Getting a New or Smart Commercial Electric Meter in Texas

Short answer: in the competitive parts of Texas, your wires utility (the TDU) installs and owns your commercial electric meter, not your electricity provider. Your electrician builds the customer-side equipment. Your retail electric provider (REP) places the move-in order. The smart electric meter the TDU sets then records your usage in 15-minute intervals, and you can download that data from Smart Meter Texas.

People get this wrong all the time, and it's easy to see why: the REP sends the bill, so it seems like the REP should send the meter. It doesn't. This guide covers the three ways a Texas business ends up with a new or upgraded meter, what each TDU publishes about its process, what the meter costs, what a smart meter records, and where meter-related charges land on a commercial bill.

Up front: Elite Energy Consultants is an energy broker. We don't install meters, and we can't speed up a utility crew. Our part is the supply contract: timing it to the date the meter is set, and using the meter's data to price it.

Who Installs and Owns a Commercial Electric Meter in Texas?

The TDU Owns the Meter, Whichever REP You Buy From

The PUCT's meter rule is blunt. Each electric utility "shall provide and install and shall continue to own and maintain all meters," and meter data goes to the utility, the REP and ERCOT as a condition of service. See 16 TAC §25.121(b) and (f).

So a commercial meter installation in CenterPoint, Oncor, AEP Texas, TNMP or Lubbock Power & Light territory is the TDU's job. Switching REPs later doesn't change the meter, and your REP can't swap one in for you. For the full split of responsibilities, see REP vs. TDU in Texas.

None of this applies in a municipal-utility or co-op area without retail choice, such as CPS Energy in San Antonio or Austin Energy in Austin. There, the local utility handles metering and your retail account under its own rules. If you aren't sure which kind of area you're in, start with which Texas cities are deregulated.

What Your Side Supplies

The utility owns the meter. The customer provides the place to put it. Under §25.121(d)(2), the customer supplies, at no cost to the utility, the space for meters, the meter board, the meter loop, safety service switches where required, and an anchor for the service drop. Local practice varies at the edges:

• Lubbock Power & Light has the customer supply the meter base for services of 400 amps or less. Above 400 amps, LP&L supplies the meter base and the current-transformer (CT) metering. See its Commercial Electric Service Request Form.
• TNMP has the customer build the meter loop to TNMP's standards, and the loop must pass TNMP's inspection. See the TNMP Commercial Service Packet.

Meter-base, CT-cabinet and clearance specifications belong to each utility. Your electrician should work from the current book, such as Oncor's Electric Service Guidelines or the AEP Meter and Service Guide, not from a summary.

Where a Broker Fits, and Where It Doesn't

A broker's work starts once the site has an ESI ID. At that point it can shop supply, line the contract start up with the move-in date, and read interval data to price the load. It doesn't design, schedule, install or energize utility facilities, and it can't guarantee a date. One rare exception to utility ownership exists. PUCT rule §25.311(c) lets commercial and industrial customers choose a meter owner, and the TDU tariff limits that choice to customers ERCOT requires to have an interval data recorder (Oncor tariff §5.10.2). Very few businesses do.

Three Request Paths for a New Commercial Meter

Every investor-owned TDU uses the same PUCT pro-forma tariff for its service rules, so the basic clocks match across CenterPoint, Oncor, AEP Texas and TNMP (16 TAC §25.214(c)). Which clock applies depends on what's already at your address.

Path 1: A Smart Meter Is Already on the Wall

If a working meter already serves your space and nothing about your load or service is changing, you don't need a new meter. You need a move-in. Your REP submits it through ERCOT's registration process, and on a smart meter the TDU can usually start service without a site visit. Under the pro-forma "Move-In (Existing Standard Meter)" service, the TDU completes it on the requested date if it receives the order by 7:00 PM CPT and that date is an AMS operational day, meaning any day except Sunday or a holiday. The service isn't available while inspections, permits or construction are still outstanding. The tariffed charge is $0.00 at CenterPoint and $0.55 at Oncor. That same-day clock is for a Standard Meter, which has remote disconnect. The rules require remote disconnect only on meters rated 200 amps or less, and a smart meter without it is an AMS-M meter. Oncor's tariff gives an AMS-M move-in a slower clock: the order must arrive by 5:00 PM CPT at least two business days before the requested date. See Oncor's tariff, §4.3.2.1, §6.1.2.1 and §6.1.4, and CenterPoint's tariff, §6.1.2.1.

