What Are the Deregulated Cities in Texas?

Have you ever noticed that choosing an electricity provider in Texas is a lot like choosing a cell phone carrier? Find a plan that meets your needs from a company you like, and you're good to go. Consumer choice is the product of Texas' deregulated electricity market. Since deregulation began in 2002, Texas has come to enjoy the largest deregulated market in the nation. More than 26 million people - over 85% of the state's population - have the freedom to select the electricity provider of their choosing.

But, oddly enough, deregulation doesn't include the entire state. If you've wondered why some areas of Texas are deregulated and some aren't, and what cities fall into which category, we've got it all covered below.

The Complete List of Deregulated Cities in Texas:

Deregulated cities include Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Waco, and many more. The complete list below reflects all the cities and towns in Texas with deregulated electricity markets.

Abilene
Addison
Alamo
Albany
Aledo
Alice
Allen
Alpine
Alvarado
Alvin
Alvord
Andrews
Angleton
Anson
Aransas Pass
Archer City
Argyle
Arlington
Arroyo City
Aspermont
Athens
Atlanta
Aubrey
Austwell
Azle
Bacliff
Baird
Balch Springs
Ballinger
Balmorhea
Barksdale
Bay City
Baytown
Bedford
Beeville
Bellaire
Bellmead
Belton
Benbrook
Big Lake
Big Spring
Bishop
Blooming Grove
Bonham
Booker
Brackettville
Brazoria
Breckenridge
Bronte
Brookshire
Brownwood
Buffalo
Burk
Burnett
Burleson
Cameron
Canton
Carrizo Springs
Carrollton
Cedar Hill
Cedar Park
Centerville
Channelview
Childress
Christoval
Cisco
Clarendon
Clarksville
Cleburne
Clifton
Clute
Clyde
Collinsville
Columbus
Colorado City
Columbus
Comanche
Commerce
Comstock
Cooper
Coppell
Copperas Cove
Corpus Christi
Corsicana
Cotulla
Crane
Crockett
Crosby
Cross Plains
Crossroads
Crowell
Crystal City
Cypress
Dallas
De Leon
De Soto
Decatur
Deer Park
Del Rio

Denison
Denton
Devine
Diboll
Dickens
Dickinson
Dilley
Donna
Dublin
Dumas
Duncanville
Eagle Lake
Eagle Pass
Early
Eastland
Eden
Edgewood
Edinburg
Edna
Edom
Egypt
El Campo
Eldorado
Electra
Elgin
Ennis
Escobares
Etoile
Euless
Eustace
Falcon Heights
Falfurrias
Farmers Branch
Flint
Flo
Forest Hill
Forney
Fort Davis
Fort Stockton
Fort Worth
Freeport
Freer
Frisco
Fulton
Gainesville
Galena Park
Galveston
Gatesville
George West
Goliad
Graford
Graham
Granbury
Grand Prairie
Grandview
Grapevine
Gun Barrel City
Hallettsville
Haltom City
Hamilton
Hamlin
Harker Heights
Harlingen
Haskell
Hebbronville
Henrietta
Hidalgo
Hillsboro
Hitchcock
Houston
Hubbard
Hudson
Humble
Huntington
Hurst
Hutchins
Ingleside
Iraan
Irving
Italy
Jacksboro
Jersey Village
Jewett
Johnson City
Jourdanton
Junction
Karnes City
Katy
Kaufman
Keene
Keller
Kemah
Kenedy
Kermit
Killeen
Kingsville
Knox City
La Feria
La Marque

La Porte
Lacy Lakeview
Ladonia
Laguna Park
Lajitas
Lake Jackson
Lake Whitney
Lake Worth
Lamesa
Lancaster
Laredo
League City
Leakey
Leona
Lewisville
Lindale
Liverpool
Log Cabin
Los Fresnos
Lufkin
Lytle
Mabank
Magnolia
Malakoff
Malone
Manor
Mansfield
Marfa
Mathis
McAllen
McGregor
McKinney
Memphis
Menard
Mercedes
Merkel
Mesquite
Midland
Midlothian
Milano
Milford
Mineral Wells
Mission
Monahans
Muenster
Munday
Nacogdoches
Nassau Bay
Neches
Nocona
North Richland Hills
Northlake
Odem
Odessa
Olney
Orange Grove
Ozona
Paducah
Paint Rock
Palacios
Palestine
Palmer
Palmview
Paris
Pasadena
Pearland
Pearsall
Pecos
Penitas
Perryton
Pflugerville
Pharr
Pilot Point
Plano
Pleasanton
Port Aransas
Port Isabel
Port Lavaca
Port Mansfield
Port O'Connor
Portland
Pottsboro
Prairie View
Premont
Presidio
Quanah
Quinlan
Quintana
Rachel
Rainbow
Rancho Viejo
Ranger
Rankin
Raymondville
Red Oak
Refugio
Reklaw
Richardson
Richland

