For millions of Texans, understanding an electricity bill can feel like deciphering a complex code. While your Retail Electric Provider (REP) sends you the bill, a significant portion of what you pay goes to the company that actually delivers the power to your home or business. In much of Texas, that company is Oncor Electric Delivery, the largest Transmission and Distribution Service Provider (TDSP) in the state.
The Two Sides of Your Texas Electric Bill: REP vs. Oncor
It’s essential to distinguish between two key players in Texas’s deregulated energy market: your Retail Electric Provider (REP) and your TDSP, like Oncor.
- Your Retail Electric Provider (REP): This is the company you choose to buy electricity from. They handle your billing, customer service, and set the rates for the electricity usage portion of your bill.
- Oncor Electric Delivery (Your TDSP/Utility): Oncor owns and maintains the physical infrastructure that delivers electricity to your property. This includes the poles, wires, transformers, and smart meters. Oncor is responsible for ensuring the reliability of the grid, restoring power during outages, and maintaining the vast network that serves over 13 million Texans across more than 400 communities, including major hubs like the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex, Waco, Midland/Odessa, and Tyler. You cannot choose your TDSP; it’s assigned based on your geographic location.
What Are Oncor Delivery Charges?
The fees associated with Oncor’s services are known as
