Key Takeaways
- El Paso’s regulated energy market means homeowners and businesses cannot switch electricity providers and find cheap electricity.
- People can still enjoy cheap electricity in El Paso and reduce energy bills.
- El Paso Electric is the city’s energy supplier for residential and commercial electricity.
- Energy efficiency and time-of-use deals can lower monthly electricity bills for El Paso residents.
El Paso has a regulated electricity market. That means customers must pay the local electric utility, El Paso Electric, for their energy usage.
However, the lack of choice doesn’t mean people can’t reduce their monthly electricity bill. El Paso, whose residents enjoy a cost of living 15.8% lower than the U.S. average, can still reduce their energy costs.
Even with just one electric company, El Paso residents have options.
Cheap Electricity in El Paso: Who’s My Electric Provider?
In 2002, Texas electricity rates changed forever in much of the state due to energy deregulation. Retail Electricity Providers (REPs) like Amigo Energy could offer electricity plans to residents and business owners across the land.
However, El Paso’s nearly 680,000 residents still purchase electricity from El Paso Electric Company (EPE), the local utility company. The city decided to ignore deregulation, opting instead for a regulated market.
That means EPE is the sole electricity provider in El Paso. It is an energy provider, generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity to more than 460,000 customers in New Mexico and Texas.
EPE fixes power outages and maintains the poles, wires, and substations that make up the power grid. El Paso Electric also sends electricity bills to its customers.
What Are the Average El Paso Electric Residential Rates?
El Paso Electric’s residential rates depend on the time of year and how much electricity you use.
For reference, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average Texas electricity rate is 14.83 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) (August 2024), compared to a national average rate of 16.63 cents per kWh.
Every El Paso property’s meter is due a $9.25 monthly customer service charge covering the electricity supply, billing, and customer service costs. Next, there are two choices for energy charges per kWh used.
El Paso Electric Standard Service Rates
El Paso Electric’s standard service rates have summer and non-summer prices per kWh for residential customers.
Summer (May to October) rates are the highest. The first 600 kWh used costs 10.2 cents per kWh. The rate rises to 10.7 cents per kWh for all energy use in excess of that first 600 kWh.
The non-summer period (November to April) attracts a flat rate of 9.17 cents per kWh, regardless of energy usage.
Both compare well to Houston’s average electricity rate of 17.6 cents per kWh.
El Paso Electric Alternative Time-of-Day Rates
El Paso residents can reduce the price they pay for each kWh of electricity used by switching to EPE’s time-of-use (TOU) contract. El Paso Electric rewards people with lower rates if they switch the time they use electricity.
The summer period runs from June to September. People on the TOU deal pay a higher rate, a whopping 23.9 cents per kWh used during the peak period of noon to 6 p.m., Mountain Daylight Time. However, all hours outside that peak period, from 6 p.m. to noon the following day, receive a rate of 7 cents per kWh.
The non-summer period (October to May) attracts the same standard service flat rate of 9.17 cents per kWh.
The reason El Paso Electric encourages people to switch energy use during summer is, among other things, to help the grid cope with people switching on air conditioning during the city’s sweltering summers.
Can Switching to a Different Plan Lower My Electricity Bill in El Paso?
Yes, switching to a different plan could result in lower electricity bills in El Paso. The best electricity rate for you depends on how and when you use power.
Choosing the time-of-use electricity rates suits people who can switch their energy usage to evenings or those who are not at home during the day. This could mean turning on dishwashers and washing machines at night, drying clothes outside rather than in a dryer, and switching to an electric range cooker and hobs for evening cooking.
El Paso Electric also has lower rates for people who want to charge electric vehicles at night. Off-peak summer rates for EV chargers dip as low as 7 cents per kWh.
What Time of Year Are Electricity Rates Usually the Lowest in El Paso?
El Paso Electric offers lower energy rates on its standard service deal between November and April than during the summer period of May to October.
However, the lowest EPE rate of 7 cents per kWh is in the summer. It applies to people on time-of-use deals who use energy between 6 p.m. and noon the following day.
How Can I Reduce My Electricity Usage and Save on Monthly Bills in El Paso?
El Paso Electric offers several energy-saving and energy-efficiency ideas to help people reduce electricity usage and save on monthly bills.
Its Energy Wise Savings Program fits smart thermometers to alter a property’s energy usage during times of peak demand. EPE might check your HVAC settings and cool your home when energy demand is low in anticipation of a spike in demand, such as during a heatwave.
Smart meters allow for better analysis of a home’s energy usage. The data allows EPE to offer energy-saving tips and show homeowners where energy may be wasted.
El Paso Electric’s website has many handy energy-saving tips, from adjusting your thermometer slightly, replacing aging appliances with efficient Energy Star-approved ones, and using LED bulbs.