That clock covers only the TDU's part. Switch holds, credit review and REP processing come before it. The new-location setup guide walks through those, and the new-location checklist puts them in order.

Path 2: The Site Is Meter-Ready but Has No Meter

Sometimes the service equipment is built and inspected and all that's missing is the meter. That's the "Move-In (New Standard Meter)" service. The TDU installs the meter on the requested date if that date is a business day and the order arrives by 5:00 PM CPT at least two business days ahead. Otherwise it installs the meter within two business days of receiving the order. As with Path 1, the service isn't available while inspections, permits or construction other than the meter itself remain. The tariffed charge is $213.00 at CenterPoint and $28.70 at Oncor.

CenterPoint adds two practical points on its ESI ID request page. Where permits apply, it must receive them before it installs meters. And where no CenterPoint construction is needed, "meters are usually installed within 3-5 business days from the scheduled start date of the move-in request received from your retail electric provider." That's the utility's description of typical practice, and the tariff clock is a separate measure. Treat neither as a promise.

Path 3: New Construction, a Service Upgrade or Added Load

If the utility has to build anything, whether a new service, a bigger transformer or a line extension, the work runs under the TDU's Facilities Extension Policy. That policy covers standard and non-standard facilities, upgrades for added load, temporary facilities and relocations. The REP may request initiation, but the TDU sets the terms. It may require a Facility Extension Agreement and a contribution in aid of construction (CIAC) or an advance before it starts. Within 10 business days of a detailed request, it gives an estimated completion date and cost. For non-residential projects, the completion time is "the time estimated by Company." The 90-day standard in the tariff applies only to new residential service. When construction is done, service starts the way Path 2 does. See Oncor's tariff, §4.3.2.2 and §5.7.1 to §5.7.3. The same pro-forma language appears in CenterPoint's tariff.

One gate catches many projects: the TDU won't interconnect until it's notified that the local authority approved your electrical installation (Oncor Electric Service Guidelines, §100.02.03). For the full dependency schedule, including the address, load package, easements, permits and REP enrollment, use Path C of the new-location setup guide.

LP&L is the exception to all of this. §25.214 governs investor-owned TDUs, and LP&L is a municipal utility that opted into retail choice, so its timelines come from its own delivery tariff and request form.

How Commercial Meter Installation Works at Each Texas TDU

CenterPoint Energy (Houston Area)

If CenterPoint has to build anything, you submit an Electric Service Request and CenterPoint assigns a Service Consultant. According to its ESI ID request page, CenterPoint emails the ESI ID "once construction is nearing completion" and asks you to wait two business days after receiving it before contacting a REP. The service address must be permanently labeled, and grouped meters need engraved or stamped labels. Multi-unit ESI ID requests go to a dedicated inbox. The ESI ID is the identifier your REP enrolls; our ESI ID lookup guide explains how to find one.

Be careful with CenterPoint's general "Getting Connected" page. It covers several states and includes gas service, so its average timeline isn't a figure for Texas electric service.

Oncor (Dallas–Fort Worth, Midland, Odessa, Waco and More)

Oncor takes new service requests through its New Construction Portal commercial request. Its commercial new-construction page says that once the main infrastructure is energized and the site is ready, an underground service order is targeted for a crew within 10 business days. Oncor's Electric Service Guidelines add some rules electricians need to know:

• Electricians must call Oncor before pulling a self-contained meter. Oncor charges for unauthorized removal, and only Oncor removes 480-volt self-contained meters.
• Disconnect, reconnect, seal and lock-band work is requested through Oncor's Electrician Connect portal.
• Oncor won't interconnect until the local inspection approval has come through.

