Texas Commercial Electricity Market: Rates Drop 2.1% as 358 Plans Exit the Market, April 14–20, 2026

Market Pulse

Across the 267 Texas commercial electricity plans tracked in the texascommercialplans.com database for the week of April 14 through April 20, 2026, average rates moved lower by 2.1% compared to the prior week, settling at a market average of $0.1148 per kWh. The median rate across all active plans stood at $0.1155 per kWh, reflecting a relatively tight distribution outside the plan extremes tracked among 28 active Texas REPs.

The more significant story is what happened to overall market volume: 358 plans were removed from the ERCOT retail market this week while 227 new plans were filed, a net reduction of 131 available options. This level of plan churn is meaningful for any commercial buyer currently mid-procurement. Plans you received quotes on even two weeks ago may no longer be available, and the competitive set for your service territory has narrowed measurably.

For buyers with contracts expiring in the next 60-90 days, the data this week points toward a market that is consolidating options while rates show modest downward pressure. That combination warrants closer attention than a 2% weekly decline alone would suggest.

What's Moving the Market

• Google Executes Texas Solar PPAs: Google selected a renewable energy developer to supply two long-term solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for Texas projects. The deals add to a growing pipeline of large corporate off-takes on the ERCOT grid, which historically increases renewable generation capacity and puts structural downward pressure on wholesale electricity prices during peak solar hours. Commercial buyers watching summer 2026 forward prices should note continued corporate renewable buildout as a factor in ERCOT supply.
• Meta Partners on 850-Acre Solar Farm in Anderson County, Texas: Meta has partnered with developer Zelestra on an approximately 850-acre, 176 MW solar project in Tennessee Colony, Anderson County. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2026, with the project adding $90-147 million to the local tax base over time and incorporating sun-tracking panels to maximize generation efficiency. While the project will not contribute meaningfully to 2026 summer supply, it reinforces the long-term trajectory of Texas solar generation capacity growth within PUCT-overseen deregulated markets. Buyers evaluating multi-year contracts should factor continued grid supply expansion into their rate outlook assumptions.
• Variable Rollover Plans Increasing in CenterPoint and TNMP Territories: Several variable-rate post-term (rollover) plans in CenterPoint and TNMP service areas moved higher this week, reinforcing a recurring pattern. Commercial customers who allow fixed-term contracts to expire without renewals are increasingly exposed to rollover rates that run meaningfully above current market averages. Procurement teams should audit contract end dates now, before summer demand peaks drive further rollover rate movement.

Texas Commercial Electricity Pricing Trends

The overall 2.1% market average decline understates the variance between TDU service territories this week. AEP Central territory saw the largest week-over-week rate movement among the five Texas TDU areas, with commercial plan averages dropping substantially from prior-week levels. TNMP territory and CenterPoint territory also posted significant declines. Oncor territory, which covers the largest share of tracked active plans (86 of 267), declined by a much smaller margin, anchoring the market average closer to flat than the extreme territory movements suggest.

By contract term, long-term plans (25-36 months) carry average rates well below both short-term (1-12 months) and mid-term (13-24 months) options. The discount for committing to a longer contract term is more pronounced now than it has been for several weeks, which may reflect REPs pricing in anticipated summer demand peaks into shorter-term offerings while keeping long-term contracts attractively priced to secure volume ahead of the high-demand season.

Among the 69 plans tracked with direct week-over-week rate comparisons, decreases outnumbered increases roughly 2 to 1: 21 plans declined, 10 increased, and 38 held unchanged. The average change among plans that did move was a decline of 11.7%, driven primarily by plans in the variable and short-term segments resetting lower. Several plans saw large single-week swings in both directions, a pattern more consistent with portfolio repricing than underlying cost movement.

Our rate trend chart for the past four weeks shows continued divergence between Oncor territory averages and the rest of the Texas market, with AEP Central and TNMP territories showing the widest weekly swings. See full pricing breakdown in our data download.

