In most of Dallas-Fort Worth, two companies are involved. Oncor is the delivery utility: it runs the poles, lines and meters and restores power after outages, and you can't choose it. Your retail electric provider is the company you picked to sell you electricity and send the bill. Some areas are served instead by an electric co-op or a city-owned utility.
In most of Dallas-Fort Worth, two companies are involved in your electricity. Oncor is the delivery utility. It runs the poles, lines, transformers and meters and restores power after outages, and you can't choose it. Your retail electric provider is the company you picked from the competitive market to sell you electricity and send the bill. Some areas around DFW are served instead by an electric cooperative or a city-owned utility, where one organization does both jobs.
What is the difference between Oncor and my retail provider?
Texas law defines the two roles separately. A retail electric provider is "a person that sells electric energy to retail customers in this state." A transmission and distribution utility owns or operates the equipment and facilities that transmit or distribute electricity (Texas Utilities Code §31.002). In most of DFW, Oncor is the transmission and distribution utility.
So there are two answers to "what electric company serves my area." The wires company depends on your address and you don't pick it. The company you buy power from, in most of DFW, you choose.
How do I find out which company serves my address?
- Look at your bill. The company that sends it is your retail provider, or your co-op or city utility if you're in one of those areas.
- If you're moving in and have no bill yet, search your ZIP code on Power to Choose (powertochoose.org). The Public Utility Commission of Texas created the site as a tool for choosing a retail electric provider (Texas Legislature, SB 602 bill analysis, 83R).
- Some cities publish it. Garland, for example, has a page to help residents identify their electric provider (City of Garland).
- Ask the seller, landlord or builder which company served the address before you.
Who do I call for an outage, a meter or a service upgrade?
| What's happening | Who to call |
|---|---|
| Power out on the whole street or neighborhood | Oncor |
| Line down, or a damaged pole or transformer | Oncor (and 911 if anyone is in danger) |
| Bill, rate, plan, or starting or stopping service | Your retail provider |
| Meter damaged or not working | Oncor |
| Power out in part of the house only | An electrician |
| Breakers tripping, flickering in one room, warm outlets | An electrician |
| Service upgrade or new meter base | An electrician, who coordinates with Oncor |
| Service mast pulled off the house in a storm | An electrician, then Oncor to reconnect |
Oncor's outage line is 888-313-4747, and customers can sign up for My Oncor Alerts to get outage updates by text (City of Arlington, My Oncor Alerts). If you're served by a co-op or city utility, call that utility instead.
When should I call an electrician instead of Oncor?
In practice, the meter is the dividing line. The panel, breakers, wiring, outlets and fixtures are on your side of it, and neither Oncor nor your retail provider repairs them. If the neighbors have power and you don't, or only part of your house is dead, the problem is almost always on your side. Check the breaker panel and reset any tripped GFCI outlets first. Our guide to dead outlets walks through that.
One pattern needs care. Lights that dim or brighten across the whole house can be a utility-side problem or a loose neutral on your side. If the neighbors see the same thing, report it to Oncor. If it's only your house, call an electrician, and treat lights that get brighter as urgent. Our flickering-lights guide explains how to tell the difference. A burning smell at an outlet or the panel always means switching off the circuit and calling that day (what to do).
Our diagnostic visit is $240, credited toward the repair if you go ahead. We offer same-day service, 7 AM to 7 PM Monday through Friday.
How does a service upgrade work with Oncor?
A service upgrade, such as going from 100 to 200 amps, is done by your electrician on your side of the meter: the meter base, service mast, main panel and grounding. It needs a city permit and inspection, and the utility has to disconnect the service and reconnect it once the work passes. Mansfield, for example, requires a passing city inspection for electric service release. Your electrician should coordinate the disconnect and reconnect with Oncor, so you don't have to.
In our 2025 Federal Pacific post, we published $2,500–$4,200 for a 100 A to 200 A upgrade and $400–$900 for a meter base (panel replacement costs). Every job still gets its own written quote. For the warning signs that a house has outgrown its service, see 8 signs you need a panel upgrade.
What if my address is served by a co-op or a city utility?
Some DFW-area addresses are not in Oncor's territory. Three examples we have confirmed from their own sites:
- United Cooperative Services, based in Burleson. Its territory includes all or parts of Johnson, Tarrant and Ellis counties, among others (United Cooperative Services).
- Tri-County Electric Cooperative, which started in Parker, Tarrant, Wise and Hood counties and has an office in Keller (Tri-County Electric Cooperative).
- Garland Power & Light, the City of Garland's municipally owned utility. It is the sole electricity provider for about 85% of Garland (City of Garland).
In these areas the same organization usually delivers and sells the power. Texas law lets a co-op join retail customer choice only if its board adopts a resolution to do so (Texas Utilities Code §41.051). If a co-op or city utility serves you, call it for outages and billing. Anything on your side of the meter is still an electrician's job.
Power problem on your side of the meter?
Same-day diagnosis and a written quote before any work. $240 diagnostic, credited toward the repair. Licensed Texas Electrical Contractor TECL #40628.
Electric company questions
In most of Dallas-Fort Worth, Oncor is your delivery utility. It owns and operates the lines and meters and restores power after outages. The company you buy electricity from and pay each month is your retail electric provider, which you choose. Some areas are served by an electric co-op or a city utility instead of Oncor.
If you're in Oncor's area and the outage covers your street or neighborhood, call Oncor at 888-313-4747. You can also sign up for My Oncor Alerts for text updates. If only part of your house has no power, check your breakers and GFCI outlets, then call an electrician. Co-op and city-utility customers should call their own utility.
Not the delivery company. Oncor serves your address based on where it is. What you can change is your retail electric provider, the company that sells you electricity and bills you. The Public Utility Commission of Texas created Power to Choose (powertochoose.org) to compare retail offers.
No. Oncor's side stops at the meter. The meter base, service mast, panel, breakers, wiring and outlets are on the homeowner's side and are repaired by a licensed electrician. For a service upgrade, your electrician does the work, the city inspects it, and Oncor disconnects and reconnects the service.
Usually not. Under Texas Utilities Code §41.051, an electric cooperative joins retail customer choice only if its board adopts a resolution to do so. Otherwise the co-op both delivers and sells your power. United Cooperative Services and Tri-County Electric Cooperative both serve parts of Tarrant County, and United also serves parts of Johnson and Ellis counties.