For special metering equipment, Oncor uses a Discretionary Service Agreement at tariffed charges. Customers who want energy pulses for a load-management system sign a Pulse Agreement. See Oncor Commercial Metering.

AEP Texas (Corpus Christi, the Rio Grande Valley, South and West Texas)

AEP Texas takes requests for a newly constructed business facility through its New Business Service form. Its Builders & Contractors page links specifications for meter bases, current transformers and three-phase underground service. AEP doesn't publish a commercial timeline, so get a project-specific date from its team. Its smart meter usage data is available on Smart Meter Texas.

TNMP (Gulf Coast, North and West Texas Service Areas)

TNMP's Commercial Service Packet sets out the sequence:

1. Meet a TNMP engineering designer, who inspects the site and discusses fees, including any CIAC. No work starts until the CIAC is paid.
2. Provide load information from your electrician, plus any easements.
3. Build the meter loop to TNMP standards. It must pass TNMP's inspection, and some cities require their own inspection as well.
4. After the loop passes, call TNMP for the ESI ID, then set up your REP.
5. TNMP sends a technician once the REP issues the turn-on order.

The packet says "in most cases the process will be completed in three to four weeks." The file is dated 2021, so confirm current timing and fees with TNMP before you plan around them.

Lubbock Power & Light (Lubbock)

LP&L's Commercial Electric Service Request Form has an electrical requirements section that a licensed electrician or engineer must complete. The form lists these timelines:

• 15 business days for a cost estimate.
• 15 business days for design after you pay.
• Up to six weeks to schedule a crew after design approval and material receipt.

The estimate is void if payment arrives more than six months after it was issued. Construction charges fall under §5.5 of LP&L's Delivery Service Tariff. Trade press reported in September 2025 that LP&L was scheduled to move onto Smart Meter Texas on September 29, 2025 (EnergyChoiceMatters). Confirm current data access with LP&L before you rely on it. For the Lubbock market itself, see commercial electricity in Lubbock.

What Does a New Commercial Electric Meter Cost?

The Meter Is Usually the Smallest Part

Search for "electricity meter installation cost" and you'll find contractor ranges, mostly residential and unsourced. For a Texas business, the regulated side is written down, and the meter itself is rarely the expensive part. CenterPoint's Construction Services Policy works like this (tariff §6.1.2.2):

• The standard facilities for a delivery point include "one Standard Meter."
• Overhead extensions within the standard allowance are normally built at no charge. The allowance is 1,000 feet for three-phase and 2,000 feet for single-phase service, on public right-of-way or a dedicated easement.
• You pay for anything beyond the allowance, capacity increases along the route, non-standard facilities, and easements or rights-of-way. That payment is a nonrefundable CIAC, due before construction.

Allowance rules differ by TDU and are calculated project by project. Always get the TDU's written estimate.

One-Time Tariff Fees You May See

Sources: CenterPoint tariff §6.1.2.1 (discretionary charges sheet effective April 28, 2025) and Oncor tariff §6.1.2.1 (effective June 1, 2026). These are the TDU's tariffed amounts. Your REP passes them through and may add its own fees, so check the contract.

Why Nobody Can Quote "the Cost to Install a Commercial Meter"

The large numbers sit on the customer side and in the utility's line work: service-entrance equipment, the meter base or CT cabinet, conduit and trenching, a transformer pad, easements, redesigns after a load change, and any CIAC. All of that depends on amperage, voltage, distance and the site. So any honest figure for a business electricity meter installation comes from two written sources: your electrical contractor's bid and the TDU's estimate.

What a Smart Electric Meter Records, and How to Get Your Data

What Makes a Meter "Smart" Under Texas Rules

"Smart electric meter" and "smart electricity meter" are consumer terms. Texas rules say "advanced meter." Under 16 TAC §25.130(g)(1), an advanced metering system must provide or support minimum features that include:

• automated or remote meter reading;
• two-way communication;
• remote disconnect and reconnect, for meters rated at or below 200 amps;
• time-stamped data;
• interval data at 15-minute or shorter intervals, delivered to a web portal the day after;
• on-demand reads;
• onboard data storage to a recognized standard such as ANSI C12.19; and
• open standards and protocols such as ANSI C12.22.

