Compare electricity rates and plans in Arlington, Texas (2024)

Arlington residents have choices regarding electric companies, thanks to the 2002 switch to deregulated energy in many Texas markets.

While the decision-making process might seem complex initially, you have plenty of tools to help you choose the right Arlington electricity plan. Cost is the biggest differentiator among retail electric providers (REPs), but other factors — such as reputation and plan variety — should also influence your choice.

We offer you the following energy industry information and electric company shopping tips to help you navigate those factors and find the best electricity rates and plan for your needs and budget.

Arlington electricity rates

Energy Provider	Plan Name	Plan Length	Rate per kWh
Payless Power	PTC 3 Month	3 months	10.2 cents
Octopus Energy	Octo 12 with EV	12 months	12.5 cents
Constellation Energy	Flat Tier Product	12 months	12.9 cents
ClearSky Energy	Embrace Green 36	36 months	14.4 cents
Cirro Energy	Smart Simple 36	36 months	13.6 cents
Revolution Energy	Stars and Stripes 3	3 months	13.6 cents
Gexa Energy	Gexa Eco Choice 12	12 months	13.7 cents
Infuse Energy	Essential Infusion 36	36 months	13.9 cents
Direct Energy	Autopay Texas 36	36 months	14.0 cents
BKV Energy	Daisy 12	12 months	14.3 cents
Champion Energy	EV Saver-12	12 months	14.3 cents
TriEagle Energy	Simple Savings 36	36 months	14.5 cents
TXU Energy	Simple Rate 12	12 months	14.9 cents
Green Mountain Energy	Pollution Free e-Plus	24 months	15.0 cents
Reliant Energy	Reliant Power On 24	24 months	15.0 cents

What are the key factors for choosing an electric plan in Arlington?

While Arlington electricity rates vary from company to company, choosing an energy provider is not only about your electric bill. Your circumstance is unique. So, in addition to price, your choice might depend on additional services or a company’s reputation.

Here are the factors to consider when deciding what retail energy provider is best for you.

How much will it cost?

The cost of electricity plans is presented to customers based on the rate per kWh. The average rate per kWh for residential electricity in Texas is 14.3 cents as of April 2024, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

In the Arlington area, the average rate per kWh in March 2024 was 17.5 cents per kWh, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many Arlington electric companies offer lower rates than the statewide average.

Your monthly electric bill reflects your base rate, your rate per kWh, and additional fees and taxes.

Your bill might also reflect rebates in the form of renewable energy buybacks — this refers to a company buying back unused electricity from consumers who use renewable sources.

You may owe a prepaid deposit if your credit score reveals that you might be a payment risk. Most providers run a credit check before you sign up to determine whether to charge a prepaid deposit.

If you switch electric companies before the end of your contract, you may be charged an early termination fee. Our research shows providers charge between $20 and $300 for early termination.

What types of plans are available?

Most Arlington electricity providers show the electricity rate, transmission and distribution price, and other recurring fees within their plans’ details. They might not include nonrecurring fees or taxes, so ask about that before you sign an agreement — or read the electricity facts label (EFL) and full terms of service.

What is the electric company’s reputation with consumers?

Some power companies have served Texas for generations. Others were founded shortly after the state’s energy market was deregulated in 2002.

No matter how new the provider is, you should look deep into the company’s reputation with consumers.

Ask friends and neighbors for their favorite Arlington REPs. Look at the company’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) page, where you’ll find a BBB-assigned letter grade (or NR for Not Rated) and any consumer alerts about the company.

The Public Utilities Commission of Texas (PUCT) also tracks consumer complaints it receives about every REP. The PUCT tracks the complaints ratio per customer and assigns ratings on a 5-star scale.

What additional services does the electric company offer?

While price, plan variety and reputation are the most important factors for selecting a REP, many companies offer additional options that improve the customer experience and add value to the deal.

If you are worried about sudden loss of AC or heat, check if your REP provides surge protection or backup power options. If saving energy is your priority, determine if your REP offers smart thermostat installation or automated usage monitoring.

What are the top electric companies in Arlington?

In the chart below, see how our top 12 Arlington retail electricity providers compare in terms of our star ratings, PUCT complaint scorecard ratings and BBB ratings.

Top-rated retail energy providers (REPs) for Texas

Our ratings and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) complaint scorecard ratings are out of 5 stars.

REP	Our Rating	PUCT Rating	BBB Rating
Green Mountain Energy	4.5	4.0	A+
TXU Energy	4.4	5.0	A+
Reliant Energy	4.4	5.0	NR
Cirro Energy	4.3	2.0	A+
Constellation Energy	4.3	4.0	A+
Octopus Energy	4.3	5.0	NR
Gexa Energy	4.2	3.0	C
Champion Energy	4.2	5.0	A+
Rhythm Energy	4.2	2.0	A+
TriEagle Energy	4.2	4.0	A+
Direct Energy	4.2	4.0	D
Frontier Energy	4.1	2.0	NR

The three REPs listed below serve Arlington and other Texas cities and have earned 5-star and 4-star customer ratings from the PUCT’s Power to Choose site. These three Arlington energy providers are also our highest-rated out of the two dozen we’ve reviewed.

