The three kinds of solar buyback plans in Oncor territory
Texas deregulation means your solar export deal is a shopping decision, renewed every contract term. As of 2026 the plans cluster into three shapes:
Fixed credit plans
The most common shape now: exports earn a set few cents per kWh, usually below the retail energy rate. Predictable, rarely generous.
Wholesale indexed plans
Exports earn the real time market price, which swings from near zero to occasional spikes. You carry the market risk.
Near retail 1 for 1 plans
A shrinking exception, for example some TXU buyback offerings in the DFW area, crediting exports at roughly the retail energy rate. Worth hunting for, and worth rechecking at every renewal.
What DFW households actually pay
Oncor Electric Delivery'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 Oncor's average residential price by year. Hover any point for the exact figure.
No mandate, only plans
Texas has no statewide net-metering mandate, and Oncor (a delivery-only TDU) does not buy back or credit exported solar. Instead, credit for surplus solar sent to the grid is set by your chosen Retail Electric Provider (REP) through a "solar buyback" plan, and terms vary widely. As of 2026 most REPs have moved away from true 1:1 retail-rate net metering toward fixed-credit plans (often a few cents per kWh, commonly below the retail energy rate) or real-time/wholesale-indexed plans. A few plans (for example TXU's solar buyback offerings in the Oncor/DFW area) still credit exports at roughly the retail energy rate, effectively 1:1, but these are the exception. Practical takeaway: solar economics in Oncor territory depend heavily on picking a REP with a favorable buyback plan, and exported energy is usually worth less than what you pay to import, so self-consumption (and sometimes batteries) matters more than in true net-metering states.
Current residential rates
Oncor 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 |
|---|---|---|
| APG&E SimpleSaver 12-month (lowest advertised all-in residential rate in Oncor area, as of 6/29/2026) | 7.8 cents/kWh | REP energy rate; Oncor TDU delivery is billed separately at $4.23/mo + ~5.6 cents/kWh |
| Gexa Energy 12-month fixed (representative mid-market all-in residential plan, as of 6/29/2026) | 8.0 cents/kWh | REP energy rate; plus Oncor TDU delivery $4.23/mo + ~5.6 cents/kWh |
| Oncor TDU delivery charge (regulated, passed through by all REPs; updates Mar 1 and Sep 1) | 5.6183 cents/kWh delivery | $4.23 per month base/customer charge |
In the deregulated ERCOT market, Oncor does not sell electricity; customers buy energy from a Retail Electric Provider (REP) and Oncor charges a regulated delivery (TDU) fee that the REP passes through. Advertised all-in residential rates in the Oncor area ranged from about 7.8 to 19.7 cents/kWh as of 6/29/2026 (CDT). The Oncor delivery component is $4.23/month plus a per-kWh charge that is reset twice a year (March 1 and September 1); recent values are about 5.30 to 5.62 cents/kWh (5.6183 cents/kWh per choosetexaspower, 5.2974 cents/kWh per texaselectricrates). A proposed Oncor rate settlement filed Jan 29, 2026 seeks an 8.8% revenue increase, roughly a 3% / about $4.64-per-month bill increase for a typical 1,000 kWh residential customer if approved. OpenEI URDB could not be queried directly (API key required), so these are taken from Oncor's tariff materials and Texas rate-comparison sources.
What rising Oncor rates could cost you
Oncor 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 Oncor'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.
Solar as a shopping problem
Oncor is a delivery only utility: it maintains the wires, bills a regulated delivery charge of $4.23 a month plus a per kWh fee reset each March and September, and buys back nothing. Every question about what your panels earn is a question about your retail plan.
That makes solar in DFW a two decision purchase: the system, and then a buyback plan you re-shop at every contract renewal, because plan terms change and most now credit exports below retail. Self-consumption is the stable part of the value; the export side is only as good as your latest plan pick.
Oncor service area
Oncor serves North-Central, West, and East Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and cities such as Waco, Midland, and Wichita Falls. Service area spans 400-plus communities across 98-plus counties (ERCOT/deregulated market)..
To confirm whether a specific address is served by Oncor, 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 | Oncor (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 - Average Price by State by Provider (avgprice_annual.xlsx, Total Electric Industry, Residential; TX 2015-2020) · EIA Electric Power Annual Table 2.10 - Average Retail Price by State (TX residential 2023=14.46, 2024=14.94) · EIA Electric Power Annual 2022 archive, Table 2.10 (TX residential 2021=12.11, 2022=13.76) · EIA-861 Table 6 - Residential bundled sales/revenue/price (sales_revenue_price; TX 2024 statewide aggregate = 14.94 cents/kWh; confirms Oncor not a residential seller) · EIA Texas Electricity Profile 2024 · Choose Texas Power - Oncor Electric Delivery (TDU delivery charge $4.23/mo + 5.6183 cents/kWh; all-in rates as of 6/29/2026) · Oncor - Understanding the Oncor Part of Your Electric Bill (delivery charge $4.23 + ~5 cents/kWh; updated Mar 1/Sep 1) · PowerWizard - Oncor Electric Delivery TDU guide (service area, customers, proposed 2026 rate increase) · NuWatt Energy - Texas Net Metering 2026 (no statewide net metering; REP-set buyback) · Choose Texas Power - Texas Solar Buyback Plans (fixed-credit vs real-time, below-retail trend)
FAQ
Does Oncor buy back solar power?
No. Oncor is a delivery only utility in the deregulated Texas market. Credit for exported solar is set entirely by your chosen Retail Electric Provider through a solar buyback plan, and terms vary widely.
Can I get one for one net metering in Dallas Fort Worth?
A few plans, for example some TXU solar buyback offerings in the Oncor area, still credit exports at roughly the retail energy rate. They are the exception in 2026; most plans pay a fixed few cents or a wholesale indexed rate.
What happens to my buyback deal when my electricity contract ends?
It ends with the contract. Buyback terms belong to the retail plan, not the utility, so every renewal is a chance for the export rate to change and a reason to re-shop plans.
What do I pay Oncor itself?
A regulated delivery charge passed through on every retail plan, currently $4.23 per month plus a per kWh charge reset each March 1 and September 1, recently around 5.3 to 5.6 cents. A proposed settlement filed in January 2026 seeks an increase of roughly $4.64 per month for a typical 1,000 kWh home if approved.