In plain terms, that's 96 readings a day, posted the next day. The PUCT's metering page says smart meters have replaced the old mechanical meters. Most Texas premises have one, though opt-out and IDR meters still exist. The remote-disconnect requirement covers only meters rated 200 amps or less, and many CT-rated commercial services are larger. For what a kilowatt-hour interval actually measures, see kW vs. kWh on a commercial bill.

The TDU tariffs sort meters into four classes (Oncor tariff, Chapter 1 definitions):

• A Standard Meter has every required function.
• An AMS-M Meter has them all except remote disconnect.
• An IDR Meter provides interval data without qualifying as either of those.
• A Non-Standard Meter lacks one or more functions or has them turned off.

Getting 15-Minute Data From Smart Meter Texas

Create an account at Smart Meter Texas. It has residential and business account types, and the sign-up asks for details from your bill; the residential flow, for example, asks for the ESI ID, meter number and REP. The portal's reports include 15-minute interval energy data, daily meter reads and monthly billing information, and you can export them as CSV or Green Button XML (SMT user guide; SMT interface guide). SMT limits how far back you can pull interval history, so check the window on your own account before you plan a year-over-year comparison.

If you're not sure which number on the meter or the bill is which, how to read a commercial electric meter covers the display, the meter number and multipliers. Once you have the data, finding your 15-minute peak in interval data shows what to do with it.

Bigger Sites: IDR Meters and the 700 kW Line

ERCOT requires an interval data recorder (IDR) at premises with peak demand above 700 kW, or 700 kVA in CenterPoint's territory, and at premises served above 60 kV (ERCOT Nodal Protocols §18.6.1). Under §18.7, a TDU may settle such a premise on an advanced meter instead, either at its own discretion or on the customer's request with approval. Where you get the data depends on the meter. Oncor sends standard advanced-meter customers to Smart Meter Texas and IDR customers to its IDR Meter Data Portal (Oncor Commercial Metering).

Who Owns and Who Can See Your Meter Data

The retail customer owns the meter data for the premise it occupies and can assign access to it (CenterPoint tariff §5.10.2). The REP of record and ERCOT receive the data as a condition of service. Anyone else, including a broker, needs your authorization (§25.130(j)). What a letter of authorization does explains how that authorization works in practice.

Where Meter Charges Show Up on Your Commercial Bill

Metering Charge vs. Customer Charge

Every TDU rate schedule carries two fixed monthly charges, a customer charge and a metering charge, alongside its energy and demand charges. Your REP passes both through, and they're identical whichever REP you use. They also vary far more than most people expect. For many commercial accounts, "a few dollars a month" is wrong:

Monthly amounts as of September 1, 2026, from the PUCT's TDU rate reports. Riders such as TCRF and DCRF, energy and demand charges, and taxes are excluded. CenterPoint bills its metering charge per meter per month, and Oncor's report lists it per customer per month. The PUCT posts AEP Texas and TNMP reports in the same series. These are regulated tariff charges, identical across REPs, and they change with rate filings. For the rest of the delivery half of the bill, see Texas TDU delivery charges for businesses. For where each line sits on the page, see how to read a commercial electricity bill.

Why IDR-Metered Classes Cost More, and What Triggers Them

At CenterPoint, a secondary account over 10 kVA pays $86.69 a month in metering and $64.72 in customer charges once it's billed as IDR-metered. On the non-IDR class, those charges are $9.27 and $4.14. The IDR class also bills transmission on 4CP kVA. The trigger is billing demand, not hardware: CenterPoint applies IDR-metered charges once NCP demand has exceeded 700 kVA in any previous billing month, "regardless of whether their Meter is an IDR Meter, a Standard Meter or other Meter" (CenterPoint tariff §6.1.1.1.3).

Oncor works differently. Its secondary over-10 kW metering and customer charges are the same for IDR and non-IDR accounts. Once NCP demand has reached at least 700 kW in any previous billing month, though, Oncor bills its transmission cost recovery factor on 4CP kW (Oncor tariff §6.1.1.1.3). How a single peak sets those charges is covered in what a demand charge is, and 4CP in summer is covered in why Texas heat waves raise business bills.