Green Mountain Energy

Green Mountain Energy has built a reputation in Arlington and beyond for its commitment to renewable energy sources. Its residential and commercial plans are billed as “pollution-free,” and its pricing is at or near industry standards.

Based on its reasonable rates, excellent reputation among consumers and quality customer service, we rated Green Mountain 4.5 out of 5 stars — the highest among the two dozen Texas electric companies we’ve reviewed.

TXU Energy

TXU Energy is one of the largest electric companies in Texas and, like many prominent REPs, shows a strong commitment to renewable energy. Its offerings include a basic 12-month plan for 14.9 cents per kWh.

One of TXU’s plans offers free at-home charging for electric vehicles between 7 p.m. and 1 p.m. daily. Any electric vehicle charging that takes place outside of those hours will cost the full per kWh rate.

We gave TXU Energy 4.4 out of 5 stars — tied with Reliant Energy for our second-best score.

Reliant Energy

Like TXU, Reliant Energy is a venerable energy company that successfully transitioned to the deregulated market. Even though the company is not rated by BBB, Reliant earned 4.4 out of 5 stars based on our review standards.

Also, like TXU, Reliant offers a variety of renewable options. Most of its plans include some sustainable energy sources.

Reliant also offers a wide range of additional services, such as air conditioning and heating systems protection, surge protection and portable backup power.

What should new Arlington residents know about deregulated energy?

The biggest difference between consumers who want to switch electric companies and those new to deregulated energy is familiarity with the process, contract language and industry terms.

If you are a new deregulated energy customer in Arlington, you should know that many electric companies require you to use a minimum amount of electricity each month. Some charge a fee if your usage falls short of that predetermined minimum.

When an electricity contract expires, some companies automatically renew on a monthly basis. This can affect your rate, so familiarize yourself with renewal policies.

Most Arlington electric companies charge an early cancellation fee — also called an early termination fee — if you decide to switch companies before the end of your contract. 

Some electric companies require a security deposit, sometimes spread out in payments over time and almost always refundable. Providers might waive the deposit if your credit history is favorable.

However, an electric company might require an upfront deposit paid in full if your payment history is inconsistent.

How to understand the electricity facts label 

Retail electricity providers are required to disclose an electricity facts label (EFL). The EFL is usually a one- or two-page document that includes sections on pricing, key terms and questions, and disclosures.

Green energy plans in Arlington

Most retail providers in Texas include some renewable energy sources for the power they sell to consumers. Renewable sources include wind, solar, biomass, landfill gas or hydroelectricity.

Electricity providers in the state can designate Texas-produced natural gas as a green energy source in Texas.

About a quarter of all the electricity plans available in Arlington guarantee that 100% of the energy they deliver comes from renewable resources. Approximately half of companies guarantee that some of your power will be generated using green energy sources.

Companies offering green energy plans

Many prominent electric retail providers — such as Reliant, TXU Energy and Constellation — offer multiple plans built on renewable energy sources. Two electric companies in Texas stand out in the green energy market: Green Mountain Energy and Gexa Energy.

Green Mountain is a well-known green energy leader in Texas. The provider offers seven wind-powered plans over 12, 24 or 36 months with rates between 14.5 cents and 16.9 cents per kWh. It offers two solar plans for 18 months at 15.9 cents per kWh or 12 months at 16.9 cents per kWh.

Green Mountain also offers wind energy plans that include no charges for electricity used between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., with fixed rates of 16.9 cents per kWh for 12 months or 16.5 cents per kWh for 24 months. The company offers renewable energy buyback plans, which allow you to earn credits for solar energy you don’t use.

Gexa is another electric company with a deep selection of green energy plans. All of Gexa’s 17 plans are categorized as renewable energy. Its energy sources include wind, solar, nuclear power and natural gas. The company also offers electric vehicle owners solar energy buyback options and specialty plans.

How does deregulated energy work in Arlington?

A deregulated energy market differs from a regulated market in that residents can choose which company to buy electricity from. In regulated energy markets, consumers must use the electric company assigned to them based on where they live.

Deregulated energy means that in addition to consumers and government agencies, there are three major players. These include the following:

• The owners and operators of power plants, wind fields, solar arrays and other sources of energy generation
• The transmission and distribution utilities (TDUs), which administer the power lines and other facets of energy infrastructure
• The retail electric providers (REPs), which are customer-facing entities that bill consumers for electricity

In Arlington, the TDU is Oncor Energy Distribution. Every electricity plan in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex (officially called Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington) relies on infrastructure managed and monitored by Oncor.

How Texas assists residents in choosing an electric company

Whether you are an Arlington resident who wants to switch electric companies or a new Arlington resident navigating deregulated energy for the first time, the state of Texas provides a useful tool called Power to Choose.

This state-run website provides a detailed list of available electricity plans when you type in your ZIP code. Along with the name and star rating of the REP, the displayed results include the length of the plan in months, the price per kWh, any cancellation fee and other information to help you make an informed decision.

