Know Your TDU: Transmission and Distribution Utilities in Texas
When you purchase electricity in Texas, there are actually two companies involved in the sale. The Retail Electricity Provider (REP) sells energy plans to homes and businesses, while the Transmission and Distribution Utility (TDU) delivers that energy to the point of use with power lines and transformers.
You can choose your electricity provider, but your TDU is determined by your address, since only one company is in charge of the power grid for a given area.
- TDUs are also called TDSPs (Transmission and Distribution Service Providers).
- Your local TDU is who you call when there are power outages and other emergencies related to the ERCOT grid.
There are five electric utility providers in Texas:
Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas North, AEP Texas Central and TNMP.
Most of the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area is served by Oncor, and Houston is home to CenterPoint. AEP North delivers power to Abilene and surrounding areas, while AEP Central covers Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley. TNMP service locations include Lewisville and many Gulf Coast communities.
Check out our map below, or use your zip code to find your local utility provider.
Contact Your Texas Electric Utility Provider
Click on your area’s TDU for more information including current electric rates, money saving incentive programs, and how to report power outages near you.
Texas New Mexico Power Company
Pecos, Glen Rose, League City, Angleton…
AEP Central Texas
Corpus Christi, McAllen, Victoria, Laredo, Harlingen…
AEP North Texas
Abilene, San Angelo, Vernon…
CenterPoint Energy
Houston metro area, Beaumont, Seguin…
Oncor
Dallas-Fort Worth metro, Midland-Odessa, Round Rock, Waco…
Texas Electric Utility Map
Use our Texas power grid map to find the local utility company in your area.
Oncor Texas
Oncor is the largest TDU in Texas, delivering electricity to more than 10 million residential and commercial customers. Oncor manages the largest energy incentive program in the state, which provides financial incentives for energy efficiency measures and solar power systems. The program is available for residential and commercial consumers, and its budget is renewed each year: there is more than $11.2 million in funding available for 2022.
Oncor Electric Service Area
If you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and its surroundings, chances are your electricity is delivered by Oncor. Their service area covers more than 400 cities and towns including Dallas, Fort Worth, Odessa, Killeen, Tyler, Wichita Falls and Waco.
Energy Community Action
For your convenience, the Text Oncor service is available 24/7 for English and Spanish speaking customers. You can send a text message to report power outages at any time.
- Just text “REG” to 66267 to register.
- Once registered, text “OUT” to 66267 in the event that your power goes out.
- From there you can receive an outage ticket confirmation, status updates and a notification when Oncor restores your power.
Oncor offers the Low Income Weatherization (LIW) program, as part of their broader incentive program. The LIW program focuses on insulation, air sealing and HVAC upgrades for households at or below 200% of the federal poverty line. Oncor has announced a budget of $800,270 for the LIW program in 2022.
Report an Oncor Outage / View Outage Map
Oncor Customer Service Phone Number
Oncor Dallas Address/Report Tampering:
1616 Woodall Rodgers Fwy, #2M 012
Dallas, TX 75202
AEP Texas Central & AEP Texas North
American Electric Power (AEP) is present in 11 states, serving more than 5 million customers. The company is divided into two business units in the Lone Star State: AEP Texas Central and AEP Texas North. These two TDUs were formed by merging several smaller companies, which were acquired by AEP in 1997.
AEP Texas Electric Service Area
American Electric Power has the AEP Texas Central and AEP Texas North divisions, as mentioned above. However, the service territories of the two TDUs are actually different from what their names might suggest:
- AEP Texas North covers many areas in the center and west of the state, and only some northern areas south of Amarillo.
- AEP Texas Central covers many southern areas near the US-Mexico border.
The list of cities served by AEP Texas Central and AEP Texas North includes Corpus Christi, Abilene, McAllen, Harlingen, San Angelo, Vernon, Victoria and Laredo.
Energy Community Action
AEP’s Avian Protection Plan manages bird and power line interactions through a system-wide program across 11-states they service. The Avian plan works to protect larger species of birds from being electrocuted by substations, towers, and power lines.
