Traditional Mexican taquitos and dipping sauce at a McAllen restaurant, a major deregulated electricity market in the AEP Texas Central TDU territory

Mcallen Electricity Rates

Edited by Rafael Morales
Last updated:

The cheapest True Fixed electricity rate in Mcallen today for a 12 to 23 month term is 11.1¢/kWh at 1,000 kWh, from True Power. Across the 53 True Fixed plans in that range we track in Mcallen, the average is 13.3¢/kWh. Both numbers account for the energy provider’s charges and all TDU delivery and base charges, so they reflect what you actually pay.

That 11.1¢ is the floor for a real fixed rate in Mcallen on a term of 12 months or longer. If you see a 12-month-or-longer plan advertised well below this rate, it is almost certainly a bill credit plan. Those rates only apply if your monthly usage lands inside a narrow window, usually right around 1,000 kWh. Over a year you will likely miss it in at least 4 months (overpaying $400 or more), using too little or too much. Clear Energy Facts does not recommend these plans.

Every plan listed here is True Fixed. If you are looking for a different plan type in Mcallen, we track those separately: Best Free Nights plans, Best Free Weekends plans, and No-credit-check prepaid plans.

Our Recommendation

Our Recommendation
Swipe left or right to compare term lengths
12-23 Months
24-35 Months
36+ Months
Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Unsplash

Best True Fixed Plans in Mcallen

True Fixed Rate plans only, enter zipcode for full list and more details

Check details in your area
1st
True Power
Review Check Availability
True Value 12
PTC
Sep 13
12 months
500 KWH
11.4¢
1000 KWH
11.1¢
2000 KWH
10.9¢

Top concerns

⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ Risk of account being transferred

⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ Need to call for Autopay setup

⚠️ ⚠️ One of the highest cancellation fees

⚠️ ⚠️ High Complain Ratio. 1 on PUCT score

⚠️ 2% fee for payments outside AutoPay.

2nd
3rd
Express Energy
Review Check Availability
Express Energy Speedy 12SM
PTC
Sep 13
12 months
500 KWH
11.6¢
1000 KWH
11.2¢
2000 KWH
11.1¢

Top concerns

⚠️⚠️⚠️ One of the lowest ratings on Google Reviews

4th
Gexa Energy
Review Check Availability
Gexa Eco Choice 12
100% Renewable
PTC
Sep 13
12 months
500 KWH
11.6¢
1000 KWH
11.3¢
2000 KWH
11.1¢

Top concerns

⚠️ Common negative review: higher rates at renewal.

5th
Frontier
Review Check Availability
Frontier Power Saver 12
PTC
Sep 13
12 months
500 KWH
11.6¢
1000 KWH
11.3¢
2000 KWH
11.1¢

Top concerns

⚠️ Common negative review: higher rates at renewal.

6th
7th
Energy Texas
Review Check Availability
No Bull 12 - 12 month plan
100% Renewable
PTC
Sep 13
12 months
500 KWH
11.3¢
1000 KWH
11.4¢
2000 KWH
11.5¢
8th
Rhythm
Review Check Availability
Digital Choice 12 - 12 month plan
100% Renewable
PTC
Sep 13
12 months
500 KWH
11.3¢
1000 KWH
11.4¢
2000 KWH
11.5¢
9th
Budget Power
Review Check Availability
No Gimmicks 12 - AEP Texas Central
PTC
Sep 13
12 months
500 KWH
11.8¢
1000 KWH
11.5¢
2000 KWH
11.3¢

Top concerns

⚠️⚠️⚠️ Risk of account being transferred

⚠️⚠️⚠️ High Complain Ratio. 1 on PUCT score

⚠️⚠️ Poor Customer Service on Google Reviews

10th
Texans Choice Power
Review Check Availability
Choose 12
Company website
Sep 07
12 months
500 KWH
12.1¢
1000 KWH
11.8¢
2000 KWH
11.6¢

Top concerns

⚠️ Limited public review history: no active Google reviews profile

11th
Southern Federal
Review Check Availability
SoFed Digital Saver Plus - 12
Company website
Sep 11
12 months
500 KWH
12.5¢
1000 KWH
12.1¢
2000 KWH
12.0¢
12th
Atlantex Power
Review Check Availability
Luminous
Exclusive Offer
Sep 09
12 months
500 KWH
12.4¢
1000 KWH
12.1¢
2000 KWH
11.9¢

Top concerns

⚠️ Limited public review history: no active Google reviews profile

13th
14th
Abundance Energy
Review Check Availability
Confident Renter 12
Company website
Sep 11
12 months
500 KWH
12.6¢
1000 KWH
12.3¢
2000 KWH
12.1¢

Top concerns

⚠️ Common negative review: long wait times on customer service calls.

15th
Abundance Energy
Review Check Availability
Fixed Rate – Straight Forward 12
Company website
Sep 11
12 months
500 KWH
13.2¢
1000 KWH
12.4¢
2000 KWH
12.0¢

Top concerns

⚠️ Common negative review: long wait times on customer service calls.

