Public Utility Commission of Texas

The Public Utility Commission of Texas regulates electric, telecommunications, water and sewer utilities in Texas. It oversees the state's competitive retail electricity market, where customers choose a retail electric provider while the wires and poles remain with a transmission and distribution utility. That split matters when you complain, because the right target depends on whether the problem is about the contract, the bill or the physical service.

What the PUCT covers

• Retail electric providers that sell plans to homes and small businesses.
• Transmission and distribution utilities that deliver power and restore outages.
• Billing, switching, enrollment and contract disputes in the competitive market.
• Water and sewer utilities under state regulation.
• Telecommunications service and certain consumer protection rules.

What it does not cover

Municipal utilities and electric cooperatives have their own governance and are generally outside PUCT consumer complaint jurisdiction. The PUCT does not set the price of competitive electricity plans; those prices are set by retailers. It also does not handle cable television or internet content complaints, and it does not resolve disputes about the wholesale market or grid operations in the way a court would.

How to complain

Contact your retail electric provider or utility first and ask for a formal complaint. Note the ESI ID or account number, the dates, the plan name and the amount in dispute. If the company does not resolve it, file a consumer complaint with the PUCT online or by phone. The PUCT's consumer protection team can require a response and review whether the company followed the state's customer protection rules.

The PUCT can order a provider to correct a bill or change a practice when it finds a rule breach. It can also fine companies. It will not automatically award damages for inconvenience, so separate the money you can document from the frustration you want acknowledged.

Practical tips

• Check your plan's terms for an early termination fee before switching.
• Ask for the "facts label" for any plan you are offered, which sets out the price at different usage levels.
• Photograph the meter and keep outage timestamps if service quality is the issue.
• If the problem is delivery, complain to the wires company as well as the retailer.

The PUCT's consumer page and the state's price comparison site are the best sources for current plan rules. For the general US escalation process, read how to complain to a US utility commission.