We typed in Arlington’s most-populated ZIP code, 76010, and found 151 plans offered by 40 providers with a cost range of 9.4 cents per kWh (variable) to 19.3 cents per kWh (fixed rate).

Electricity trends in Arlington

The cost of electricity in a specific state or city depends on multiple factors, such as local fuel source availability and the maintenance cost of infrastructure.

The one certainty regarding Arlington’s electricity rates? The price will change soon.

“Deregulation has led to periods of extreme price volatility, often driven by fluctuations in natural gas prices or spikes in demand due to weather conditions,” explained Don Whaley, who served as president of numerous REPs in deregulated markets and currently serves as an advisor to OhmConnect, a REP that services Dallas and other Texas cities.

“Despite these challenges, taking a long-term view reveals that the commodity price paid by consumers in Texas has remained remarkably stable,” he said.

Fluctuations in Texas’ wholesale energy market present a challenge for price consistency. Dallas, Arlington and Fort Worth are not immune.

“Electricity prices are increasing in Dallas because [the Electric Reliability Council of Texas] wholesale market is now the most expensive and most volatile in the nation,” said Ed Hirs, energy fellow, lecturer and energy economics expert at the University of Houston. “Transmission costs are up and are being passed through because of the buildout necessary for renewable energy supplies, [and] Oncor has been required to harden their grids to service their growing communities.”

Legislation related to the Texas electricity industry influenced more than just cost.

“Over the 20-plus years of deregulation, consumers have become far more knowledgeable about the market,” said Whaley. “This has led to greater residential solar adoption and demand for more sophisticated rate offerings from [REPs] serving the competitive sections of the state.”

One example is adopting plans that provide customers with 100% renewable energy, which has placed Dallas and Houston at or near the top of the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of greenest cities for nearly a decade.

Weather conditions play a big role in prices and power availability, too.

“While events such as Winter Storm Uri and some extremely hot summer temperatures have distorted this perception [that deregulation is a positive thing], based on commodity pricing alone, competition has had a positive impact on the market,” Whaley said.

“Despite the relative stability in commodity prices, Texas consumers are paying more for their electricity.”

Don Whaley

Since the 2021 winter storm that caused widespread blackouts throughout Texas, the PUCT, the Energy Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the state legislature have taken several steps to ensure the energy supply’s long-term stability, said Whaley.

“Unfortunately, each has come with a price and the result has been a steady increase in the monthly cost consumers pay,” Whaley said. “Despite the relative stability in commodity prices, Texas consumers are paying more for their electricity.”

Texas power outages

Based on data from the EIA, Texas is the second most likely state to see power outages behind Louisiana. Texas residents saw more hours of power interruption in 2021 than all but two states.

“The challenge Texas faces now is that it needs more power generation that is dispatchable — natural gas or nuclear, for example — yet the investment into power plants of this type is risky,” said Brandon Young, CEO of Payless Power. “The Catch-22 is that everyone wants clean energy and, likewise, reliability. At present, clean energy is not reliable because it is hard to predict when the wind will blow or when the sun will shine without clouds.”

What are some deregulated energy terms to know?

Familiarizing yourself with energy industry terms is important, especially if you are new to Texas’ deregulated energy market. Here are a few acronyms and terms you should know:

Frequently asked questions about electricity rates and plans in Arlington

How do I file a complaint about my electricity service?

The Public Utility Commission of Texas provides a form that allows consumers to file official complaints directly to the commission. The PUCT asks that consumers contact their electric companies to seek a resolution before filing a complaint.

Can I transfer my current contract with an electric company to a new address?

Yes — if you are moving to a home in the same service area as your former home. If you are moving to another delivery area, you must sign a new agreement. You might be charged an early termination fee, as well.

What is a disconnection moratorium?

During extreme weather events, such as deep freezes or heatwaves, PUCT consumer protection rules prohibit providers from shutting off the power because of nonpayment. For example, a winter moratorium is triggered if a customer’s local temperature is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for 48 hours. 

What’s next?

When selecting an Arlington electric company, there’s no need to feel trapped in a deal. Even if you have to pay an early termination fee, you always have the option to switch to another provider.

That said, the best strategy is to ensure you know every detail about your plan before agreeing to a contract.

To avoid surprises on your monthly electric bill, read your EFL and your terms of service. Check your past electric bills to find out your average electricity use and use that to estimate your future usage.

Then, make an effort to monitor and manage your electricity usage over time to make sure you find the best electric company for you in Arlington.

Our rating methodology for deregulated energy companies

We review and rate retail electricity providers in Texas to provide the information you need to select the electric company that fits your budget and home energy needs. The best retail electricity providers offer a variety of plans at reasonable rates, as well as consistent, helpful customer service.

Our ratings are based on our detailed methodology. We score companies out of 100 points using review standards based on the plan types offered, the cost of those plans, the companies’ reputations and the customer service features they offer. We then divide their total scores by 20 to determine a rating out of 5 stars.

BBB and PUCT customer ratings are accurate as of May 2024.