16th
17th
Constellation
Review Check Availability
Fix Rate 12
Company website
Sep 12
12 months
500 KWH
13.0¢
1000 KWH
12.7¢
2000 KWH
12.6¢

Top concerns

Live Agent Payment Fee: They charge a $6.95 per call fee for customers who choose to make a payment via a call center agent

18th
Cleansky Energy
Review Check Availability
Embrace Green 12 - Fixed Rate Product
100% Renewable
Company website
Sep 11
12 months
500 KWH
13.0¢
1000 KWH
12.7¢
2000 KWH
12.5¢
19th
Atlantex Power
Review Check Availability
Luminous Green
100% Renewable
Exclusive Offer
Sep 09
12 months
500 KWH
13.0¢
1000 KWH
12.7¢
2000 KWH
12.5¢

Top concerns

⚠️ Limited public review history: no active Google reviews profile

20th

Showing the best available 500 / 1000 / 2000 kWh prices for the selected term range. Sources include PowerToChoose (“PTC”) and direct provider sites. We are not affiliated with PowerToChoose.org or the Public Utility Commission of Texas; these offers are shown for informational purposes only.

TDU Contact and Outage Information for McAllen

The main ZIP codes for McAllen are 78501, 78503, and 78504. McAllen is served by AEP Texas Central, which is the utility company responsible for delivering electricity to your home and the company you should contact if there is an outage in your area. If you need to report an outage, contact AEP Texas.

Utility Service Contacts

AEP Texas Central

Visit TDU Website Open Outage Map

Support Phone

866-223-8508

Mcallen Housing & Heating Facts

Local housing and heating composition based on city profile inputs.

Median Year Built

1995

Single-family houses account for 68.1% of McAllen's housing, apartments make up 16.1%, and other residential structures represent 15.8%, with a median build year of 1995. An overwhelming 91.6% of local homes rely on electric heating, while just 6.4% use gas. While McAllen enjoys milder winters than North Texas, air conditioning remains the dominant driver of electricity bills for most of the year, and widespread electric heating means power usage can still climb sharply during occasional cold snaps. The table below shows estimated bills for True Fixed plans based on your housing and heating setup; adjust your profile above to see how your specific home impacts expected monthly costs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. "Selected Housing Characteristics." American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles, Table DP04.

Heating Type Share

Electricity 91.6%
Gas 6.4%
Other 2.0%

Housing Mix Share

House 68.1%
Apartment 16.1%
Other 15.8%

What a typical Mcallen home pays for electricity

Based on Mcallen's housing profile, a medium house with electric heat is the most common setup in the city. Priced at the average of every 12 month True Fixed plan in Mcallen, that runs about $1,812 a year, or roughly $151 a month, though the monthly figure swings with the season.

Use this as a reference point. If your usage is similar to the profile below and your bill is well above these numbers, you are probably overpaying.

Change the profile if yours is different.

Estimated yearly cost

$1,812

Sum of the four seasonal blocks

Average month

$151

Seasons swing above and below this

Season Usage Estimated Bill per month
Dec - Feb -- --
Mar - May -- --
Jun - Aug -- --
Sep - Nov -- --

The Real Cost of Gimmicky Bill-Credit Plans in McAllen

All the plans shown in this page for McAllen are True Fixed plans. Clear Energy Facts properly categorizes and ranks them from least to most expensive. These plans offer the lowest risk of paying more than expected.

However, other comparison websites and electricity brokers often feature plans that appear cheaper on paper than True Fixed plans. These are known as bill-credit plans. They offer a credit when your usage reaches a specific threshold, but the underlying rate is usually much higher. If you miss that threshold—even by a small amount—you lose the entire credit. Because electricity usage changes throughout the year, many customers will miss the threshold during several months of their contract.

For more information, read our main guide to bill-credit plans. As an example, the table below estimates the actual cost by housing type using the lowest advertised bill-credit rate we currently track.

Use the filters to apply the plan’s actual charges and credits to different Mcallen housing and heating profiles over 12 months.

Estimated yearly cost

$1,965

Average month

$164

True yearly rate

14.4¢

Total annual bill divided by annual usage

Season Usage (kWh) Energy + delivery Base cost Bill credit Estimated bill Effective rate
Dec - Feb 1,200 $235.25 $3.24 −$125.00 $113.49 9.5¢
Mar - May 850 $166.64 $3.24 $0.00 $169.88 20.0¢
Jun - Aug 1,600 $313.67 $3.24 −$125.00 $191.91 12.0¢
Sep - Nov 900 $176.44 $3.24 $0.00 $179.68 20.0¢

Top 5 Reviewed Electricity Companies in Mcallen

Highest review scores among True Fixed providers currently listed for Mcallen.

