans:
Plan Name | Contract Terms Available | Main Features |
Frontier Budget Saver | 12 or 24 months | Fixed-rate plan: Offers affordable fixed rates during its entire contract term. |
Frontier 36 | 36 months | Fixed-rate plan: Longer contract term than the Budget Saver plan. |
Frontier Saver Premier | 12 or 24 months | Bill credit plan: Offers a $150 bill credit in months where your usage is at least 2,000 kWh. However, if your consumption falls below this threshold, you miss the bill credit and your effective rate increases. |
What Does High Usage Electricity in Texas Refer To?
There is no technical definition of a high-usage home, but this term, when applied to a state like Texas, usually refers to properties with electricity usage much higher than the state average. In most homes, square footage is the main factor driving energy usage. Larger homes use more electricity simply because they require more lighting, heating, and cooling. Additionally, larger homes tend to have more appliances due to their size.
Homes in the West South Central region (including Texas) have an average monthly consumption of 0.65 kWh per sq.ft., according to the US EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey. Based on this figure, we can estimate the average monthly consumption for some common property sizes:
- Average kWh usage for 2,000 sq ft home = 1,300 kWh per month
- Average kWh usage for 3,000 sq ft home = 1,959 kWh per month
- Average kWh usage for 4,000 sq ft home = 2,600 kWh per month
NOTE: Actual consumption can vary significantly based on factors like home insulation quality, the efficiency rating of your appliances, and consumption habits in general.
Choosing Between Fixed-Rate Plans and Bill Credit Plans
Fixed-rate plans provide stable electricity prices across a wide range of energy consumption levels. The Frontier Budget Saver 12/24 and Frontier 36 plans are suitable if your home energy usage is high — but variable throughout the year. For example, if your monthly usage typically ranges from 1,500 kWh to 2,500 kWh, your average rate remains nearly constant under a fixed-rate plan.
Bill credit plans offer power bill savings if your monthly consumption stays above the minimum level required to earn the credit. For example, the Frontier Saver Premier 12/24 plan offers rates of around 13 cents per kWh if your usage stays above 2,000 kWh. However, if your monthly consumption falls lower, you can expect to pay around 20 cents per kWh. For this reason, bill credit plans are suitable for homes with high and relatively constant energy usage throughout the year.
As a quick example, assume you enroll in the Frontier Saver Premier 12 plan:
- If your monthly usage ranges from 2,000 kWh to 3,000 kWh, you consistently earn the $150 monthly credit, which keeps your rate low.
- On the other hand, if your usage ranges from 1,500 to 2,500 kWh, there are months where you don’t earn the bill credit. In these cases, your rate can spike above 20 cents per kWh.
Frontier Utilities also offers other types of electricity plans that may be viable in specific cases. Here are some examples:
- Frontier Battery Awards 12: Offers solar buyback at retail price and a monthly bill credit of $50 if you own a solar panel system with battery storage.
- Frontier Nighttime EV Charging 24: Offers free EV charging from 11PM to 5AM.
Before enrolling in any energy plan, we strongly recommend reviewing its Electricity Facts Label (EFL). The EFL breaks down all the fees, conditions and important details of an electricity plan, helping you make an informed decision.