Why did my Texas electric bill go up this month?

A higher bill can trace to a few places you can check on the bill itself: how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) you used, your average price, your delivery charges, and any change in your contract terms. This page gives you a checklist for finding which one moved. It does not guess the cause or tell you what to do.

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The checklist

Put this month's bill next to last month's. Go down the list.

Example
#	Look at	Question to ask
1	Usage (kWh)	Did you use more kWh than last month?
2	Service period	Did this bill cover more days than the last one?
3	The average price you paid for electric service this month	Is the average price different?
4	TDU delivery charges	Is this charge different from last month?
5	Contract end date and notices	Did your contract term end, or did you get a notice about a change?
6	Other charge lines	Is there a line you did not have last month? What the charge names mean

A worked example (made-up numbers)

Example only. Made-up numbers: a base charge of $10.00 and an energy charge of $0.10 per kWh. Not a real bill, rate, or price. Real contracts differ. This example counts only these two charges.

Example only. Made-up numbers: a base charge of $10.00 and an energy charge of $0.10 per kWh. Not a real bill, rate, or price. Real contracts differ. This example counts only these two charges.
	Last month	This month
Usage	800 kWh	1,100 kWh
Energy charge	$80.00	$110.00
Base charge	$10.00	$10.00
Total	$90.00	$120.00
Average price	11.3 cents per kWh	10.9 cents per kWh

The total went up $30.00. The average price went down. Usage is what moved. That is why the checklist starts with usage.

Where to find it on your bill

Usage: look for kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Service period: the dates the bill covers.
Average price: the line "The average price you paid for electric service this month."
Delivery charges: a line such as "TDU delivery charges." If your provider groups charges, ask for an itemization.
Contract end date: for a fixed-rate contract, a date in bold, underlined type.

What the rules say about fixed-rate prices

If you have a fixed-rate product, the price is the same each billing period, with exceptions the rule defines, such as TDU charge changes. See Fixed-rate vs. variable-rate electricity. Check your contract end date and any notices about a change in terms. Those notices and your Electricity Facts Label say which applies to you.

Common Questions

Did my usage change?

Find the kWh on this bill and on last month's. If the number is higher, the total can rise even when the average price falls. The made-up example above shows it.

Did my contract price change?

Check your contract end date and any notices from your provider. Then read your bill's average price line. Your Electricity Facts Label and Terms of Service say how your price works.

Did my delivery charges change?

Delivery charges may be their own line. Look for a line such as "TDU delivery charges" on both bills. If your provider groups charges, ask for an itemization.

Does a higher bill mean there is an error?

Not by itself. More usage, a longer service period, or different charges can each raise a bill. Check the lines first. Then ask your provider about anything you do not understand.

What if I still cannot find the reason?

Call your provider and ask them to walk through the bill with you. Or upload it to Bill Check for a plain-language read of your rate, usage, and charges.

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.