Does Texas have net metering?

Texas has no statewide net metering rule. In the competitive ERCOT market (Houston, Dallas) your retail electricity provider decides whether and how much it pays for exports. Municipal utilities set their own rules: Austin Energy pays a Value-of-Solar rate on all your production, and CPS Energy in San Antonio nets usage against production each month.

What does Austin Energy pay for exported solar?

Under Value-of-Solar Rider (buy-all/sell-all style production credit), Austin Energy credits exported energy at 12.89¢ per kWh.

What does CPS Energy pay for exported solar?

CPS Energy offsets exported energy at retail under Monthly net billing with Net Excess Generation (NEG) credit.

What does CenterPoint pay for exported solar?

Under No net metering mandate; export credit only via a retail electric provider (REP) buyback plan, CenterPoint credits exported energy at Set by your retail plan; we model 0¢ unless you enter your plan’s buyback rate.

Texas Net Metering: How Utilities Credit Solar (2026)

Texas utilities compared

Utility	Export policy	Export credit	Avg. residential price	Monthly basic charge
Austin Energy	Value-of-Solar Rider (buy-all/sell-all style production credit)	12.89¢ per kWh^[1]	12.58¢ per kWh^[2]	$17.35^[3]
CPS Energy	Monthly net billing with Net Excess Generation (NEG) credit	Retail rate (net metering)^[4]	12.43¢ per kWh^[2]	$9.50^[5]
CenterPoint	No net metering mandate; export credit only via a retail electric provider (REP) buyback plan	Set by your retail plan; we model 0¢ unless you enter your plan’s buyback rate^[6]	n/a	$4.90^[7]
Oncor	No net metering mandate; export credit only via a retail electric provider (REP) buyback plan	Set by your retail plan; we model 0¢ unless you enter your plan’s buyback rate^[8]	n/a	$4.06^[9]

Average prices are EIA figures for each utility's residential customers; the basic charge is from the utility's residential tariff.

Austin Energy

Value-of-Solar Rider (buy-all/sell-all style production credit). Austin Energy meters total solar production and credits every kWh at the Value-of-Solar rate, separate from consumption, which is billed at normal tiered rates. Credits offset the electric bill. Any unused credit rolls forward month to month with no expiry, but has no cash value and is forfeited if the account closes.^[1]

Charges for solar customers: Applies automatically to Austin Energy accounts with on-site PV under 10,000 kW-ac; no separate solar rate plan required

Residential customer charge: $17.35 per month (inside City of Austin)^[3]
Value of Solar history: 9.91 cents/kWh in FY2023-FY2026; 12.89 cents/kWh in FY2027-FY2029 (fiscal year Oct-Sep)^[10]
Excess VoS credits: Unused credits roll over and do not expire, but have no cash value and end if the account closes^[10]
Third-party PPAs: Third-party solar power purchase agreements are not allowed in Austin Energy territory^[11]
Rebate minimum system size: Rebated systems must be at least 3 kW DC and mostly unshaded^[11]

Austin Energy tariffs · Austin Energy solar page · Serves Austin

CPS Energy

Monthly net billing with Net Excess Generation (NEG) credit. CPS meters energy delivered and solar surplus sent back each month and bills the net kWh. If surplus exceeds consumption in a month, the net excess kWh earns a low avoided-cost credit applied to the next bill (not exceeding that bill's total) and carried forward. Excess energy can only be sold back to CPS Energy.^[4]

Charges for solar customers: Standard Residential Electric Rate (RE)

Service Availability Charge: $9.50 per month (Residential Electric Rate RE, effective Feb 1, 2024)^[5]
Latest rate change: Rates rose 4.25% effective Feb 1, 2024 (the most recent increase shown on the CPS rates page)^[12]
Retail competition: CPS has not opted into retail competition, so San Antonio customers cannot pick a REP^[13]
Who buys excess energy: Excess solar energy can only be sold back to CPS Energy^[13]
DG review time: 20-25 working days from a complete application (current DG page)^[14]
Permission to Operate: PTO email within 24-48 hours after commissioning passes^[15]

CPS Energy tariffs · CPS Energy solar page · Serves San Antonio

CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, LLC

No net metering mandate; export credit only via a retail electric provider (REP) buyback plan. CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric is the regulated 'poles and wires' utility. It approves interconnection, reprograms the meter to capture excess generation, and passes the readings to the REP. Billing credits for exported energy come only from the customer's REP, and buyback options vary by REP.^[6]

Charges for solar customers: A REP plan that offers solar buyback; participation is optional

TDU fixed delivery charges (residential): Customer Charge $2.11 + Metering Charge $2.79 = $4.90/month, effective 02/26/26 (Revision 22); passed through on the REP bill, plus per-kWh charges and riders^[7]
Role of CenterPoint: CenterPoint delivers power for REPs and does not sell electricity to end users^[6]
Existing solar on a purchased home: New owners or renters must apply before turning on an existing system^[6]

