Glossary
What is an EFL?
Electricity Facts Label (Texas)
In short
An Electricity Facts Label (EFL) is a one- or two-page disclosure that every Texas retail electric provider (REP) must publish for every residential plan, under PUCT Substantive Rule §25.475². It shows the all-in average price per kilowatt-hour at three monthly usage tiers — 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh — plus the plan's term length, the early-termination fee (ETF), the renewable-energy percentage, the billing/payment fees, and whether the rate is fixed or variable. The EFL is what makes apples-to-apples plan comparison possible in Texas. It is the single most useful document a household will read before signing a power contract.
What is on an EFL
Per §25.475 every EFL must disclose, at minimum²:
- Identity and contact — the REP's certified name, PUCT certification number, mailing address, toll-free number, and website.
- Pricing structure — fixed-rate or variable-rate; the average ¢/kWh at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh; the underlying energy rate; the TDU pass-through charges; and any bill credits or tier-based pricing rules.
- Term length and renewal logic — months of the contract, what happens at the end (auto-renewal vs. month-to-month default), and the notice window before that rollover.
- Fees — early-termination fee (ETF), late payment, disconnect/reconnect, deposit policy.
- Renewable-energy content — the percentage of your usage matched by retired Renewable Energy Certificates³.
The 1,000-kWh-vs-2,000-kWh honesty test
The most-quoted number on any EFL is the 1,000-kWh average price. It is also the one most plans optimize for at the expense of the other two tiers. Bill-credit plans are the textbook example: a $100 monthly credit triggered at exactly 1,000 kWh produces a very low advertised average at 1,000 kWh and a noticeably higher average at 1,500 or 2,000 kWh, where the credit's effective ¢/kWh value dilutes.
The honesty test: read the 500-, 1,000-, and 2,000-kWh averages side by side. A plan whose three averages stay close as usage rises is structurally honest. A plan whose 1,000-kWh number is sharply lower than its 500 and 2,000 averages is engineered for a household that lands on the credit threshold every billing cycle — and produces ugly bills the months that household does not.
Round Rock's August modeled household usage is 1,625 kWh — much closer to the 2,000-kWh tier than the 1,000-kWh tier. For a Texas summer household, the 2,000-kWh column is what the bill will actually cost.
How to actually read an EFL
- Open all three tier averages first. Skim 500, 1,000, and 2,000 kWh as a row before reading anything else. The shape of those three numbers tells you the plan's structure before any marketing copy does.
- Find the renewal section. Look for what happens at the end of the term and how many days of notice you have. Auto-renewal at a month-to-month rate is where most "my bill jumped" stories start.
- Check the ETF and the renewable percentage last. The ETF is real money if you switch early; the renewable percentage is the right place to verify a "100% renewable" marketing claim against the documented number.
Where to find an EFL
- Power to Choose (powertochoose.org) — the PUCT-run directory of every certified Texas plan. Click "Fact Sheet" next to any plan¹.
- Your REP's plan page — every plan link must publish its EFL alongside the marketing copy.
- Your enrollment confirmation email — the EFL was attached when you signed up. Keep that email; the EFL on file at the time of signing is the one that governs your term.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find the EFL for my current plan?#
Three places. (1) Your REP's plan page — every plan must link its EFL. (2) PowerToChoose.org — the PUCT-run plan directory; click "Fact Sheet" next to any plan¹. (3) Your enrollment confirmation email — the EFL was attached. Keep that email.
Is the EFL the same as my contract?#
No. The EFL is the summary disclosure; the full contract is the Terms of Service (TOS) and Your Rights as a Customer (YRAC) — also required documents under PUCT §25.475². The EFL is what you compare plans against. The TOS is what governs what you signed.
Why are the 500-, 1,000-, and 2,000-kWh rates different?#
EFL rates are all-in averages — they include the REP's energy rate, the TDU delivery charge (fixed monthly + per-kWh variable), and any bill credits or tier rates the plan applies. The mix of fixed and variable components changes the average price as usage changes. A plan that fronts a $100 bill credit at 1,000 kWh looks cheap at 1,000 and significantly different at 800 or 1,500.
Do variable-rate plans have an EFL?#
Yes — every retail plan in Texas requires an EFL, fixed or variable. Variable-plan EFLs disclose how the rate can change (the formula or methodology) but cannot guarantee a specific cents/kWh figure beyond the current month. Read those especially carefully — they are the plans where the EFL's 1,000-kWh number is least predictive of next month.
Can my REP change my plan mid-contract?#
Material changes to a fixed-rate plan during its term require written notice and a chance to switch without an early-termination fee, per PUCT §25.475². Renewal at the end of the term is the common pinch point — a plan that auto-rolls into a month-to-month rate is where most "why is my bill suddenly higher" stories start. Set a calendar reminder 30-60 days before contract end.
What does the renewable-energy percentage on the EFL really mean?#
The percentage describes the share of your plan's electricity matched by Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) the REP retires on your behalf — one REC per MWh of qualifying generation. Physically, the electrons reaching your meter are whatever ERCOT dispatches; the renewable claim is an accounting overlay, not a wire-side change.
Sources
- Power to Choose — official PUCT-run electric-plan directory; "Fact Sheet" link surfaces each plan's EFLRetrieved
- PUCT Substantive Rule §25.475 — General Retail Electric Provider Requirements and Information Disclosures (EFL, TOS, YRAC requirements)Retrieved
- ERCOT — Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) program documentationRetrieved