Texas electricity, explained in plain English
Moving to a new place, staring at a renewal notice, or weighing a plan? These consumer-first guides explain the details that decide what you'll actually pay — in plain language, with no jargon assumed.
Moving? Get the lights on
Step-by-step guides to setting up electricity at a new Texas address, both statewide and for your city. Renting? Start with how electricity works in an apartment.
Bill higher than expected?
Start with the bill itself. Separate higher usage from a higher effective price, then check whether delivery charges or the plan formula explain the difference.
Why your electric bill is so high
How to tell whether a high bill came from your usage, rate, billing period, or equipment.
Read the guideHow to lower your electric bill
Practical ways to find the biggest costs on your electric bill and lower them.
Read the guideTDU delivery charges explained
What TDU delivery charges cover, who sets them, and why they stay the same across providers.
Read the guideContract ending or rate going up?
A renewal notice is a decision point, not an instruction to stay or switch. Compare the whole plan, understand the protected timing, and choose the option that fits your home.
Renew or switch when your contract ends
How to decide whether a renewal offer or another plan better fits your usage and priorities.
Read the guideEarly termination fees
When you can leave a Texas electricity contract without a fee.
Read the guideHow to switch electricity providers
How to change electricity providers without interrupting service, plus what to check before you switch.
Read the guideWeighing a plan?
Three things decide what you'll actually pay: the facts label behind the headline rate, how bill credits behave at your usage, and the delivery charges every plan includes.
How to read an Electricity Facts Label
A plain-English walkthrough of every line on the EFL.
Read the guideBill credits and free nights
See when special pricing can save money and when it can cost more.
Read the guideTDU delivery charges explained
What TDU delivery charges cover, who sets them, and why they stay the same across providers.
Read the guideCurious how it all works?
The background reading: who generates, delivers, and sells your power, where you get a choice, and how home batteries fit into the grid.
How the deregulated market works
How generators, utilities, and providers work together in Texas, and what your choice of provider changes.
Read the guideWhich parts of Texas are deregulated
Where you can choose your provider, the exceptions, and how to check your address.
Read the guideHome batteries and virtual power plants
How home batteries and virtual power plants work, including payments, control, and backup power.
Read the guideAbout this site
This site is operated by Light, a Texas retail electric provider. We explain what the disclosures say and link to sources you can check.
Who we are and how we work