Rank #1 Score 4.59/5
Spark Energy

Spark Energy

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

From 9.9¢ @ 1000 kWh

2 eligible plans

Read Full Review
Rank #2 Score 4.29/5
Cleansky Energy

Cleansky Energy

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

From 12.3¢ @ 1000 kWh

6 eligible plans

Read Full Review
Rank #3 Score 4.24/5
Champion Energy

Champion Energy

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

From 12.7¢ @ 1000 kWh

5 eligible plans

Read Full Review
Rank #4 Score 4.23/5
Constellation

Constellation

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

From 10.6¢ @ 1000 kWh

2 eligible plans

Read Full Review
Rank #5 Score 4.16/5
Southern Federal

Southern Federal

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

From 10.5¢ @ 1000 kWh

4 eligible plans

Read Full Review

Do I Need to Pay a Deposit to Enroll in an Electricity Plan in McAllen?

It depends. There are two main ways account setup is handled in the Texas electricity market:

Post-paid Plans (Credit-Based): Most of the plans listed on this page are post-paid plans. These are traditional “use now, pay later” contracts.
  • Credit Check: The provider will usually perform a soft credit check, which does not affect your credit score. 
  • Deposit Requirements: If you have decent to excellent credit, you likely will not be required to pay a deposit. However, if you have poor credit history, you may need to pay a deposit, typically between $150 and $400. 
  • Refunds: These deposits are usually refundable after a year of on-time payments or when you close your account.

Prepaid Plans (No Deposit / No Credit Check): If you want to avoid both a credit check and a deposit, prepaid plans are usually your best option.
  • How It Works: These plans do not require a deposit or a credit check. We also have a specific section on this website dedicated to prepaid electricity. 
  • The Cost: Rates for prepaid plans are usually slightly higher than post-paid plans, but the difference is often small for low-usage customers, such as those living in small apartments. 
  • Recommended Provider: Payless Power is one of the top companies offering reliable prepaid electricity plans in Texas.

Pro Tip: Deposit Waivers: In Texas, you can often get your deposit waived on a post-paid plan if you are 65 or older, a victim of family violence, or if you can provide a Letter of Credit from your previous utility company showing 12 months of on-time payments.

How Switching Electricity Plans Works in McAllen: The 14-Day Rule

This is one of the most misunderstood parts of shopping for electricity in McAllen and across Texas. Many people think they have to wait until the last day of their contract to switch, but that is not true. If you wait too long, you could end up rolling onto a high month-to-month rate.

In Texas, you can switch to a new electricity provider up to 14 days before your current contract ends without paying an early termination fee. That means you do not have to wait until the exact expiration date. As long as your new plan starts within that 14-day window, your current provider cannot charge you a penalty for leaving early.

Even though the penalty-free window is 14 days, you can usually shop much earlier than that. Many providers let you lock in a new rate 30 to 60 days in advance, and sometimes even earlier. When you enroll, you can usually choose a future start date so the new plan begins when your current contract ends.

In most cases, the switch is handled for you. When you sign up with a new provider, they coordinate the change through the Texas grid system, so you do not have to cancel your old service separately under the normal switching process.

There is no interruption in power, and there should not be any overlap in service. Your old provider bills you through the switch date, and the new provider takes over after that. Most switches happen on the next meter read date, but in many cases you can also request a specific switch date to line up with your contract end date.

Frequently Asked Questions about Electricity Rates in Mcallen

What is the best 12-month True Fixed rate in Mcallen right now?

The Cheapest 12-month True Fixed plan right now in Mcallen is True Power — True Value 12, with a rate of 11.1¢/kWh at 1000 kWh.

What is the average electricity bill in Mcallen for a small apartment (electric heating)?

Priced at the average of every 12 month True Fixed plan in Mcallen, the estimated monthly bill for a small apartment with electric heating is $87.67. That average includes the TDU delivery charges and assumes no provider base charge, so it works as a reference point: a similar home paying well above it is probably on an expensive plan.

What is the average electricity bill in Mcallen for a large house (electric heating)?

Priced at the average of every 12 month True Fixed plan in Mcallen, the estimated monthly bill for a large house with electric heating is $232.49. That average includes the TDU delivery charges and assumes no provider base charge, so it works as a reference point: a similar home paying well above it is probably on an expensive plan.

What is the average electricity bill in Mcallen for a medium house (gas heating)?

Priced at the average of every 12 month True Fixed plan in Mcallen, the estimated monthly bill for a medium house with gas heating is $139.62. That average includes the TDU delivery charges and assumes no provider base charge, so it works as a reference point: a similar home paying well above it is probably on an expensive plan.

How do I know if a plan I choose is a True Fixed plan in Mcallen?

If you find a plan that looks good on another provider’s website, in an online ad, or even on Power to Choose, you can still use Clear Energy Facts to double-check it.

First, download or open the plan’s Electricity Facts Label (EFL). Then compare it using our EFL Inspector: EFL Inspector .

This tool helps you tell whether a plan is truly fixed, a bill-credit plan, a free nights/weekends offer, or something else.

Which TDU serves Mcallen?

The primary TDU serving Mcallen is AEP Texas Central. This TDU owns and maintains local delivery poles and wires, and also manages outage restoration.

How do I confirm the correct TDU for my address in Mcallen?

Check your current electricity bill or service paperwork for the delivery utility name. If you are moving, enter your ZIP code and address during enrollment to confirm the exact TDU.