CenterPoint rate increases over time
CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric's average residential electricity price has risen from 11.56 cents per kWh in 2015 to 15.47 cents in 2025, an increase of about 34 percent, or roughly 3.0 percent per year. The chart shows CenterPoint's average residential price by year. Hover any point for the exact figure.
What rising CenterPoint rates could cost you
CenterPoint rates have risen about 3.0% per year. Enter your bill to see what that pace of increase could compound to over time, and what you have likely already absorbed. This is an estimate, not a guarantee.
Estimate only. Projects your current bill forward at CenterPoint's historical average rate increase (3.0% per year, from EIA data); it assumes your usage stays the same except for any add-ons you select. Actual rates depend on your usage, rate plan, and the utility's future filings, and are not guaranteed. This is general information, not financial advice.
Current residential rates
CenterPoint residential rates are shown below, from the utility's published tariffs and the public Utility Rate Database. Rates vary by plan, season, and usage and change over time.
| Plan | Energy charge | Fixed / basic |
|---|---|---|
| Houston market average residential rate (all REP plans, all-in) | ~15.13 cents/kWh (June 2026 average across available plans) | Varies by plan; includes CenterPoint TDU delivery |
| Competitive 12-month fixed plan (e.g., Champion/Base Energy 12) | ~12.8 cents/kWh all-in (cheapest fixed, June 30 2026) | Energy charge set by REP; TDU delivery embedded |
| CenterPoint TDU delivery charge (regulated, same for every Houston REP) | 5.1461 cents/kWh | $4.90/month ($2.11 customer + $2.79 metering), effective June 1 2026 |
Houston is deregulated, so the rate a customer actually pays is set by their chosen retail electric provider (REP) and stacks the REP energy charge on top of CenterPoint's PUCT-regulated delivery charge. As of late June 2026 the Houston/CenterPoint market shows roughly 6.6 to 23.58 cents/kWh across available plans, averaging about 15.13 cents/kWh (about 14.92 cents/kWh across 113 fixed-rate plans), with the cheapest 12-month fixed plans near 12.8 cents/kWh all-in. CenterPoint's regulated residential delivery component is $4.90/month plus 5.1461 cents/kWh effective June 1 2026 (the PUCT cut the volumetric rate about 16.7% on March 1 2026). Delivery charges are identical for every provider in CenterPoint territory.
Net metering and solar export: No statewide net metering; REP solar buyback
Texas has no state-mandated net metering. Because the Houston market is deregulated, CenterPoint (the wires-only utility) does not credit exported solar; instead each competitive retail electric provider (REP) decides whether to offer a "solar buyback" plan and at what rate. Most 2026 buyback plans are no longer 1-to-1: they credit exported kWh at a fixed rate (for example, Green Mountain's Pollution Free Solar Buyback around 8.5 cents/kWh in CenterPoint territory) or at a real-time wholesale rate, which is usually below the retail rate you pay for imported power. Credits typically roll over month to month to offset future bills rather than being paid out as cash, and excess credits are commonly forfeited at year-end. To get paid for surplus solar, a homeowner must specifically enroll in a REP that offers a buyback plan; the value of exported solar depends entirely on that plan's terms, not on a uniform utility policy.
What it means for solar
CenterPoint rates have risen about 3.0 percent per year over the past decade. Solar can offset that grid cost, every kWh you generate and use is a kWh you do not buy, but how much you save depends on your rate level and on how exported power is credited (No statewide net metering; REP solar buyback). Where exports are worth little, using your own solar, often with a battery, matters more than selling surplus back. Whether solar makes sense depends on your usage, roof, and rate plan, so get a site-specific quote.
CenterPoint service area
CenterPoint serves Greater Houston, Texas, roughly 5,000 square miles across Harris County plus Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery, Waller, and Wharton counties (ERCOT grid, PUCT-regulated)..
To confirm whether a specific address is served by CenterPoint, check your electricity bill. A ZIP lookup tool is coming to this site.
Full data and sources
Per-utility prices are computed from EIA Form 861 (bundled residential revenue divided by sales), which reconciles to the EIA's published figures. These are public-domain U.S. government data.
| Year | CenterPoint (c/kWh) |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 11.56 |
| 2016 | 10.99 |
| 2017 | 11.01 |
| 2018 | 11.2 |
| 2019 | 11.76 |
| 2020 | 11.71 |
| 2021 | 12.11 |
| 2022 | 13.76 |
| 2023 | 14.46 |
| 2024 | 14.94 |
| 2025 | 15.47 |
Sources: EIA Electric Power Annual, Table 2.10 (Avg price by state, 2024 & 2023) · EIA Electric Power Annual, Table 2.10 archive (2022 & 2021) · EIA Electric Power Annual, Table 2.4 (Avg price by sector 2014-2024) · EIA Form 861 Table 4, 2024 Average Retail Price by State (Texas residential 14.936) · EIA Average Price by State by Provider (residential, 2015-2020) · EIA Texas Electricity Profile · CenterPoint TDU delivery charges & Houston rates (2026) · PUCT CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric Rate Report (03/01/2026) · Houston/CenterPoint plan rates, June 2026 · Texas net metering / solar buyback guide (2026) · Texas solar buyback plans & rates (CenterPoint territory, 2026)
FAQ
How much have CenterPoint electricity rates gone up?
CenterPoint's average residential price rose about 34 percent since 2015, roughly 3.0 percent per year, reaching about 15.47 cents per kWh in 2025.
Does CenterPoint offer net metering for solar?
CenterPoint uses No statewide net metering; REP solar buyback. See the net metering section above for exactly how exported solar is credited and what that means for your system.
Is solar worth it with CenterPoint?
It depends on your electricity usage, roof, system size, and whether you add a battery. Higher rates and rate increases make solar more attractive, but the value of exported power depends on CenterPoint's net metering rules. Get a site-specific quote rather than relying on a general estimate.
Where does this rate data come from?
The per-year prices come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Form 861, and the current rate structures come from the public Utility Rate Database. Both are public, free, and updated regularly.