Extreme heat and storms put stress on the Texas power grid. The increased energy demand can cause frequent power outages and higher Texas electricity rates. So, how reliable are the largest utilities in Texas?
Most Texas residents have the power to choose their energy provider because energy is deregulated in most of the state. However, energy providers are not responsible for the reliability of the state’s power system. That responsibility goes to the Texas utility companies, including AEP (divided into Central and North regions), CenterPoint, Oncor, and Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP).
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Most to least reliable Texas utility
We examined data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to see how each utility has responded to power outages between 2020–2021. Here are the five main Texas utilities ranked from most to least reliable, based on the duration of outages (in minutes) over the past two years:
*Data point shows the System Average Interruption Duration Index with Major Event Days (SAIDI with MED), which is the average time before power was restored after an outage. Major Event Days include hurricanes and powerful storms.
**Data point shows the System Average Interruption Frequency Index with Major Event Days (SAIFI with MED), which is thenumber of non-momentary electric interruptions per year. Non-momentary is defined as any interruption longer than five minutes.
Average interruptions from 2020 to 2021
The five main Texas utilities are investor-owned companies that supply power to a majority of Texans in deregulated areas. Below, we calculated each utility’s average annual interruption span based on the EIA outage data over the past two years.
TNMP
Average annual interruption duration: 1 hour and 6 minutes
Average annual interruption duration: 8 hours and 43 minutes
Oncor Electric is Texas’ largest utility, with 10 million customers throughout Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, and more than a dozen other cities. Oncor ranks as the second-most dependable utility on our list.
AEP Texas North
Average annual interruption duration: 11 hours and 48 minutes
AEP Texas North provides electric power and maintenance to nearly 200,000 residents and business owners in northern cities, including Abilene and San Angelo. AEP Texas North claimed the third-best spot for utility reliability.
AEP Texas Central
Average annual interruption duration: 20 hours and 8 minutes
AEP Texas Central serves about 835,000 customers in Corpus Christi and other major cities. It is the second least-reliable utility in the Lone Star State between 2020 and 2021.
CenterPoint Energy
Average annual interruption duration: 21 hours and 40 minutes
Nearly 2.5 million Texans in Houston, Katy, Pasadena and other cities rely on CenterPoint Energy for their electricity service. CenterPoint Energy ranks as the least reliable utility for outage duration between 2020–2021.
Experiencing a power outage?
If your home loses power or you notice downed lines in your area, contact your local utility immediately. Then, follow these tips about what to do during a power outage.
TDSP/TDU
AEP (Central & North)
CenterPoint
Oncor
TNMP
Contact Information
Click here to report a power outage or call 1-877-373-4858.
Click here to report a power outage or call 1-800-332-7143.
Click here to report a power outage or call 1-888-313-4747.
Call 1-888-866-7456 to report a power outage.
Switching your Texas utility
The utility companies in Texas maintain power infrastructure within their service areas, including street lighting, smart meters, power grids and natural gas lines. Use this map to see what areas each utility covers. You cannot change to a different utility unless you are moving within Texas because your utility is based on your location.
However, if you are unsatisfied with your Texas energy rate, you can switch energy providers. Call the number on your screen to learn more about energy plans near you.
How solar can help you avoid outages
Some power outages are unavoidable, but if you are interested in a more reliable electricity supply, solar energy may be right for you. Solar panels for your home are still connected to and rely on the power grid. However, homes with solar panels connected to a solar battery can use the stored energy to temporarily sustain power to critical appliances during grid outages. Find out about reliability and the other benefits of solar panels in Texas.
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