Moving in Texas? How to set up electricity at your new place

As soon as you know the address

Check whether electricity is included in your lease. If you need your own account, use the full street address and unit number to confirm which delivery utility serves it and whether you can choose a retail provider. A ZIP code is enough to start shopping, but it does not confirm the utility for one particular home.

The delivery utility owns the wires and the meter. In a retail-choice area you pick the provider that sells you the plan. If a municipal utility or electric cooperative serves the address without retail choice, contact it directly.

If the address cannot be found, ask the landlord, builder or utility for the correct service address and the electric service identifier (ESI ID).

One more moving-day surprise: if a past occupant left unpaid bills or tampered with the meter, the address may have a "switch-hold" on it. You can still get service — you'll need to show the provider a lease or other proof that you're the new occupant.

Before move-in: choose the plan and the start date

Compare the Electricity Facts Label (EFL) and Terms of Service. Check the energy charge, delivery charges, recurring fees, contract length, early cancellation fee and any bill credit (rebate) conditions. Use your past bills as a starting point, but allow for the new home's size and its heating and cooling.

Ask for a "move-in," not a "switch." A switch only changes providers at a home that's already in your name. Ask for the date you first need electricity, including any cleaning or moving you'll do before you sleep there. Ask which dates are available and what the move-in fee is. The delivery utility charges it and your provider passes it through. Keep the enrollment and start-date confirmation.

Arrange the stop date at your old home separately. Set it a day or two after you move out, so you're not cleaning in the dark. You'll pay for those extra days. If you want to keep your current plan, ask whether it is available at the new address and whether the price or terms change.

Finish deposit and identity checks

The provider may require a deposit or an identity check before starting service. Ask how much the deposit is, when it is due, how it is refunded, and whether you qualify for a waiver. A "no deposit" offer may be prepaid billing, so read how payments and low-balance notices work.

Finish these steps promptly, then ask whether your start date is confirmed.

Near move-in: confirm the meter is ready

An existing smart meter can usually be turned on remotely without a site visit. That does not guarantee same-day service. Order cutoff times, meter status, weekends, holidays and the utility's schedule all affect timing.

For a new home, a missing meter, or an unfinished connection, ask the builder and the utility about inspections and meter installation before relying on a start date. If you need power urgently, ask the provider whether your date is available and whether a rush move-in fee applies.

If the power is still off on the confirmed date, contact the provider to check the move-in order. For a neighborhood outage, use the delivery utility's outage line. Don't try to touch or reconnect the meter yourself.