How to set up electricity in Houston when you move
By kWhCompare · Updated October 27, 2026 · 6 min read
To set up electricity in Houston, pick a retail electricity plan before your move-in date, since Houston sits on CenterPoint Energy's deregulated delivery grid where dozens of providers compete for your business. You'll need your service address and ESI ID to enroll, plus a deposit unless you qualify for a waiver. Most switches activate within 24 to 48 hours.
Houston is one of the easiest cities in the country to set up electricity in, precisely because it's deregulated. You don't call a single utility and wait in line. You pick a retail electricity provider (REP), and that provider sends the order to CenterPoint Energy, the company that owns the poles and wires in the Houston area. Here's exactly how the process works, what it costs, and how to avoid paying for a plan that doesn't fit your home.
Step-by-step: setting up electricity before you move to Houston
Do this in order, starting 1 to 2 weeks before your move-in date if you can:
- Confirm your exact service address, including apartment or unit number. Houston apartments on the same street can have different meters and different ESI IDs.
- Look up your ESI ID. This 17-to-22-digit number identifies your specific meter and is required to enroll in a plan. Our Texas ESI ID lookup tool finds and decodes it from your address.
- Estimate your monthly usage so you compare plans fairly instead of chasing a low advertised rate. See how many kWh a house uses per month for typical ranges by home size.
- Compare plans at that usage level, reading the Electricity Facts Label rather than the homepage rate. Our guide on how to read an Electricity Facts Label shows what to check.
- Enroll online or by phone and request your move-in date. New service in an existing home typically activates in 24 to 48 hours; next-day connections are sometimes available for a small fee.
- Pay or waive the deposit if one is required (details below).
- Confirm the start date in writing and keep the confirmation email until your first bill arrives.
You have 3 federal business days after signing to cancel a new contract without penalty, and you can switch providers without an early termination fee when moving, as long as you show proof of the new address.
CenterPoint Energy delivers your power, but doesn't sell it
This confuses a lot of new Houston residents. CenterPoint Energy is the transmission and distribution utility (TDU) for the Houston metro area. It owns the lines, reads the meter, and responds to outages. It does not set your energy rate and you can't buy a "CenterPoint plan." Instead, you choose a retail electricity provider, and CenterPoint's delivery charges are built into every plan's price automatically.
CenterPoint's current delivery charges are a $4.99 fixed monthly charge plus 4.972 cents per kWh. At 1,000 kWh of usage, that works out to $54.71 in delivery charges alone, before any energy charge from your provider. These charges are set by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and update every March 1 and September 1, so they're the same no matter which provider you pick. For the full breakdown of how this compares to other Texas utilities, see our page on Texas TDU delivery charges.
| Utility (TDU) | Fixed charge/month | Per-kWh charge | Delivery cost at 1,000 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| CenterPoint Energy (Houston) | $4.99 | 4.972¢ | $54.71 |
| Oncor Electric Delivery | $4.23 | 6.013¢ | $64.36 |
| AEP Texas Central | $3.24 | 5.690¢ | $60.14 |
| AEP Texas North | $3.24 | 5.531¢ | $58.55 |
| Texas-New Mexico Power | $7.85 | 6.467¢ | $72.52 |
Houston's CenterPoint delivery charges run lower than Oncor's (Dallas-Fort Worth) and TNMP's at the same usage level, which is one reason the Houston area tends to land close to the statewide average.
Picking a plan that matches your actual usage
The lowest advertised rate on a plan often applies only at one usage tier, usually 1,000 or 2,000 kWh. Below or above that level, the effective price per kWh can jump. Here's how to check a plan properly for two different Houston households.
