Reliant Energy Rates and Plans

Reliant Energy is an NRG company committed to offering Texans affordable electricity rates and quality customer service. Based in Houston, Reliant Energy strives to provide fixed and variable rate plans, long- and short-term contracts, and renewable energy options. Reliant also offers a satisfaction guarantee, permitting customers to switch to another of the company’s plans within 30 days of their service start date with no additional charge.

Interested in a Reliant Energy electricity plan? Enter your ZIP code above to see available plans in your area.

Clear Flex plan

This variable rate plan offers customers flexibility and freedom of a month-to-month contract and no early termination fees.

Secure Advantage 12 plan

With the Secure Advantage 12 plan, you will receive a fixed rate for the duration of your 12-month contract. You will also receive a lower rate for using at least 800 kWh each month.

Truly Free 7 Days 12 plan

This fixed rate plan provides free electricity on your seven highest-usage days each month and does not charge delivery fees. Customers who enroll in this plan will also receive a free Google Nest Hub smart display.

Truly Free Nights 12 plan

The Truly Free Nights plan offers a fixed rate during the day and free electricity each night between the hours of 8 pm and 6 am and does not charge delivery fees. Customers who enroll in this plan will also receive a free Google Nest Hub smart display.

Truly Free Weekends 12 plan

With this 12-month plan, you will receive a fixed rate during the week and free electricity from 8 pm Friday to 12 am Monday. The Truly Free Weekends plan does not charge delivery fees and also offers customers a free Google Nest Hub smart display.

Choose Energy score: 4.8 out of 5

Shopping for a deregulated energy plan can seem overwhelming. With the sheer number of potential energy providers, many find it difficult to narrow down their options. Choose Energy wants to help empower consumers to find the right electricity plan at an affordable rate.

To ensure that our customers are able to choose a great energy provider, Choose Energy compiled a scoring model to review top electric providers in Texas. The Choose Energy reviews model is based on unbiased and quantitative criteria to ensure provider scores remain objective.

We’ve broken down our scoring model into three main categories:

• Customer service
• Online accessibility
• Business history

Using these criteria, Choose Energy assigns impartial reviews to top electricity providers in Texas. To learn more about electric provider reviews, see our full list of reviews here.

Customer service: 4.5 out of 5

• P2C complaint score: 4
• Satisfaction guarantee: 5

A good P2C complaint score on the Public Utility Commission of Texas’ scorecard leads the way for Reliant in the customer service category. The company also fared well because of its satisfaction guarantee, ranked on a yes or no basis.

Online accessibility: 5.0 out of 5

• Online bill pay: 5
• Online chat: 5
• Access to usage alerts & trends: 5

Reliant swept the online accessibility category, where all three factors were assessed on a yes or no basis. Online bill pay, chat, and usage alerts combined to earn Reliant top marks here.

Business history: 5.0 out of 5

• Years in business: 5
• Better Business Bureau accreditation: 5

An NRG brand, Reliant boasts a lengthy track record in the deregulated energy space. It is also BBB accredited with an A+ rating. While BBB is a paid accreditation, we use it here as a measure of trustworthiness in the eyes of the consumer.

(Review updated 1/26/2021)

Reliant Energy for home

Reliant Energy offers Texas residents variable and fixed rate plans with short- and long-term contract options. Choose from plans providing flat rate pricing, month-to-month contracts, or renewable energy options to get the energy supply that fits your needs.

Reliant Energy for business

Reliant Energy aims to provide affordable and reliable electricity plans to small and large businesses. The company offers tools and resources to help meet any business owner’s needs.

Renewable energy with Reliant Energy

Reliant Energy offers green energy plans powered by 100 percent solar energy. Reliant Energy strives to make these plans budget-friendly and easy to understand. Many of these plans are also sourced by local Texas solar farms.

Home security

Texans can also enroll in Reliant Energy’s home security packages, which provide 24/7 monitoring and professional installation of smart security products.

Community outreach

Reliant Energy partners with more than 200 local charities, philanthropies, and causes across the state of Texas. In 2019, the company donated $3.5 million to these organizations and collectively volunteered for 7,000 hours.

• AEP Texas Central. This service area covers the cities of Corpus Christi, McAllen, Harlingen, and Laredo.
• AEP Texas North. This service area includes areas of northern Texas such as Abilene, San Angelo, and Vernon.
• CenterPoint Energy. The CenterPoint service area spans two million residences and businesses in the Houston metropolitan area.
• Oncor Electric Delivery. Oncor operates one of Texas’ biggest service areas, including Dallas, Plano, Paris, and other communities across the state.
• Texas-New Mexico Power. This service area covers communities in Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Midland.

What types of energy plans are available?

There are many plan types and rate structures you may encounter while searching for an energy plan. The most common options are fixed rate and variable rate plans.

• Fixed rate. With fixed rate plans, the rate you pay for electricity is set in your contract and will not fluctuate during your contract term regardless of changes in the energy market.
• Variable rate. With variable rate plans, the rate you pay for electricity will change based on the market. This means you could pay a lower rate when demand is low but may be hit with a higher rate when the energy supply runs low.

There are also different rate structures within these plan type. Not all fixed rate plans are the same, just as variable plans differ from plan to plan. For a more detailed look at plan types and how to choose between them all, see our guide.

Do you run a credit check?

Yes. Credit checks are a normal part of the energy buying process. Most providers require a credit check before they will offer you service. If you wish to avoid a credit check, prepaid electricity plans are available, although the rates may be more expensive.

Will I have to pay a deposit?

Possibly. Each provider assesses deposits based on your credit score. Customers who pass a certain credit threshold set by a provider may not be required to pay a deposit. When you select a plan, we’ll let you know if a deposit is required to begin service. If you’re interested in a guaranteed no-deposit option, prepaid plans are a popular choice. See our deposits page for more information.

What if I am moving?

When you move, you can choose to take your service with you to your new home or switch to a different provider without being charged an early termination fee. If you choose to switch, you can shop for a new provider up to 90 days before your moving date. Most homes have a smart meter installed, so you won’t have to arrange a technician visit. Learn more on our moving page.

What do I do if I want to switch providers?

Switching to a different provider is simpler than it may seem. However, it’s important to be aware of your early termination fee, which you likely have if you’re currently enrolled in a fixed rate plan. Variable plans typically allow customers to switch at any time without a termination fee. If your plan is about to end, you can switch providers up to 14 days before the contract expires without a fee. For more information see our guide to switching.

• Headquarters: Houston, Texas
• Bill pay: Log in to your Reliant Energy account here.
• Customer service: Call 1-866-222-7100.
• Outages: Contact your utility company

Updated: 7/7/2020