Can You Choose Your Electricity Provider in The Woodlands, TX?

It depends on which street you live on. The Woodlands is split between two electric utilities: Entergy Texas, a regulated utility whose customers cannot choose a provider, and CenterPoint Energy, whose customers pick their own retail electric provider. The Woodlands Township describes Entergy as the main distributor for most of the community, and Creekside Park sits in the CenterPoint area, per the Township’s utilities page as of October 2026.

This surprises buyers more than it should. People move here from Houston, where shopping for an electricity plan is normal, and expect to do the same thing. Then they call to set up service and find out there is nothing to shop for. Other people move into Creekside Park expecting one utility and get a stack of plan offers instead.

Two Utilities, Two Different Ways to Buy Power

Here is how the split works in plain terms:

	Entergy Texas area	CenterPoint Energy area
Can you choose a retail provider?	No	Yes
Who sets your rate?	Entergy, regulated by the Public Utility Commission of Texas	The retail provider and plan you pick
Who sends the bill?	Entergy	Your retail provider
Who fixes outages?	Entergy	CenterPoint
Where it applies in The Woodlands	Most of the community, per the Township	Creekside Park and other CenterPoint sections

The line between the two does not follow village names neatly, so never guess from the neighborhood. The Township’s Address Lookup tool gives the answer for a specific property.

If You Are Buying a Home Here

Find out which utility serves the house before you write the offer, not after closing. It changes how you budget and what you do in the week you move in.

On an Entergy address, the move is simple. You call Entergy, set a start date for your closing day, and you are done. Your rate is the regulated rate, the same as your neighbors on Entergy.

On a CenterPoint address, you have a decision to make. You pick a retail provider and a plan, usually through the state’s Power to Choose site, which is run by the Public Utility Commission. Read the plan’s Electricity Facts Label before you sign. The advertised price often depends on how much power you use each month, and a big Texas house in August uses a lot. Look at the contract length and the early termination fee, too.

Either way, ask the seller for twelve months of electric bills. It is the fastest way to see what the house costs to cool in summer, and it tells you which utility you are dealing with. We fold that request into the same list as the HOA and water questions, because our breakdown of hidden costs of buying in The Woodlands is where most buyers’ surprises live.

If You Are Selling

Do not cancel service the day you sign the contract. Keep the power on through the final walkthrough and closing, because a buyer’s inspector and appraiser need lights, air conditioning and working outlets. Set your stop date for the day after closing.

If you are on a CenterPoint address with a fixed-rate plan, call your provider before you list. Ask what happens to your contract when you move, and whether they will waive the early termination fee or move the plan to your next address. Some do, some do not, and it is easier to sort out before the move than after.

The Outage Question Creekside Park Keeps Asking

Creekside Park residents have complained about power outages on the CenterPoint side for years. After Hurricane Beryl in 2024, the Houston Chronicle reported that local officials were pushing to move Creekside Park and Sterling Ridge from CenterPoint to Entergy, while noting it was not clear the switch was practical or even possible. We have not seen that change happen as of October 2026. If it matters to you, check with the Township before you count on it.

Peter has helped buyers and sellers in The Woodlands since 2004, and this is one of the questions that comes up on almost every relocation. It is a small detail. It also decides whether your first phone call after closing takes five minutes or an afternoon. If you want a second set of eyes on the rest of a house’s monthly costs, our guide to The Woodlands HOA fees by village and our piece on the Woodlands water infrastructure fee cover the other two bills buyers ask about most.

The Move Live Love TX Team™ is a husband-and-wife real estate team serving The Woodlands, Houston and the surrounding areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pick my own electricity company in The Woodlands?

Only if your home sits in the CenterPoint Energy area. The Woodlands is split between two electric utilities, and homes served by Entergy Texas cannot choose a retail provider, while homes on CenterPoint's lines pick their own retail electric provider, per The Woodlands Township.

How do I find out whether a Woodlands address is Entergy or CenterPoint?

Use The Woodlands Township's Address Lookup tool on its website, which shows the utility serving a specific property. If you are buying, ask the seller for a recent electric bill too, since the company name on the bill settles it in about ten seconds.

Is Creekside Park on Entergy or CenterPoint?

Creekside Park is in the CenterPoint Energy area, so residents there choose their own retail electric provider. Houston Chronicle reporting after Hurricane Beryl in 2024 covered a push by local officials to move Creekside Park and Sterling Ridge to Entergy, and that change was described as uncertain.

Who do I call when the power goes out in The Woodlands?

Call the utility that owns the lines, not the company that sends your bill. Entergy Texas handles outages in its area, and CenterPoint Energy handles outages and restoration in its area, even when your bill comes from a separate retail provider.