CenterPoint Energy Rate Selection Guide
CenterPoint Energy is a multi-state investor-owned utility that delivers electricity over the wires to greater Houston (a regulated TDU inside the deregulated ERCOT retail market) and distributes natural gas across six states. In Houston, customers buy energy from a competitive Retail Electric Provider while CenterPoint handles delivery; data access in the regulated gas territories runs through My Account, the Energy Data Portal, and consent forms.
CenterPoint Energy Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Electric TDU - Small Commercial (<=10 kW) | commercial | $4.96/mo + 3.8982c/kWh delivery (pass-through) | Small commercial electric accounts without demand |
| Houston Electric TDU - Commercial >10 kW | commercial | $13.41/mo + 0.093c/kWh + $10.103698/kW demand | Mid-size to large commercial with metered demand |
| Houston Electric TDU - Residential Delivery | commercial | $4.90/mo + 4.9993c/kWh delivery (pass-through) | Residential delivery (reference) |
| Minnesota Gas - Commercial/Industrial | commercial | Monthly charge + per-therm delivery (state-set; see tariff) | Regulated gas accounts (no commodity choice) |
Market Overview
CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric is a regulated wires-only TDU operating inside Texas's deregulated retail electricity market: customers choose a competitive REP for energy, and CenterPoint's PUCT-regulated delivery charges are passed through unchanged. In its natural gas territories (Minnesota, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Indiana), CenterPoint is a fully regulated distribution monopoly with no retail choice and rates set by each state commission.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the CenterPoint Energy Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
For the Houston electric territory, CenterPoint's role is delivery only; its TDU delivery charges are regulated by the PUCT and reset every March 1 and September 1. The figures below are the verified CenterPoint Houston Electric delivery charges effective March 1, 2026 (these are added to whatever energy rate the customer's REP charges). In CenterPoint's regulated gas territories (e.g., Minnesota), rates are set by the state commission via the Rates & Rights tariff book and are not commodity-shoppable.
Effective: March 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Electric TDU - Small Commercial (<=10 kW) | commercial | Commercial electric delivery for accounts without significant demand (<=10 kW, no kW demand on bill). | Verified (eff. 3/1/2026): $4.96 per month plus 3.8982 cents/kWh delivery, passed through by the REP. | — |
| Houston Electric TDU - Commercial >10 kW (Demand) | commercial | Commercial/industrial electric delivery with metered demand greater than 10 kW. | Verified (eff. 3/1/2026): $13.41 per month customer charge + 0.093 cents/kWh + $10.103698 per kW demand charge, all passed through by the REP. Demand based on 4CP / monthly peak. | — |
| Minnesota Gas - Commercial/Industrial Distribution | commercial | Commercial and industrial natural gas distribution in Minnesota. | Regulated, state-set rates: a monthly basic/customer charge plus per-therm delivery charges, with a separate purchased-gas-cost adjustment for the commodity. Specific figures are filed in the Minnesota Rates & Rights tariff book and vary by class; figures not independently verified here. | — |
| Houston Electric TDU - Transmission/Large Industrial Delivery | industrial | Large industrial electric delivery taking service at higher (transmission/distribution) voltage in the Houston territory. | Delivery charges are demand-driven, with lower per-kWh and demand components for higher-voltage service; specific large-industrial schedules are defined in the CenterPoint Houston Electric Retail Delivery Tariff (figures vary by class and not individually verified here). | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Houston commercial facility on competitive electricity
Treat energy and delivery separately: shop REPs for the energy rate and manage peak demand to cut the pass-through TDU demand charge.
CenterPoint delivery is regulated and non-shoppable, but the ~$10.10/kW demand charge and REP energy rate are both significant and separately optimizable.
- Run a competitive REP procurement (Power to Choose or a broker)
- Curtail load during ERCOT 4CP summer peaks
- Pull 15-minute data from Smart Meter Texas to verify peaks
Large Houston industrial load
Pursue higher-voltage delivery service and aggressive 4CP avoidance to minimize per-kW and transmission allocations, alongside a tailored REP contract.
Higher-voltage delivery and 4CP avoidance reduce the demand-heavy delivery cost; large loads have leverage in REP negotiations.
- Evaluate transmission/distribution-voltage delivery options
- Implement automated 4CP curtailment
- Negotiate block/index REP supply for the energy component
Multifamily / commercial gas benchmarking (Minnesota)
Use the Energy Data Portal to pull whole-building monthly gas data and auto-feed ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for ordinance compliance and efficiency targeting.
Gas rates are regulated and not shoppable, so cost control is driven by consumption reduction enabled by good benchmarking data.
- Register and link all property accounts in the Energy Data Portal
- Enable the OAuth ESPM feed for automated monthly updates
- Use the CNP1366 consent form for one-off third-party requests
Multi-state C&I portfolio (electric + gas)
Standardize data collection across the deregulated electric and regulated gas footprints, then apply the right lever per site (REP procurement + demand vs. gas efficiency).
The cost-saving mechanism differs by market; a unified data layer lets you prioritize demand projects in Texas and efficiency in regulated gas territories.
- Aggregate Smart Meter Texas + Energy Data Portal data centrally
- Rank electric sites by demand cost; rank gas sites by therms
- Sequence REP renewals and efficiency capital by payback
Historical Rate Trends
CenterPoint Houston Electric TDU delivery charges are adjusted by the PUCT on a regular semi-annual schedule (March 1 and September 1), reflecting transmission cost recovery and approved rate cases. Minnesota gas rates are reset through periodic MPUC rate cases.