REP Spotlight: AP Gas & Electric

This week's REP spotlight is AP Gas & Electric (APGE), a Texas-licensed retail electric provider with a portfolio concentrated in medium-term commercial contracts. APGE currently offers 8 plans tracked in the texascommercialplans.com database, with contract terms ranging from 10 to 15 months, giving commercial buyers a narrower term window than many competitors but more flexibility than standard 12-month fixed offerings.

APGE serves all five TDU service territories: AEP Central, AEP North, CenterPoint, Oncor, and TNMP. Full-territory coverage is not universal among Texas commercial REPs, making APGE an option worth evaluating for multi-location businesses that want rate consistency across geographies within a single provider relationship.

Six of APGE's eight tracked plans are green energy options, a higher renewable percentage than most commercial REPs in the market this week. All plans use a fixed-rate structure, which eliminates variability risk for buyers concerned about rollover exposure or index-linked pricing. Rate positioning across APGE's portfolio tracks below the current market average across tracked plans, though buyers should compare against their specific TDU territory for the most accurate picture.

Get this REP's full plan data in our data download.

Buyer Intelligence

What are current Texas commercial electricity rates?

The texascommercialplans.com dataset shows an average rate of $0.1148 per kWh across 267 active commercial plans for the week of April 14-20, 2026, with a median of $0.1155 per kWh. Long-term contracts (25-36 months) carry averages well below that market-wide figure, while short-term and mid-term options cluster closely around the median. Rates vary considerably by TDU territory, with CenterPoint territory plans running below the market average and AEP North territory plans running above it.

Should Texas businesses lock in electricity rates now or wait?

Based on this week's data, long-term plans are priced at a significant discount to shorter-term options, which is a pattern that has strengthened over the past several weeks. For businesses with predictable load profiles and contracts expiring before summer, locking in a 24-36 month fixed rate now avoids the risk of summer peak pricing. The 358-plan withdrawal this week also reduces the available competitive set, meaning procrastination on renewals carries real option-cost risk as fewer comparable alternatives remain in market. Buyers with high load flexibility or uncertainty about future facility use may still prefer short-term options, accepting higher per-kWh costs for operational adaptability.

Data Snapshot: April 14–20, 2026

• Tracked REPs this week: 28
• Active commercial plans: 267
• Plans added this week: 227
• Plans removed this week: 358
• Plans with rate changes: 31
• Avg contract term: 11.9 months
• Market avg rate: $0.1148/kWh
• Week-over-week change: -2.1%
• Rate changes tracked (of comparable plans): 21 decreases vs 10 increases

Full rate data, plan comparisons, and historical trends available in our data download. Prior weekly reports: April 8, 2026 report | All weekly reports | Daily market news.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did so many commercial electricity plans get removed from the Texas market this week?

The Texas deregulated electricity market routinely sees REPs file, update, and withdraw plans as they adjust product portfolios in response to ERCOT forward prices and operational costs. The 358 plan removals during April 14-20, 2026 represent a significant restructuring event, most likely tied to end-of-term filing cycles and seasonal rate resets ahead of the summer peak demand period. Buyers actively in procurement should confirm that any plan they received a quote on remains available before executing a contract.

Which TDU territory had the most rate movement for Texas commercial electricity this week?

AEP Central territory saw the largest week-over-week rate movement among the five Texas TDU service areas for the week of April 14-20, 2026, with commercial plan averages declining substantially from prior-week levels. Oncor territory showed the most stability, with a much smaller percentage decline. The spread between TDU territories reinforces why commercial buyers should compare rates specifically for their service area rather than relying on statewide market averages. Check PUCT for official TDU territory maps.

What contract length offers the best value for Texas commercial electricity buyers right now?

Based on the texascommercialplans.com dataset for April 14-20, 2026, long-term commercial plans (25-36 months) carry average rates meaningfully below both short-term and mid-term options, a discount that has widened over the past several weeks. Buyers willing to commit now can lock in a significant per-kWh savings relative to current 12-month rates. That said, ERCOT forward prices can shift quickly as summer load approaches, and buyers with high operational flexibility may prefer short-term contracts to remain adaptable. Review full rate data and historical trends in our data download before committing.