AEP also provides incentive programs for many of their customers within the Texas Central zone. The programs in place help low-income households (below 200% federal poverty guidelines), new homeowners, solar homeowners, and customers who simply keep up service on their air conditioning units.
The specific incentives available vary for AEP Texas North and AEP Texas Central. However, both divisions have the Targeted Low Income Program, which is available for households at or below 200% of the federal poverty line. The program focuses on weatherization and energy efficiency measures, offering up to $6,500 per home.
Report an Outage – View AEP Texas Outage Map
AEP Number for Customers
Corpus Christi AEP Utilities Address:
539 N Carancahua St
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy is present in 8 states, with 2.5 million electricity customers and 4 million natural gas customers. Like other utility companies in Texas, CenterPoint has several incentive programs for customers who want to save energy. These programs save around 215 million kWh per year, while preventing 152,000 metric tons of carbon emissions.
CenterPoint Electricity Service Area
CenterPoint Energy provides electricity to the Greater Houston metropolitan area and surrounding counties. Their corporate headquarters from where they manage operations in other states are also located in Houston.
Energy Community Action
The CenterPoint Energy Foundation supports local communities with grant funding for two main strategic areas: Community Vitality and Education.
- Community Vitality includes affordable housing, quality of place, and sustainability.
- Education includes STEM programs, workforce development, and helping increase literacy rates.
CenterPoint Energy Foundation grants are available for nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt status as public charities, located within the company’s service territories. CenterPoint Energy also manages the Hard-to-Reach incentive program for households at or below 200% of the federal poverty, focusing on weatherization and energy efficiency. The measures offered include ceiling insulation, water-saving plumbing fixtures, and LED lighting.
Report a CenterPoint Power Outage / View Outage Map
CenterPoint Customer Service
CenterPoint Mailing Address:
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
P.O. Box 4981
Houston, TX 77210
Texas New Mexico Power
Texas New Mexico Power (TNMP) serves over 260,000 customers in western Texas. TNMP no longer operates in New Mexico, but their parent company PNM Resources Inc. is present in both states, with around 500,000 customers in total. TNMP offers energy incentive programs for its residential and commercial customers, and the company was named the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year in 2016.
TNMP Electricity Service Area
Unlike other major utility companies in Texas, TNMP has a service territory that is non-contiguous, split into three areas:
- North-Central Texas: Areas around Dallas and Fort Worth that are not covered by the Oncor service territory.
- Gulf Coast: Areas around Houston and Galveston.
- West Texas: Some areas located east of El Paso.
Energy Community Action
The TNMP Power Grants program supports communities in the company’s service areas, focusing on four key areas: community safety, community outreach, economic development and education. The total funding available for 2021 was $140,000, divided into individual grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 each.
TNMP also offers a Low Income Weatherization program as part of their broader energy incentive program. The incentives offered cover energy upgrades like insulation, LED lighting, central air conditioner replacements, heat pump replacements and duct sealing.
Report an Texas New Mexico Power Outage – View Map
Contact TNMP Customer Service
TNMP Corporate Address:
577 N. Garden Ridge Blvd.
Lewisville, Texas 75067
Sharyland Utilities
Texas used to have another TDU called Sharyland Utilities, but all its retail distribution operations were transferred to Oncor in 2018. In exchange, Oncor transferred some of its transmission operations to Sharyland. This means Sharyland Utilities is now focused on the higher-voltage transmission sector, and the company no longer operates as a TDU.
- The transaction lowered electricity bills for Sharyland’s former customers, since Oncor has lower TDU delivery charges.
- Former Sharyland customers also gained access to Oncor’s much larger selection of Retail Electricity Providers (REP).
Sharyland Utilities was a relatively small TDU, serving 54,000 customers in a fragmented territory. The cities that were previously served by Sharyland (now Oncor) include Big Spring, Brady, Celeste, Greenville, Midland, McAllen and Stanton.
The Difference Between Utility Providers and Electric Companies
While your TDU distributes electricity and provides maintenance for the power grid in your area, the electricity company you choose will set up your account and send your bill. Texans who live in energy deregulated areas (90% of the state) have a choice in electric providers.
At Quick Electricity, you can compare energy provider plans and sign up with just a few clicks.
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