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What to know about Utility Suppliers
What is a Utility Supplier?
- Utility Suppliers, also known as the Transmission and Distribution Utility, or TDU for short, are responsible for delivering electricity to your home or business. They are responsible for the physical infrastructure (wires, cables, power lines, transformers, etc…) that transmits and distributes electricity. They’re also the ones you call when your power goes out.
- The TDU is the same for all customers in a particular region, regardless of the Retail Electric Provider (REP) you use. You may have noticed TDU charges on your electric bill. Their fees are included in your electricity bill and are passed through to the utility supplier from your provider.
Utility Supplier Charges
- There are generally two TDU charges on your bill:
- • Usage Charge – This is a fee charged based on the amount of electricity you use. It covers the infrastructure and distribution of electricity to your house. This charge, along with your REP’s Energy Charge, makes up the majority of your electric bill each month.
- • Deliver Charge – This fixed monthly charge covers the maintenance and cost associated with reading and supporting the meter at each resident’s residence.
- Their fees may seem high, but your TDU plays a huge role in providing you with the electricity you need.
Responsibilities of your Utility Supplier
- Key responsibilities of a TDU include:
- • Maintenance of Power Lines – TDUs are in charge of maintaining the power lines, transformers, and other infrastructure necessary for electricity transmission and distribution.
- • Restoration of Power – In case of power outages, the TDU is responsible for restoring power. This is independent of the consumer’s chosen electricity provider.
- • Meter Reading – TDUs read electricity meters to determine usage, which is then used for billing by the REPs.
- • Infrastructure Upgrades – They are also responsible for any upgrades or expansions needed in the transmission and distribution network.
- In a deregulated market, while consumers can choose their electricity provider for competitive pricing and services, the TDU remains a constant entity that ensures the physical delivery and reliability of the electricity supply. This separation of roles is intended to enhance efficiency and competition in the electricity market.
Power Out? Who you going to call?
- Use our TDU Lookup tool to find the TDU that services your area.
- Who do you call when your power goes out? Believe it or not, you don’t call your provider, you call your TDU. Below is the TDU for your Zip Code.
(if there is more than one TDU shown, that means more than one TDU covers your Zip Code. Select “Report an Outage” and enter your address to see if they cover your location)
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Map of Transmission and Distribution Utilities (TDU) in Texas
- This is the Electric Retail Service Area Map as provided by the Public Utility Commission of Texas
- There are now six TDUs servicing Texas’ Deregulated Market:
- • Oncor services most of North Texas
- • Centerpoint services the Houston area
- • Texas-New Mexico Power covers West Texas
- • AEP Central services Central Texas.
- • AEP South services South Texas.
- • Lubbock Power & Light is the newest TDU serving, yup, you guessed it, Lubbock.
TDU Information Table
- The table below includes important information to know about the Transmission and Distribution Utility companies (TDUs) that service Texas. It includes their contact information, links to outages, links to report an outage, and their current usage and delivery fees.
- If you’re not sure which TDU services your area, use our TDU Lookup tool above.