One-Time Meter Fees on the Bill

Move-in fees, out-of-cycle reads, meter tests and non-standard metering fees show up as TDU pass-through lines. The amounts are in the one-time fee table above. If a line doesn't match a service you ordered, ask your REP which TDU service order it came from.

What Could Change: 12CP Is a Proposal

In June 2026, PUCT staff proposed in Project 58000 to replace 4CP transmission cost allocation with a 12CP method measured on 30-minute intervals. The proposal would also require certain distribution utilities to give ERCOT settlement-quality meter data for large-load customers (PUCT staff memo and proposal). On July 9, 2026, the Commission approved a revised proposal for publication that keeps those provisions, with comments due August 11, 2026 (approved proposal; RTO Insider). As of mid-September 2026, no final rule had been adopted. Treat it as a proposal until one is, and check the project docket for its current status. The 30-minute interval would measure 12CP demand only. ERCOT's retail settlement interval stays at 15 minutes under current protocols (Nodal Protocols §18.1).

Upgrading, Moving or Testing an Existing Meter

Adding Load or Changing the Service

A kitchen buildout, new compressors, EV chargers or a production line can turn a simple move-in into a utility project. The Facilities Extension Policy explicitly covers "upgrades of facilities due to Customer adding load" and "removal and relocation of facilities" (Oncor tariff §5.7.1). If you ask to move the meter, or changes to the premises require moving it, you pay for the wiring and equipment involved (§25.121(d)(4)). Path B of the new-location setup guide lists the changes that usually trigger a utility review.

Never Let Anyone Pull or Bypass the Meter

Oncor charges for unauthorized meter removal and treats tampering as a legal violation (Oncor Electric Service Guidelines, §100.04.04). If customer-side work needs the service de-energized, request it through the utility. CenterPoint's tariff offers a "Clearance Request" for that purpose, and Oncor uses Electrician Connect.

If You Think the Meter Is Wrong

On your request, the utility tests the meter's accuracy at no charge. If you ask again within four years and the meter tests within ANSI standards, the tariffed test fee can apply (16 TAC §25.124(c)). The tariff also sets the testing clock: within 10 business days for self-contained single-phase meters and within 30 calendar days for other meters (Oncor tariff §4.7.4). On larger commercial services, a wrong CT multiplier is a different problem from an inaccurate meter. The meter reading guide shows how to check it.

When the Utility Replaces Your Meter

CenterPoint is replacing its existing smart meters "as the current fleet of meters reach the end of their lifespan." Its AMS meter replacement page describes mailers three to four weeks ahead, a brief 10 to 15 minute interruption, and no charge. The page is written mainly for homes, so a business with sensitive equipment should ask CenterPoint about scheduling. Don't assume every TDU is replacing meters on the same schedule.

Can a Business Opt Out of a Smart Meter?

Yes. A TDU with deployed advanced meters must offer non-standard metering service. You pay one-time and recurring fees (CenterPoint's one-time fees run $93 to $220), and switching REPs can take up to 45 days (16 TAC §25.133). For most businesses it's a poor trade, because you give up interval data and same-day remote move-ins.

Lining Up Your Electricity Contract With the Meter Date

The supply side has its own sequence, and it depends on the meter:

• No ESI ID, no enrollment. A REP can't serve a premise until the TDU has created the ESI ID and the move-in is accepted. CenterPoint even asks you to wait two business days after it issues the ESI ID before contacting a REP.
• A new site has no history. Suppliers estimate its usage from square footage and type of business, and a bill from a sister location sharpens that estimate (see pricing a site with no usage history). Keep that estimate honest, because a contract with a narrow usage band can punish a site whose load hasn't settled yet.
• The meter becomes your best data. After a few weeks or months of 15-minute data, the smart meter shows your real load shape, including your peak and your load factor. That's worth reviewing before a longer-term contract or a renewal.
• Set the start date from the TDU's confirmation. Tie the contract start to the energization date the TDU has confirmed, not the date you hope for.

