Quick answer
The mild weeks between summer and winter are the best time of year to sort your electricity. Your summer bills have arrived, so you finally know your real usage range. Your AC is off, so nothing is urgent. And if your contract ends in the next few months, you can plan the switch instead of reacting to it.
Why now and not in July
In July you are angry, the bill is enormous and you want it fixed today. That is the worst frame of mind for signing a one or two year contract.
Right now the pressure is off. The same decision, made calmly, with better information.
You finally have the one thing you need
A full picture of your own usage.
Across Texas, the average home used 819 kWh in March 2026 and 1,309 kWh in June 2026, and August 2025 averaged 1,522 kWh, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data.
That spread is the whole point. In April you only know your light months. Now you know both ends: what a mild month costs you and what a brutal one does. Every plan comparison you make from here is based on your real range instead of a guess.
The thirty-minute autumn audit
Do this once and you are set for the year.
- Find your contract end date. It is on your bill and in your online account. Write it down. Half of Texas households cannot name theirs.
- Pull 12 months of kWh. Note the lowest month, the highest month and the total.
- Find your real price per unit. The average price per kWh line on your last bill is what you actually paid, all in.
- Check the plan type. Fixed or variable. If you are not sure, that answer matters more than the rate.
- Look for a bill credit or minimum usage fee in your current plan, and note the usage level attached to it.
- Diarise two reminders: one 60 days before your end date, one 14 days before.
Thirty minutes. Once a year.
What to do with what you find
| What the audit shows | What to do |
|---|---|
| Contract already ended | You are on a month-to-month rate with no exit fee. Switch now, this is the most expensive position to sit in. |
| Contract ends in the next 60 days | Start comparing now. Line the new plan up to begin the day after the old one ends. |
| Contract ends mid-2027 | Note the date, check the exit fee, and do nothing else. |
| On a variable plan by choice | Decide whether you want that exposure through a Texas winter and the following summer. |
| No idea which plan you are on | Call your provider and ask for the plan name and end date. Five minutes. |
What changes between now and January
Three things move while you are not watching.
- Delivery charges. Utility delivery rates are reviewed by the state and typically update in March and September. Those changes hit every household at your address regardless of provider or plan.
- Winter demand. A cold snap in North and Central Texas pushes usage back toward summer levels for a week or two. A variable rate through that period is a different risk to a variable rate in October.
- Your own contract clock. Every month you leave it, you have fewer options and less time to line up a clean handover between plans.
None of these are emergencies today. That is exactly why today is the week to deal with them.
If your contract ends in the middle of summer
This is worth planning around rather than accepting.
A contract that expires in July or August forces you to shop in the exact week you have the least patience. If your end date lands there, look at contract lengths that move your next renewal into a mild month instead. A 14 or 18 month term instead of 12 can shift the whole cycle.
Remember the rule that protects you either way: under PUCT Rule 25.475, your provider must notify you before your contract ends, and you can switch with no exit fee starting 14 days before the stated expiry date.
Why most people do this at the worst possible moment
Because electricity is invisible until it is expensive.
Nobody thinks about their rate in October. They think about it in August, when the bill lands, and in January, after a cold snap. Both are panic weeks, and panic weeks produce bad contracts.
The households who quietly pay less are not smarter about energy. They just do this in the calm weeks instead.
If you would rather not track any of it, that is exactly what a buying pool handles. Homes are shopped and renewed as a group, so the date is not sitting on your calendar. Check your ZIP code to see how it works where you live.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to switch electricity in Texas?
The mild weeks between seasons, when you know your full usage range and nothing is urgent. Autumn and early spring both work.
How do I find my contract end date?
It is on your bill and in your online account. If you cannot find it, call your provider and ask for the plan name and expiry date.
Should I switch if my contract has months left?
Check the exit fee first and work out whether the saving covers it before the contract would have ended anyway.
Can I switch without a fee before my contract ends?
Yes, starting 14 days before the expiry date stated in your notice.
What if I do nothing?
When the contract ends you move onto a month-to-month rate that can change. It is usually the most expensive position available.