Are There Green Energy Options in El Paso That Offer Competitive Rates?
People with solar panels may benefit from joining El Paso Electric’s Renewable Energy Interconnection Program. Properties remain connected to the grid. EPE offers bill credits for excess energy that gets pushed back into the network. You still pay for any energy used when solar panels are not working or producing enough power to meet your needs.
Top tip: The monthly customer service charge for people on this buy-back program is higher, $30.25 vs. $9.25, so check your usage.
Alternatively, sign up for a community solar program, and your home will receive clean energy from local solar farms. The switch to green energy benefits both you and your neighbors, with fewer emissions for the power you require.
How Can I Compare Electricity Rates in El Paso to Find the Best Deal?
The best way to compare electricity rates in El Paso is to contact El Paso Electric’s customer services section.
They can explain your electric service options and their various electricity plans, from the standard rate to net metering.
El Paso Electric Assistance Line: (915) 543-5711
Customer Service: Texas: (915) 543-5970
Mailing Address: El Paso Electric, P.O. Box 982, El Paso, Texas 79960
Email address: customercare@epelectric.com
The utility also has Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts.
I’m Having Trouble Paying My El Paso Electric Bill. Is There Assistance?
Any El Paso Electric company customers struggling to pay their electric bills should contact EPE’s customer care team at (800) 351-1621.
EPE has several assistance programs.
- Bright Hearts sees El Paso Electric match donations dollar for dollar with monies used to help those struggling with their utility bills.
- Payment plan extensions allow customers to spread arrears over several upcoming bills.
- The Low-Income Rider (LIR) program, approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, saves low-income households $110 annually by covering the EPE’s monthly $9,25 customer service charge costs.
Are There Any Assistance Programs for Low-Income Families in El Paso?
There are several federal and state government incentives and programs to help people access electricity in El Paso:
- AEP Texas: Supports many community energy programs, from tax credits to educational support
- Project Bravo: Directs people to utility bill assistance and energy education
- Operation Heat Help: Helps low-income households with their natural gas bills
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): Helps low-income households with energy costs, bill payments, and more
- United Way 2-1-1 Assistance: Dial 211 for professional advice about home heating funding
- The Texas Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP): Helps low-income people improve their homes’ energy efficiency
- Home Energy Performance-Based, Whole House (HOMES): Provides rebates for energy efficiency work on qualifying properties
- The Home Electrification and Application Rebate (HEAR): Offers rebates to people upgrading to energy-efficient, Energy Star-approved domestic appliances
How Does El Paso’s Regulated Electricity Market Compare to Deregulated Cities?
El Paso Electric’s staggered electricity rates range from 7 to 23 cents per kWh, depending on when you use your electricity.
It’s a bit tricky to compare apples to apples with other electricity providers in Texas’ deregulated market. That’s because these electric companies offer dozens of innovative price plans to suit many lifestyles.
Many choose a long-term, fixed-rate plan, where the price paid per kWh remains stable for an agreed period. Other popular deals are variable-rate plans with no deposits or credit checks but often higher prices.
There are many time-of-use energy plans, including some with free nights and weekends of electricity. Heavy electricity users can get lower kWh rates to reward their demand via minimum-usage products.
That said, here are September 2024’s average electricity rates from utility companies in deregulated areas, based on 1,000 kWh monthly usage:
- Oncor: 15.6 cents per kWh
- CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric: 15.87 cents per kWh
- AEP Texas Central: 15.43 cents per kWh.
Pro tip: Anyone wishing to switch suppliers in a deregulated energy area should read our Power To Choose user guide. The journey to the best electricity plan in El Paso starts at the Public Utility Commission of Texas’ powertochoose.org website, which is available in English and Spanish.
Business electricity rates are usually bespoke agreements tailored by an energy company’s specialist energy advisors.
The Best Way to Find Cheap Electricity in El Paso
Electricity prices in El Paso can change, but only when El Paso Electric Company says so. Cheap electricity in El Paso depends on this local utility, which operates in a regulated market.
The lack of deregulation ties customers’ hands to what EPE offers. That said, a few incentives exist for people to move from the company’s standard rate. For example, there are lower rates for people who use electricity during selected off-peak hours.
Similarly, El Paso Electric has devised energy-saving plans using smart meters and smart thermometers to reduce grid stress during peak hours. People worried about climate change can also reduce their emissions and choose electricity generated by renewable energy.
There remains some choice for El Paso Electric customers in terms of pricing plans. What won’t change is EPE’s role as the local utility and electric company. Cheap electricity in El Paso comes from a mix of smart energy usage and energy efficiency.
Brought to you by amigoenergy
All images licensed from Adobe Stock.