TXU Free Nights & Cool Summer: What’s the Catch?
Quick answer: TXU Free Nights & Cool Summer is a 12-month TXU plan. TXU credits its energy charge from 9:00 p.m. to 4:59 a.m. every night. In July, August and September, you also get an extra 25% credit on your Free Nights energy charges, capped at your daytime energy charges.
Here’s the catch: “free” covers only TXU’s energy charge. You still pay the $9.95 monthly base charge, your utility’s delivery charges and taxes every month, even at night. The hours you do pay for are priced high, and leaving early costs $150. Homes with solar panels, an electric vehicle or a battery can’t sign up.
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- Updated:
- November 3, 2026
By Courtney · Reviewed by Devin Krebs
What’s TXU Free Nights & Cool Summer?
Key takeaways
- The free hours are 9:00 p.m. through 4:59 a.m., every day, all year.
- “Free” only covers TXU’s energy charge. You still pay the base charge, delivery charges and taxes.
- In July, August and September, the Cool Summer bonus adds an extra 25% credit on your Free Nights energy charges, capped at your daytime energy charges.
- At 1,000 kWh a month, TXU’s labels work out to about $185 to $195, versus about $131 for a simple fixed plan we found on Power to Choose (checked Nov 2026).
- Free hours: 9:00 p.m. through 4:59 a.m., every day, all year
- What’s free: TXU’s energy charge during those hours (a 100% credit)
- Summer bonus: an extra 25% credit on Free Nights energy charges in July, August and September, capped at your daytime energy charges (see below)
- Base charge: $9.95 a month, every month
- Term: 12 months, fixed rate
- Early cancellation fee: $150
- Who can’t sign up: homes with solar panels, an electric vehicle or a battery
Source: TXU’s Electricity Facts Labels for the Oncor, CenterPoint and AEP Texas areas, dated Nov 3, 2026. The free hours and bonus are the same in each. Also see TXU’s Free Nights & Cool Summer page.
Utility vs. provider: what "free" actually touches
How the Cool Summer bonus works
TXU advertises “an extra 25% bonus toward your daytime usage in the summer.” Here’s what the EFL (Nov 2026) says it is: in July, August and September, you get an extra 25% credit on your Free Nights energy charges, capped at your daytime energy charges. TXU’s plan page says the credit goes toward those daytime charges. Daytime means 5:00 a.m. to 8:59 p.m.
Three things to know:
- It’s figured from what you use at night, not from your daytime use.
- It “will never exceed your total daytime energy charges and has no cash value.”
- TXU’s own footnote says the credit is “up to 25%” and “may apply.”
The catch: the hours you pay for
The free window ends at 4:59 a.m. and doesn’t start again until 9:00 p.m. That leaves out the late-afternoon and early-evening hours when Texas homes run the AC hardest. Every one of those hours bills at TXU’s full energy charge. TXU’s own average prices assume about 41% of your usage lands in the free hours in the Oncor area (40% to 43% in the other areas). If you use less than that at night, you’ll pay more than TXU’s averages.
What it costs, in dollars
At 1,000 kWh a month in the Dallas area, TXU’s own Electricity Facts Labels work out to about $185 to $195 a month. That includes delivery but not taxes, and it assumes TXU’s 41% nighttime share. In our October 27, 2026 check of Power to Choose, a typical simple, fixed 12-month plan came to about $131 a month. Your price depends on your ZIP and when you use power.
A worked example: 500, 1,000 and 2,000 kWh
These are the monthly averages TXU’s Oncor Electricity Facts Label shows at three usage levels. They already include delivery and assume 41% of your use happens at night.
| Monthly use | Typical monthly bill |
|---|---|
| 500 kWh | about $99.50 to $104.50 |
| 1,000 kWh | about $185 to $195 |
| 2,000 kWh | about $356 to $376 |
Source: TXU’s Electricity Facts Label for the Oncor area. Totals don’t include taxes. Your bill depends on your ZIP and how much of your use falls at night.
Typical Texas Household Electricity Usage
TXU’s Electricity Facts Labels assume about 40% to 43% of a typical home’s use lands in the free hours, 9:00 p.m. to 4:59 a.m. The chart below shows how monthly use swings through the year.
Typical Texas Household Electricity Usage Each Month
Is Free Nights & Cool Summer a fit for your home?
Who it’s actually good for
A simpler way to save
Most households save more with a plain, fixed-rate plan that has no free hours to plan around. Enter your ZIP below to compare current Texas electricity rates from the providers we partner with. Or see plans. We’ll show you the total cost upfront.
Comparing free-night plans? See our Direct Energy Free Nights review.
Texans can save hundreds yearly with a simple electricity plan
No Gimmicks Needed
TXU Free Nights & Cool Summer: By the Numbers
Where do our numbers come from? Straight from the plan’s Electricity Facts Label (EFL) for the Oncor area (versions ONXFNCOOLS12AE and ONXFNCOOLS12AF, dated November 3, 2026). The free hours and bonus match TXU’s CenterPoint and AEP Texas EFLs. The EFL is the one document every Texas provider has to give you, and it’s where the real costs live.
- Base charge: $9.95/mo, a flat fee you pay every month, no matter how much you use
- Free hours: 9:00 p.m. to 4:59 a.m., TXU’s energy charge credited 100%
- Cool Summer bonus: July, August, September; an extra 25% credit on Free Nights energy charges, capped at daytime energy charges
- Delivery charges (Oncor): passed through as billed, same with any provider, never credited
- Contract: 12 months, fixed
- Early cancellation fee: $150
- Who can’t sign up: homes with electric vehicles, batteries or solar panels
TXU Free Nights & Cool Summer Q&A
What hours are free on TXU Free Nights & Cool Summer?
9:00 p.m. through 4:59 a.m. every day. TXU credits 100% of its energy charge during those hours.
Is electricity really free at night?
No. Only TXU’s energy charge is credited. Your utility’s delivery charges, the $9.95 base charge and taxes still apply.
How does the 25% summer bonus work?
In July, August and September, you get an extra 25% credit on your Free Nights energy charges. It’s capped at your daytime energy charges and has no cash value.
Can I get it if I have solar panels or an EV?
No. TXU says customers with electric vehicles, batteries and/or solar panels are ineligible.
Is there a cancellation fee?
Yes, $150 if you leave the 12-month plan early. New residential customers can switch for free within 60 days under TXU’s Total Satisfaction Guarantee.
Is TXU Free Nights & Cool Summer worth it?
For most homes, no. Using TXU’s own averages, it runs about $185 to $195 a month at 1,000 kWh in Dallas, against about $131 for a typical simple plan.
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Promo Code
Promo Code: None needed
Company Information
Who’s behind the Free Nights & Cool Summer plan? Here’s the rundown:
- Name: TXU Energy Retail Company, LLC
- DBAs: Assurance Energy, TXU Energy
- Sales/Support: 1-866-278-4898
- Message: Contact Support
- Texas Retail Electricity Provider Registration: PUCT# 10004
Who sells Free Nights & Cool Summer?
Free Nights & Cool Summer is sold by TXU Energy Retail Company LLC (PUCT #10004), part of Vistra Corp. You can also look at TXU’s Ultimate Season Pass plan on our TXU partner page. For TXU’s ratings, other plans and our overall take, see our full TXU Energy review.