Which Texas Electricity Companies Charge Minimum Usage Fees
By
Rafael Morales
|
Texas electricity market
Minimum fees are one of the most disliked hidden charges in Texas electricity plans, especially for people living in small apartments. If you only use 400 kWh and the plan still adds a $9.95 minimum fee, it can make a noticeable difference in your monthly bill.
What makes minimum fees even worse is that their impact often does not show up in the advertised average prices at 500, 1000, and 2000 kWh. Here is a simple example.
Imagine a plan that adds a $9.99 minimum usage fee when consumption is below 500 kWh. The provider advertises the 500 kWh average price, but the fee only kicks in below that line.
Minimum fee example
This shows the problem clearly. At 499 kWh, the advertised 500 kWh rate still looks fine, but the true effective rate jumps, and the bill can be meaningfully higher. In many cases, the 500 kWh advertised rate simply will not catch it.
Example: How a minimum fee can change the real cost
The advertised 500 kWh rate can look normal, but dropping just below the threshold may trigger a minimum fee.
| Consumption |
Energy + TDU rate |
Base charge |
Min fee applies |
Advertised rate |
True rate |
Bill estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 kWh | 14.0¢ per kWh | $4.90 | No | 14.9¢ | 14.9¢ | $74.50 |
| 499 kWh | 14.0¢ per kWh | $4.90 | Yes ($9.99) | 14.9¢ | 16.9¢ | $84.50 |
Note: This is a simplified example to illustrate how a minimum fee can affect low usage. Actual bills vary by TDU area, fees, and plan terms.
This shows the problem clearly. At 499 kWh, the advertised 500 kWh rate still looks fine, but the true effective rate jumps, and the bill can be meaningfully higher. In many cases, the 500 kWh advertised rate simply will not catch it.
Companies could be more transparent by designing the minimum fee to apply at 500 kWh and below, so the 500 kWh advertised rate reflects the real cost for low usage customers. Unfortunately, some plans are structured in a way that hides the impact right below the advertised benchmark.
It is also important to clarify that a minimum fee is not the same thing as a base charge. A base charge is more common and usually less misleading because it impacts the bill at 500, 1000, and 2000 kWh, so the advertised rates tend to reflect it. Minimum fees are different because they often only apply below certain threshold.
Below is a list of companies and specific plan families where we found minimum usage fees. This analysis was performed in February 2026.
Amigo Energy, Just Energy, and Tara Energy
These companies are related and share very similar plan structures. We found minimum usage fees in the following plan families.
- Free Nights plans (Just, Amigo, Tara): Minimum fee around $4.99 when usage is below 400 kWh. This usually will not be caught in the advertised rate.
- Simple Choice plans (Just, Amigo, Tara): Same minimum pattern, about $4.99 when usage is below 400 kWh. This usually will not be caught in the advertised rate.
- Renter Choice plans (Just Energy): Minimum fee structure similar to the above.
- Apartment Essential (Amigo Energy) Minimum fee structure similar to the above
Infuse Energy:
- True Blue plans: Minimum fee around $4.95 when usage is below 500 kWh. This usually will not be caught in the advertised rate.
Revolution Energy
- Let Freedom plans: Minimum fee around $4.95 when usage is below 500 kWh. This usually will not be caught in the advertised rate.
Reliant
- Secure Advantage plans: Minimum fee around $9.95 when usage is below 800 kWh. In this case, the advertised rate generally does reflect the fee more clearly, but it can still surprise customers who use low power.
Before you sign anything, always read the Electricity Facts Label carefully, especially anything related to minimum charges or thresholds. When you are comparing new plans, you can also use our free EFL Inspector to quickly understand the plan structure and see how it compares against the cheapest truly fixed rate options in the market.
