How do I read my Texas electric bill?
Start with five items: your service address, ESI ID, account number, service period, and due date. Then find your usage in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and the line called "The average price you paid for electric service this month." Texas rules require items like these on a bill from a retail electric provider.
Where to find it on your bill
Bills are laid out differently. Look for the labels, not a spot on the page.
Example only. Made-up layout. Not a real bill.
| Look for this label | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Service address | The address where the power is delivered |
| ESI ID | The identifier for that point of delivery |
| Account number | Your account with your retail electric provider |
| Service period | The dates this bill covers |
| Due date | When payment is due |
| Current charges | The charges for this bill |
| Usage (kWh) | How much electricity you used. Electricity is measured in kilowatt-hours. |
| The average price you paid for electric service this month | One price in cents per kWh for the billing period |
The top of the bill: who, where, which account
Texas rules require your service address, ESI ID, and account number. Three different things. The ESI ID identifies the point of delivery. The account number is your account with your provider. See What is an ESID?.
The money lines: charges and due date
Find the service period first. It tells you which days the charges cover. Then find the due date and the current charges.
Charge names can look strange. Base charge. Energy charge. TDU delivery charges. Each one has a meaning in the rules. See Base, energy, and delivery charges explained.
The line that boils the month down to one price
Texas rules require the bill to show "The average price you paid for electric service this month." The rule calls it a calculation of the average unit price for the billing period, expressed in cents per kilowatt-hour. Read this line on your own bill, and ask your provider if anything about it is unclear.
Common Questions
What must my Texas electric bill show?
Texas rules for bills from retail electric providers (16 TAC §25.479) require items such as your service address, ESI ID, account number, service period, due date, and current charges. They also require the average price line.
What is the "average price" line?
It is a required line titled "The average price you paid for electric service this month." The rule calls it a calculation of the average unit price for the billing period, expressed in cents per kilowatt-hour. Ask your provider if anything about it is unclear.
Does every provider's bill look the same?
No. Providers lay out their bills in their own way. The labels are what to look for.
What do base charge, energy charge, and delivery charges mean?
Each is a defined bill term in the Texas rules. We explain each one here: Base, energy, and delivery charges explained.
What if I still cannot make sense of my bill?
Upload it to Bill Check for a plain-language read of your rate, usage, and charges. Or call your provider and ask them to walk through the bill with you.
Related Questions
- What is an ESID (ESI ID) and where do I find it?
- What are the base charge, energy charge, and delivery charges?
- Why is my bill higher than the rate listed on my Electricity Facts Label?
Want to see what is on your own bill? Check my bill. Automated estimate from your uploaded bill. Not a substitute for your actual bill; details may be misread.