March 1, 2026
CenterPoint Houston Electric residential delivery adjusted to $4.90/month + 4.9993 cents/kWh (per-kWh down ~16.7% from the prior period's 6.0009 cents/kWh); commercial demand charge ~$10.10/kW.
-16.7%November 1, 2023
CenterPoint Energy filed its Minnesota natural gas rate case (MPUC Docket G-008/GR-23-173) seeking higher distribution revenue; outcome adjusts regulated gas rates.
n/aOverall trend: Variable - electric TDU delivery charges fluctuate semi-annually; the per-kWh delivery component fell notably in the March 2026 adjustment for CenterPoint while the customer charge held steady.
Next expected change: Next scheduled Houston Electric TDU delivery adjustment effective September 1, 2026; Minnesota gas changes follow MPUC rate-case decisions (e.g., Docket G-008/GR-23-173).
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because the shoppable and controllable cost levers differ by service, C&I cost optimization with CenterPoint means (1) shopping the right REP for Houston electric energy, (2) reducing 4CP summer peak demand to cut the pass-through TDU demand charge, and (3) driving gas efficiency where rates are regulated and not shoppable.
Manage 4CP Summer Peak Demand
For: Houston electric C&I accounts >10 kW
For Houston electric accounts >10 kW, the ~$10.10/kW TDU demand charge and ERCOT 4CP transmission allocation are set by usage during the four summer coincident-peak intervals. Curtailing load on the hottest summer afternoons lowers demand cost for the following 12 months.
Competitive REP Procurement (Houston Electric)
For: Houston electric C&I customers
Since CenterPoint is delivery-only, the energy commodity is shoppable. Running a competitive procurement among REPs (fixed vs. indexed, contract length) optimizes the largest variable line item.
Benchmark & Reduce Gas Consumption
For: Commercial/multifamily gas customers (e.g., Minnesota)
In regulated gas territories where rates are not shoppable, use the Energy Data Portal and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to benchmark whole-building usage and target efficiency (controls, weatherization, process heat recovery).
Automate Data for Continuous Monitoring
For: Multi-account / multi-state C&I customers
Pull electric 15-minute interval data from Smart Meter Texas/UHIT and gas monthly data from the Energy Data Portal into a single analytics workflow to spot anomalies and verify demand-management results.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download CenterPoint Energy interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
This framing applies only to the Houston electric (ERCOT) territory. CenterPoint is a delivery-only utility there; you must choose a competitive Retail Electric Provider (REP) for your energy supply. CenterPoint's TDU delivery charges appear on every plan regardless of REP and are not something you can shop. In CenterPoint's natural gas territories, there is no retail choice.
How to Compare CenterPoint Energy Suppliers
- 01Confirm your address is in CenterPoint's Houston electric (ERCOT) territory
- 02Compare offers on the state Power to Choose site or a commercial broker
- 03Review the Electricity Facts Label (EFL) for the energy rate and contract terms
- 04Remember CenterPoint TDU delivery charges are added on top of any REP energy rate
Contract Terms for CenterPoint Energy Supply Agreements
- Fixed vs. variable/indexed energy rate
- Contract length (e.g., 12-36 months for C&I)
- Early termination fees
- Demand/usage tiers and minimum-usage fees
Common Pitfalls When Shopping CenterPoint Energy Rates
- TDU delivery charges are pass-through and reset each March 1 / September 1 regardless of your fixed energy rate
- Teaser rates may exclude demand charges for larger accounts
- Bundled all-in quotes should separate REP energy from CenterPoint TDU delivery
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CenterPoint my electricity provider in Houston, or do I pick a supplier?▾
In the Houston (ERCOT) market you choose a competitive Retail Electric Provider (REP) for the energy commodity, while CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric is the wires-only Transmission & Distribution Utility (TDU) that physically delivers the power and reads the meter. Your bill includes CenterPoint's regulated TDU delivery charges (passed through with no markup) plus your REP's energy charge. Compare REPs at the state's Power to Choose site.
How does a C&I customer get 15-minute interval electric data for a Houston facility?▾
Use Smart Meter Texas (smartmetertexas.com), the ERCOT-wide data portal, to view and download 15-minute interval data and to authorize third parties or your REP. Competitive retailers and aggregators can also retrieve interval usage programmatically through CenterPoint's UHIT API. This is distinct from the gas data tools.
Can we get interval data for our natural gas accounts?▾
Not yet. CenterPoint's gas territories (including Minnesota) currently provide only monthly therms via My Account, with whole-building monthly usage available through the Energy Data Portal. Sub-hourly/interval gas data is not exposed pending further AMI and portal development.
What's the fastest way to authorize a consultant to receive our CenterPoint gas data?▾
For ongoing access, have the consultant register on the Energy Data Portal and request access to your accounts (you confirm, ~5-10 business days). For one-time needs (audits, transactions), use the Minnesota Consent to Disclose form (CNP1366), which both parties sign and submit by mail, fax, or email.
Does EDI apply to our CenterPoint accounts?▾
EDI (814/867/810) applies only in CenterPoint's deregulated electric markets such as Texas/ERCOT, where REPs exchange enrollment, usage, and billing transactions with the TDU. In regulated gas territories like Minnesota there is no competitive supplier market, so EDI is not used for gas customers.
How do TDU delivery charges affect our Houston electric bill?▾
CenterPoint's TDU delivery charges are regulated by the PUCT and reset every March 1 and September 1. For commercial accounts over 10 kW they include a monthly customer charge, a per-kWh charge, and a per-kW demand charge, all passed through by your REP. Managing your 4CP summer peak demand is the primary lever to lower the demand portion.
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