Plans, contracts and solar buyback

How retail plans and their documents work

• AEP Texas provides regulated delivery service in south and west Texas no matter which retail electric provider a customer chooses.

  AEP TexasAbout UsChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base aep-texas-001.

• Much of Texas has retail electric choice, but not all of it. Electric cooperatives and city utilities offer choice only if they opt in.

  Texas Legislative CouncilUtilities Code Chapter 39Checked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-choice-001.

• An electric cooperative's board of directors decides when or if the cooperative will offer customer choice.

  Texas Legislative CouncilUtilities Code Chapter 41Checked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-coop-opt-001.

• ERCOT settles the competitive wholesale bulk-power market and administers retail switching in competitive choice areas.

  ERCOTAbout ERCOTChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ercot-003.

• The governing body of a city-owned electric utility decides when or if that utility will offer customer choice.

  Texas Legislative CouncilUtilities Code Chapter 40Checked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-muni-opt-001.

• In deregulated areas you choose a retail electric provider, and the wires company still delivers power, reads the meter, and maintains the poles and wires.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasPower to Choose FAQsChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ptc-001.

• Not every Texan can choose an electric provider, because some places are served by a city utility, a cooperative, or an investor-owned utility where choice is not available.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasPower to Choose FAQsChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ptc-002.

• Power to Choose is the official electric-choice website of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasPower to ChooseChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ptc-006.

• Power to Choose is available for every electric provider to list offers at no charge.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasPower to ChooseChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ptc-007.

• The Public Utility Commission of Texas regulates the state's electric utilities, carries out legislation, and helps with consumer complaints.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasPublic Utility Commission of TexasChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-puct-001.

• In the competitive market, a utility's activities were separated into a power generation company, a retail electric provider, and a transmission and distribution utility.

  Texas Legislative CouncilUtilities Code Chapter 39Checked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-unbundle-001.

• Austin Energy says the solar bill credit applies only to electric charges, not to water or other city utility services.

  Austin EnergyValue of Solar RateChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base austin-energy-003.

• Entergy Texas says a solar customer is still billed for grid electricity, and solar credits do not apply to non-bypassable charges.

  Entergy TexasDistributed Generation FAQChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base entergy-texas-003.

• Some retail plans charge a fee if you use less than a minimum amount of electricity, and the plan's electricity facts label is where that fee is shown.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasPower to Choose FAQsChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ptc-003.

• Power to Choose says there is no switching fee unless you request a special meter reading outside your regular meter reading.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasPower to Choose FAQsChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ptc-004.

• Breaking your current electric contract can still bring a penalty, so Power to Choose says to read that plan's terms of service.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasPower to Choose FAQsChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ptc-005.

• Before choosing a retail electric plan, read its Electricity Facts Label for the contract terms, pricing, fees, and renewable-energy share.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasGlossaryChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ptc-008.

• The commission requires an Electricity Facts Label for every retail plan so customers can compare offers the same way.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasGlossaryChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ptc-009.

• Check the plan's Electricity Facts Label to see whether a usage fee applies and what the minimum usage is.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasPower to Choose FAQsChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-ptc-010.

• Those delivery utilities charge delivery rates to the retail electric provider, and the charges are passed through on the customer's bill.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasGuide to the Electric Rate Case Process for Investor-owned Utilities inside ERCOTChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-puct-003.

Solar buyback plans

• Austin Energy meters a customer's solar production, credits that production at the Value of Solar rate, and charges the customer for all energy the customer uses.

  Austin EnergyValue of Solar RateChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base austin-energy-001.

• Austin Energy says an unused solar bill credit carries over from month to month and cannot be transferred.

  Austin EnergyValue of Solar RateChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base austin-energy-002.

• Austin Energy's Value of Solar FAQ says the next rate update is November 2026 and those values go through Austin City Council budget review.

  Austin EnergyValue of Solar FAQsChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base austin-energy-004.

• Austin Energy's 2026 Value of Solar update schedules implementation for November 2026.

  Austin Energy2026 Value of Solar UpdateChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base austin-energy-005.

• The Austin Energy 2026 Value of Solar update says new Value of Solar rates are effective November 1.

  Austin Energy2026 Value of Solar UpdateChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base austin-energy-006.

• Austin Energy's rate page says the Value of Solar rate shown there is effective March 1, 2023 and is subject to change.

  Austin EnergyValue of Solar RateChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base austin-energy-007.

