Setting Up Utilities in Carthage, Texas
Carthage is outside Texas's deregulated electricity market. Inside the city, power comes from Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), a single regulated utility — there are no retail plans to compare, you simply open an account with SWEPCO. Rural addresses around town are often on Rusk County Electric Cooperative instead.
The rest of the setup: CenterPoint Energy for natural gas, the City of Carthage Water Office for water and sewer, Waste Connections for residential trash, and a few internet options led by Fidelity Communications on the cable side.
Electricity
Single regulated providerCarthage is in SWEPCO's regulated, non-ERCOT territory, so there is no competitive plan shopping — you set up service directly with SWEPCO. Rural Panola County addresses may be served by Rusk County Electric Cooperative.
Provider: Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO)
Natural Gas
CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy provides natural gas service in Carthage; propane suppliers such as Automatic Gas Company serve homes beyond the gas mains.
Water & Sewer
City of Carthage Water Office
The City of Carthage provides water and sewer inside the city; rural addresses are served by water supply corporations listed in the city's new resident guide.
Trash & Recycling
Waste Connections
Residential trash collection in Carthage is handled by Waste Connections, the contractor named in the city's new resident guide.
Internet
Fidelity Communications
Fidelity Communications is the cable internet provider serving Carthage, with AT&T and fixed-wireless provider XGNET also available in parts of town. Availability varies by address — check the FCC map.
Check your address (FCC map) →Electricity: One Regulated Provider, No Shopping
Texas's deregulated electricity market only covers parts of the state on the ERCOT grid, and Carthage isn't one of them. The city sits in Southwestern Electric Power Company's (SWEPCO) regulated territory, so there's no Power to Choose comparison to run — you open an account with SWEPCO, the rate is regulated, and SWEPCO is also who you call about outages.
If you're moving to a rural address outside the city limits, check before you call: much of rural Panola County is served by Rusk County Electric Cooperative rather than SWEPCO.
Gas, Water, and Trash
Natural gas in Carthage comes from CenterPoint Energy; homes beyond the gas mains typically run on propane from local suppliers like Automatic Gas Company. Water and sewer service inside the city is set up through the City of Carthage Water Office, and residential trash collection is handled by Waste Connections. Rural addresses are usually on one of the county's water supply corporations instead of city water.
Internet
Fidelity Communications is the cable internet provider in Carthage, and AT&T serves parts of town along with local fixed-wireless provider XGNET. Satellite options like Starlink cover the rural edges of Panola County. Broadband availability is address-specific, so the most reliable check is to enter your address on the FCC National Broadband Map.
FAQ: Utilities in Carthage
No. Carthage is not in Texas's deregulated electricity market. Power inside the city comes from Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), a regulated utility, so there's no retail plan shopping — you set up service directly with SWEPCO.
SWEPCO serves the city of Carthage at regulated rates. Many rural addresses in Panola County are served by Rusk County Electric Cooperative instead, so confirm which utility covers your specific address.
The City of Carthage Water Office handles water and sewer inside the city. Natural gas comes from CenterPoint Energy, and residential trash collection is handled by Waste Connections.
Fidelity Communications is the main cable provider, with AT&T and fixed-wireless provider XGNET available in parts of town and satellite covering rural areas. Availability varies by address — check the FCC National Broadband Map for your exact location.
Sources & Verification
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