Reconnect Electricity Service

Power Outage

If you experience a power outage, report it to your Transmission Distribution Utility (TDU), not your retail electric provider.

TDUs are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the electrical grid, poles, and wires that deliver electricity to homes and businesses in Texas.

If you experience a power outage, report it to your TDU, not your retail electric provider.

Power Outage Contact Numbers

Report the outage by calling the customer service line for your utility company.

To report a power outage in the Houston metro area, contact CenterPoint Energy at 713-207-2222 or 1-800-332-7143.

To report a power outage in North Texas, including the Dallas – Fort Worth metro, contact Oncor Electric Delivery at 1-888-313-4747.

To report a power outage for the Gulf Coast, north-central and western Texas, including parts of Lewisville, contact Texas-New Mexico Power at 1-888-866-7456

To report a power outage in Corpus Christi, Abilene, San Angelo, Laredo, Marta, and others being served by AEP, contact AEP Texas at 1-866-223-8508.

Non-Payment

Losing electricity due to non-payment can be an inconvenience. However, there are steps you can take to restore your service quickly.

You need to pay your overdue balance and any disconnection and reconnection fees to get your power turned back on. This process typically takes 24 to 48 hours.

If paying the full balance upfront is not an option, consider setting up a payment plan with your current provider or switching to a new provider with more flexible payment options through ComparePower.

Remember that some providers may require a deposit, equaling one-fifth of your average annual bill or two months’ estimated bill.

Customers with a disconnection history may be asked for a higher deposit by their Retail Electric Providers (REPs).

After proper notice, your electricity service may be turned off if:
You don’t pay your electric bill on time or make a plan to pay what you owe.
You don’t stick to the payment plan you made with your REP.
You use electricity in an unsafe manner.
You don’t pay the deposit your REP asked for.

REPs may disconnect service without notice:
– In case of an immediate safety issue.
– The service is unauthorized or hooked up without a contract.
– Equipment like the power company’s meter has been tampered with.

You cannot be disconnected for the following reasons:
– If a previous resident of your home did not pay their electric bill.
– Not paying charges unrelated to electric service.
– Charges are in dispute until the REP wins the dispute.
– When there is a mistake on your bill.
– If you were underbilled for a service rendered over six months ago.
– If the National Weather Service says there is bad weather coming.
– Failure to pay an estimated bill other than a meter-reading plan bill.

Please note that disconnection rules for customers with serious illnesses or disabilities, customers enrolled in energy assistance programs, and residents of master-metered apartments may differ.

Your electricity company has to warn you ten days before they turn off your electricity.

They have to send you a letter that explains why they’re going to turn off your electricity, what you can do to stop it, and how much money you owe.

The letter will also tell you if you can pay your bill in smaller parts and what will happen if you don’t pay by the date they wrote in the letter.

It’s important to know that there are special rules for people who are sick or have a disability, people who get help paying their electricity bill, and people who live in buildings where the electricity bill is combined for everyone.

If you don’t pay your bill by the date in the letter, your electricity might be turned off the next day, unless it’s a weekend or holiday.

A switch-hold is a way for Texas electricity companies to ensure their customers pay their bills.

If a customer doesn’t pay their bill, the company can ask to enter a payment plan which, in effect, puts the switch hold on the account.

This means the customer won’t be able to switch to a different electricity company until they pay their bill.

The company can’t charge extra fees or treat customers differently because they have a switch hold.

If the customer’s contract with the company ends while they have a switch hold, the company has to offer them the lowest-priced plan available.

The electric company must remove the switch hold once the customer has paid their bill.

A severe storm can be a traumatic experience, especially when it leaves you without power.

Unfortunately, power outages are a common occurrence in Texas during storm season.

In a power outage, it’s important to immediately contact your Transmission Distribution Utility (TDU) – not your retail electricity provider.

By reporting the outage to the TDU, you’ll receive timely updates on the cause and an estimated restoration time.