• CenterPoint says the retail electric provider handles billing for electricity bought and sold, and buyback options vary by that provider.

  CenterPoint EnergyConnecting Your System to The GridChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base centerpoint-002.

• El Paso Electric says net use is billed at the applicable rate and net production is credited under Rate Schedule No. 48.

  El Paso ElectricTexas interconnection of facilities up to 10 MWChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base el-paso-electric-002.

• Entergy Texas says new solar customers do not get a one-to-one buyback, and exported surplus energy is credited at an avoided-cost estimate.

  Entergy TexasDistributed Generation FAQChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base entergy-texas-002.

• After permission to operate, Oncor programs the meter to measure surplus generation and sends that meter information to the retail electric provider.

  Oncor Electric DeliveryThinking about solar (residential and small commercial)Checked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base oncor-002.

• Where customers choose their provider, a homeowner with on-site renewable generation sells surplus electricity to the retail provider that serves the home, at a value they agree on.

  Texas Legislative CouncilUtilities Code Section 39.916Checked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-buyback-001.

• That agreed value may be a credit on the bill that can carry over to later billing periods until the credit is used.

  Texas Legislative CouncilUtilities Code Section 39.916Checked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-buyback-002.

• An electric utility or retail provider may contract to credit a homeowner for surplus electricity from on-site renewable generation.

  Texas Legislative CouncilUtilities Code Section 39.916Checked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-buyback-004.

• In a Texas area with retail electric competition, you sell extra power from on-site generation to the company you buy electricity from, and that company does not have to buy it.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasSelling Excess Renewable PowerChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-buyback-005.

• Other companies may let the customer choose the offer used to buy electricity and the offer used to sell extra power separately.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasSelling Excess Renewable PowerChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-buyback-006.

• Where there is no retail choice, ask your electric utility, co-op or city utility about selling extra on-site power.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasSelling Excess Renewable PowerChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-buyback-008.

• Some companies that buy extra on-site power may require the customer to also take a specific retail offer.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasSelling Excess Renewable PowerChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-buyback-009.

• There is no statewide net metering rule in the Department of Energy homeowner guide, which says qualification depends on your state and your electric utility.

  U.S. Department of EnergyHomeowner's Guide to SolarChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-doe-002.

• There is no statewide net metering mandate in Texas, which is how Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative describes the state.

  Upshur Rural Electric CooperativeUpshur Rural Electric Cooperative solar pageChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-netmeter-001.

• SWEPCO says compensation for power a customer generates is based on rates set by regulators.

  SWEPCOSolarChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base swepco-001.

• Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative says it allows net metering on its system but is not required to buy back excess power.

  Upshur Rural Electric CooperativeUpshur Rural Electric CooperativeChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base upshur-rural-001.

Connecting solar to the grid

• AEP Texas says to apply for interconnection before you install solar or connect it to the grid, and the retail provider handles billing.

  AEP TexasSolarChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base aep-texas-002.

• AEP Texas requires review and approval before solar or storage operates in parallel with its grid, and it issues an interconnection agreement after technical review.

  AEP TexasInstalling Generating EquipmentChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base aep-texas-004.

• CenterPoint's interconnection steps are an installer application, a design review, construction, a review after construction, and permission to operate.

  CenterPoint EnergyConnecting Your System to The GridChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base centerpoint-001.

• El Paso Electric says not to turn a system on until it inspects the system and replaces the meter with a bi-directional meter, then it gives written authorization.

  El Paso ElectricTexas interconnection of facilities up to 10 MWChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base el-paso-electric-001.

• Oncor's solar steps are an installer application, Oncor's review, a signed interconnection agreement, and a permission-to-operate letter to the customer and the installer.

  Oncor Electric DeliveryThinking about solar (residential and small commercial)Checked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base oncor-001.

• The utility must make metering available that measures electricity flowing in and out, and the owner pays any extra meter cost unless the meter is free.

  Texas Legislative CouncilUtilities Code Section 39.916Checked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-buyback-003.

• A retail electric customer who installs on-site renewable generation must sign an interconnection agreement with the local transmission and distribution utility.

  Public Utility Commission of TexasSelling Excess Renewable PowerChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base statewide-buyback-007.

• TNMP says the installer submits the distributed generation application, the customer confirms it, and TNMP installs its meter before the customer may interconnect.

  Texas-New Mexico PowerInterconnectingChecked September 28, 2026. Knowledge base tnmp-003.