Learning Center
Electric Bills
Energy charges, delivery charges, base fees, and how to find the real number solar can offset.
By USSolar.shop Editorial TeamReviewed by USSolar.shop Editorial TeamUpdated August 20266 min read
Before you buy anything, learn what you are actually paying for. A Texas bill has parts solar can eliminate and parts it cannot.
The three parts of a Texas bill
Understanding the split tells you your realistic best-case savings.
- Energy charge: cents per kWh from your retail provider — solar offsets this
- Delivery charge: TDU fees for poles and wires — partly volumetric, partly fixed
- Base or customer charge: a flat monthly fee that solar does not remove
Finding your all-in rate
Divide your total bill by the kWh used. That all-in number, usually 13 to 16 cents in Texas, is what a solar kWh is actually worth to you. Marketing rates quoted at 500 or 2,000 kWh usage tiers are rarely what you pay.
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Cut usage before you size a system
Attic insulation, duct sealing, and an HVAC tune-up frequently cut summer usage 10% to 20% in Texas homes. Every kWh you don't use is a kWh you don't have to buy panels for.