CenterPoint tariffs · CenterPoint solar page · Serves Houston

Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC

No net metering mandate; export credit only via a retail electric provider (REP) buyback plan. Oncor is the wires utility. It handles interconnection, programs the smart meter to record surplus kWh, and sends that data to the customer's REP. Whether exports earn anything, and how much, depends entirely on the buyback terms of the REP plan the customer picks. Texas law requires the surplus to be sold to the customer's REP at a mutually agreed value.^[8]

Charges for solar customers: A REP plan that offers solar buyback; participation is optional

TDU fixed delivery charges (residential): Customer Charge $1.48 + Metering Charge $2.58 = $4.06/month, effective June 1, 2026; passed through on the REP bill, plus per-kWh distribution charges and riders^[9]
Retail choice: Oncor-area customers choose a REP; Oncor does not sell electricity or buy back surplus^[16]
Surplus data to REP: Surplus generation data goes to the customer's REP 30-60 days after PTO^[16]
Interconnection fees: No pre-interconnection study fees in general for small inverter-based systems^[16]
Battery interconnection: A battery that operates in parallel with the grid needs an interconnection agreement^[8]

Oncor tariffs · Oncor solar page · Serves Dallas

State rules that apply

No statewide net metering; exports sold to your REP at an agreed value: In retail-choice areas (e.g., Houston/CenterPoint, Dallas/Oncor), state law makes a solar owner sell surplus electricity to the REP serving their load at whatever value they agree on. REPs are permitted but not required to offer buyback, and there is no state-set export rate. Municipal utilities (Austin Energy, CPS Energy) and co-ops set their own policies.^[17]
Buyback contracts are optional for REPs: Utilities Code 39.916(h) says an electric utility or REP MAY contract to credit the net value of surplus solar electricity, so offering buyback is voluntary.^[17]
Right to interconnect distributed renewable generation: A TDU or electric utility must allow interconnection of on-site renewable generation (up to 2,000 kW) that has a five-year warranty and does not exceed the utility service capacity.^[17]
No extra liability insurance can be required: Utilities and REPs cannot make a compliant solar owner buy liability insurance they would not otherwise carry.^[17]
HOA solar access law (Property Code 202.010): HOAs generally cannot prohibit or restrict solar energy devices, with listed exceptions: they may set rules on roofline height, designated roof areas (unless an alternate spot raises output by more than 10%), slope/parallel mounting, frame and wiring colors, fence height, warranties and prior approval. A declarant may restrict solar during the development period for developments under 51 planned units.^[18]
2025 HOA amendment: solar roof tiles (HB 431): HB 431 (89th Legislature) amended Property Code 202.010 so its protections cover solar roof tiles (the definition now includes a solar roof tile). It became law without the Governor's signature and took effect immediately on May 29, 2025.^[19]
Residential Solar Retailer Regulatory Act (SB 1036, 2025): SB 1036 created Occupations Code Chapter 1806, regulating residential solar sales and leases through TDLR. It became law without the Governor's signature on June 20, 2025. Contract and cancellation rules took effect Sept 1, 2025; retailer/salesperson registration and the prohibited-acts enforcement subchapter took effect Sept 1, 2026.^[20]
5-business-day right to cancel solar sale/lease: Residential solar buyers and lessees can cancel without penalty by written notice within 5 business days of signing. An affiliated or referred lender must cancel the accompanying loan.^[21]
Required solar contract terms (Occupations Code 1806.155): Contracts must say installation will be done by a licensed electrical contractor (named, with license number), and that the retailer or contractor will get permits and utility interconnection approval.^[22]
Solar retailers and salespeople must register with TDLR: Since Sept 1, 2026, residential solar retailers and salespersons must be registered with TDLR. Prohibited acts (false statements, implying utility or government affiliation, ignoring no-soliciting signs) are enforceable. Civil penalties are up to $2,500 per violation, or up to $10,000 if a person over 65 was harmed.^[23]
Third-party plan review/inspection for home backup power (SB 1202, 2025): SB 1202 added Local Government Code 247.0025. A licensed master electrician, an electrical inspector, or another authorized third party may review plans and inspect home backup power installations (generators, energy storage, standby systems at 600 V or less for 1-2 family homes) instead of the city. The authority must issue the permit within 3 business days of notice. Signed June 20, 2025; effective Sept 1, 2025.^[24]
How to claim the solar property tax exemption: File Comptroller Form 50-123 with the appraisal district in the county where the property is located (not with the Comptroller).^[25]
SolarAPP+ in Texas: As of 2026-11-05, the SolarAPP+ jurisdiction list (solarapp.nlr.gov redirects to gosolarapp.org) includes these Texas jurisdictions: Celina, Denison, Houston, Irving, Tool and Waco. Austin, Dallas and San Antonio are not listed.^[26]

What it means for sizing and batteries

When exports earn much less than retail, each kWh you use at home as it is produced is worth more than one you export. Size to your daytime and evening use, shift loads (laundry, dishwasher, EV charging) to sunny hours or the plan's off-peak window, and price a battery against the gap between the retail and export rates.

The calculator uses each utility's export rate. City pages: Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio.

Texas Net Metering and Solar Export Credits