Richland Hills
Richmond
Rio Grande City
Rio Hondo
Riviera
Riviera Beach
Roanoke
Robert Lee
Rockdale
Rockport
Rocksprings
Rockwall
Roma
Rosenberg
Rotan
Round Rock
Round Top
Rowlett
Royse City
Ruidosa
Rule
Sabinal
Saginaw
Saint Jo
Salado
San Angelo
San Benito
San Juan
San Leon
Sandia
Santa Anna
Sargent
Seabrook
Seadrift
Seagoville
Sealy
Seguin
Shamrock
Sheffield
Sherman
Sinton
Snyder
Sonora
South Houston
South Padre Island
Spearman
Spring
Springtown
Spur
Stafford
Stamford
Stephenville
Sugar Land
Sulphur Springs
Surfside Beach
Sweetwater
Synder
Taft
Taylor
Temple
Terlingua
Terrell
Texas City
The Colony
Three Rivers
Throckmorton
Tivoli
Tomball
Tuleta
Tyler
Uvalde
Van
Van Alstyne
Vernon
Victoria
Waco
Waxahachie
Webster
Wellington
Weslaco
West Columbia
West Tawakoni
Westlake
Wharton
White Settlement
Whitewright
Whitney
Wichita Falls
Wills Point
Wimberley
Winters
Wolfe City
Woodway
Yantis
Yorktown
Zapata
Zavalla

When and Why Did Deregulation Happen In Texas?

To establish some context and get an idea of how we got where we are, let's briefly review how the electricity industry used to be. It has existed for well over a century, and there was little oversight in early years. In 1935, the Public Utility Holding Company Act was established to provide some level of government oversight while allowing the industry to remain monopolized for decades. Then, the Energy Policy Act of 1992 empowered states to create competitive energy markets.

Fast forward - or bounce back, rather - to 1999. Senate Bill 7 was signed into law in Texas, effectively laying the groundwork for a deregulated energy market. Old monopolies were dismantled and a new system was created, and on January 1, 2002, retail electricity sales in Texas opened to competition. Now, over 20 years later, the Texas market is unlike anywhere else in the country. Residents in over 400 cities across the state can choose from hundreds of retail electricity providers offering a range of options, including fixed rates, variable rates, incentives, and even renewable electricity from Texas-generated wind and solar energy.

Deregulation Has Shaped the Energy Industry

For consumers, deregulation has had obvious, visible benefits. Lower electricity rates and the ability to switch to a new provider if they're dissatisfied with the service, reliability, or anything else from the previous. But deregulation hasn't simply resulted in discounted pricing, it's directly led to innovation, especially the availability of renewable energy. Texas even ranks as the nation's leading producer of wind power.

Deregulation also redefined several underpinning aspects of the electricity industry in Texas. No longer does one single utility company handle everything. The responsibilities and workings of the industry are now split up among three distinct levels. This includes retail electric providers who sell energy to consumers, utility companies that distribute electricity via physical poles and wires and maintain said infrastructure, and power-generation facilities that produce the electricity.

Within this system are a number of groups and organizations that work together in various ways to make everything happen.

Public Utility Commission of Texas

The PUC of Texas is responsible for maintaining and enforcing regulations pertaining to the generation and transmission of energy.

Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)

Managed by the PUC, ERCOT maintains the flow of electricity via 47,000 miles of transmission lines and 650 power-generation facilities.

Utilities

Utilities generate and distribute electricity. Texas has several, including Oncor Energy, AEP North, and Texas-New Mexico Power.

Electric Cooperatives

Co-ops provide electricity to residential customers. In Texas, co-ops are part of Texas Electric Cooperatives.

Which Cities in Texas ARE Regulated?

While much of the state is deregulated, several areas are not. This is because deregulation was made mandatory for investor-owned utilities but optional for non-profit organizations like municipal utilities and electric cooperatives, and some of those organizations have not opted to participate.

The list below details some of the larger cities in Texas that remain regulated.

Austin
Brownsville
Bryan
Brenham
Burnet
College Station
Cuero
Denton
Fredericksburg
Garland
Georgetown
Greenville
Kerrville
New Braunfels
San Marcos
San Antonio

Exercise Your Freedom to Choose

If you're among the 85% of Texans that have the power to choose your retail electric provider, why not go with the best? At Energy Texas, we're electricity done right. Straightforward plans with competitive pricing is how we do it, and excellent customer service is the bow we wrap around it. Not to mention that our plans have some great Texas-sized rewards!

If you're ready to compare rates right now, enter your zip code here to discover the options we have available in your area.

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