Know What You're Paying For

Making Sense of Your Electricity Bill

Your monthly bill combines your energy provider’s consumption charge with local utility fees:

Total Bill = kWh Used * Fixed Rate + TDU Monthly Fee
 

For a home using 1,000 kWh in a CenterPoint service area:

Energy Charge: 1,000 kWh × $0.0535 = $53.50

Delivery Charge: (1,000 kWh × $0.06413) + $4.90 = $69.03

Estimated Total: $122.53 (plus applicable taxes)

Explanation:

TDU Delivery Rate

TDU Delivery Rate

The TDU delivery fee is a per-kWh charge from your local utility provider to maintain power lines and grid infrastructure. Retail providers collect this fee on behalf of your utility (CenterPoint, Oncor, etc.), regulated by the PUCT.

TDU Monthly Delivery Charge

TDU Monthly Delivery Charge

Alongside the per-kWh rate, your local utility company also applies a fixed monthly fee. This covers the ongoing maintenance of meters, local billing systems, and grid infrastructure required to keep power reliably connected to your property.

Energy Charge

Energy Charge

A cost determined by the total amount of electricity (kWh) consumed during the billing period.

Base Charge

Base Charge

A fixed monthly fee charged by your retail electricity provider that remains the same regardless of how much electricity (kWh) you use. This covers account maintenance, billing, and customer service operations.

Demand Charge

Demand Charge

This fee is calculated based on the rate at which electricity is supplied or used at a specific moment or averaged over a set time within the billing cycle.

Fixed-Rate vs. Variable-Rate Plans

Choosing the right structure depends on how you prefer to manage your energy costs:

Fixed-Rate Plans:

  • Consistent Pricing: Your per-kWh rate stays locked in for the length of your contract, shielding you from market spikes.

  • Predictable Budgeting: Makes planning monthly expenses much easier, though your total bill will still fluctuate based on how much energy you use.

  • Best For: Clients who value stability and want predictable protection against market volatility.

Variable-Rate Plans:

  • Flexible Terms: Typically month-to-month with no long-term contract commitment.

  • Market Fluctuations: Your per-kWh rate can change monthly based on supply, demand, and weather, meaning potential savings when prices dip or higher bills when demand peaks.

  • Best For: Clients comfortable with fluctuating monthly costs who prefer flexibility over a locked-in contract.

Power Outage Contact Number

To report a power outage in your area, please call your local electricity provider’s outage reporting line.

CENTERPOINT

Outage report link:
Click Here
800-332-7143
713-207-2222

ONCOR

Outage report link:
Click Here
888-313-4747

TNMP

Outage report link:
Click Here
888-866-7456

AEP

Outage report link:
Click Here
866-223-8508

LUBBOCK POWER AND LIGHT

Outage report link:
Click Here
806-775-2509