If you already have service and only want a different supplier, you don't need a new meter at all. See how to switch commercial electricity providers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who installs a commercial electric meter in Texas?

In the competitive areas of Texas, the transmission and distribution utility (TDU) provides, installs, owns and maintains the meter under PUCT rule 16 TAC §25.121. Your electrician builds the customer side, including the meter space, meter board and meter loop. The one exception is competitive metering, which lets a commercial or industrial customer that ERCOT requires to have an interval data recorder choose a different meter owner.

Does my electricity provider or broker install the meter?

No. Your retail electric provider (REP) submits the move-in order that tells the TDU to start service, and a broker like Elite Energy Consultants helps you choose a supply contract. Neither one designs, schedules, installs or energizes utility equipment.

How long does it take to get a new commercial electric meter?

It depends on the path. On an existing Standard Meter, the TDU tariff completes a move-in on the requested day if the order arrives by 7:00 PM CPT that day and it is an AMS operational day. At Oncor, a smart meter without remote disconnect (an AMS-M meter) needs the order two business days ahead. A meter-ready site that needs only a new standard meter gets it on the requested business day with two business days' notice, and CenterPoint says its meters are usually installed within 3 to 5 business days. Construction or an upgrade runs on the TDU's own project estimate, which it must give within 10 business days of a detailed request.

How much does it cost to install a commercial electric meter?

There is no single figure. The TDU's tariffed move-in fee for a new standard meter is $213.00 at CenterPoint and $28.70 at Oncor. The larger costs are usually any construction contribution (CIAC) the TDU requires beyond its standard allowance and the customer-side electrical work your contractor prices, and both depend on the site.

What is a smart electric meter?

In Texas, a smart or advanced meter records usage in 15-minute or shorter intervals, communicates two ways with the utility, can be read remotely and on demand, and sends its interval data to a web portal the next day. Meters rated at or below 200 amps must also support remote disconnect and reconnect.

How do I get my business's 15-minute interval data?

Create an account at Smart Meter Texas using details from your bill, such as the ESI ID and meter number. It provides 15-minute interval, daily and monthly data that you can export as CSV or Green Button XML. Oncor customers with an IDR meter use Oncor's IDR Meter Data Portal instead. Your REP of record and parties you authorize can also access the data.

What is a metering charge on my commercial bill?

It is a fixed monthly TDU charge for metering service. Your REP passes it through, and it is the same whichever REP you use. The amount depends on your TDU and rate class. As of September 1, 2026, CenterPoint charged $9.27 per meter per month for a non-IDR secondary account over 10 kVA and $86.69 for an IDR-metered secondary account.

What happens when my demand goes over 700 kW?

ERCOT requires an interval data recorder at premises with peak demand above 700 kW, or 700 kVA in CenterPoint's territory. Billing can change separately. CenterPoint applies its IDR-metered charges once demand has exceeded 700 kVA in any previous billing month, whatever meter is installed, and Oncor bills transmission cost recovery on 4CP demand once demand has reached 700 kW in a previous billing month.

Can I get a second meter for a new building or tenant space?

Usually, but it goes through the TDU, not the REP. A point of delivery normally has one meter, so a separate meter for a tenant space, sign or outbuilding is a request to the TDU's construction process. CenterPoint's construction policy, for example, addresses separate metering for tenant spaces in multi-tenant retail buildings. Ask the TDU before your electrician lays out the meter bank.

Can I ask the utility to test my meter?

Yes. Under 16 TAC §25.124 the utility tests the meter on request at no charge. If you ask for another test within four years and the meter is found accurate, the tariffed test fee can apply. At CenterPoint that fee is $54.00.

The Bottom Line

A new commercial electric meter is the TDU's equipment, installed on the TDU's schedule, under the TDU's tariff. The fastest projects are the ones that identify their path early: an existing-meter move-in, a new standard meter at a ready site, or a utility construction job with its own estimate. Once the meter is set, its 15-minute data shows your actual load, and you can use it to buy supply.