Example 1: a one-bedroom apartment using 500 kWh/month
Using the Texas average residential rate of 15.94 cents per kWh as the energy charge:
- Energy charge: 500 kWh x $0.1594 = $79.70
- CenterPoint delivery: $4.99 fixed + (500 x $0.04972) = $4.99 + $24.86 = $29.85
- Estimated total: $79.70 + $29.85 = $109.55
Example 2: a large house using 2,000 kWh/month
- Energy charge: 2,000 kWh x $0.1594 = $318.80
- CenterPoint delivery: $4.99 + (2,000 x $0.04972) = $4.99 + $99.44 = $104.43
- Estimated total: $318.80 + $104.43 = $423.23
These use the statewide average rate as a benchmark; actual plan rates vary by provider and contract length, so always check the EFL's price at the usage column closest to your own. For context on what a typical bill looks like across home sizes, see our breakdown of the average electric bill in Texas, where the statewide average currently sits around $173 a month.
Do you need a deposit to set up electricity in Houston?
Maybe. Providers can require a deposit based on your credit check, and Texas law caps it at the greater of one-fifth of your estimated annual bill or two estimated monthly bills. Using the statewide average monthly bill of $173 as an example:
- Estimated annual bill: $173 x 12 = $2,076
- One-fifth of that: $2,076 / 5 = $415.20
- Two estimated monthly bills: $173 x 2 = $346
- Deposit cap: the greater of the two = $415.20
You can often skip the deposit entirely. Texas allows waivers if you're 65 or older and not delinquent on a current account, if you're a certified victim of family violence, or if you provide a satisfactory payment history letter from a previous electric provider. Our guide to Texas electricity with no deposit walks through all four legal ways to skip it.
What happens on move-in day
Most Houston homes have smart meters, so CenterPoint can usually activate service remotely without sending a technician. That means your power can be on by the date you requested, as long as you enrolled with enough lead time, ideally a few business days ahead for a standard connection. New construction, or a home that's been vacant and disconnected at the meter, may need a field visit, which can take longer. Your first bill typically arrives about 30 days later; check it against the EFL price at your actual usage to confirm the provider billed you correctly.
One thing to watch for when comparing plans: wholesale-indexed residential plans, where your rate tracks the wholesale market directly, were banned in Texas after Winter Storm Uri in 2021. If you see a plan marketed that way, it isn't legal for residential service, and you should walk away.
Fixed vs. variable: which plan type fits a new Houston household
If you're signing a 12-month lease, a fixed-rate plan locks your energy price for the term, which makes budgeting predictable through a Houston summer. Variable and month-to-month plans offer more flexibility if you expect to move again soon, but the rate can change with little notice. For a full comparison, see fixed vs variable electricity rates in Texas. If you're coming from another provider rather than setting up brand-new service, our guide on how to switch electricity providers in Texas covers the switching timeline and fees separately.
What to do next
Look up your ESI ID, estimate your monthly usage from a past bill or a similar-sized home, and compare plans at that usage level rather than the advertised teaser rate. Order service a few business days before your move-in date to avoid a rush fee, and check whether you qualify for a deposit waiver before you pay one. If you want to see how Houston's rates and delivery charges stack up against the rest of the state, start with our Texas electricity rates page and run your numbers through the free comparison tool.
See which plans beat the Texas average at your actual usage
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to set up electricity in Houston?
New service at an existing address typically activates within 24 to 48 hours of enrolling, or by your requested move-in date if you order a few business days ahead. Same-day connections are sometimes available for an extra fee.
Is CenterPoint Energy my electricity provider in Houston?
No. CenterPoint Energy delivers power over the local poles and wires and handles outages, but you choose a separate retail electricity provider that sets your energy rate and bills you.
Do I need a deposit to set up electricity in Houston?
It depends on your credit check. Texas caps deposits at the greater of one-fifth of your estimated annual bill or two monthly bills, and you can often avoid one entirely if you're 65 or older, a certified family violence victim, or can provide a satisfactory payment history letter.
What is an ESI ID and do I need one to set up electricity?
An ESI ID is a 17-to-22-digit number that identifies your specific electric meter in Texas. You need it to enroll in a plan, and you can find it with an address lookup tool before you sign up.
Sources
- Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), tariff and deposit rules
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), residential electricity rates
- CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, delivery charge tariff filings
Figures are checked against these sources when each guide is updated. See how we research and calculate. This guide is for general information and isn't financial advice.