Setting Up Utilities in Livingston, Texas
Livingston is one of the few Texas towns that runs its own power company. The Livingston Municipal Electric System, city-owned since 1922, serves the town and buys its wholesale power through the Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency — so there are no competing retail plans to shop. The upside is one-stop setup: electricity, water, sewer, and garbage all go on a single City of Livingston account opened at City Hall.
Beyond the city bill, CenterPoint Energy provides natural gas, and internet is stronger than most rural towns thanks to Eastex Telephone Cooperative's fiber network, with Optimum cable in parts of town.
Electricity
Single regulated providerLivingston owns and operates its own electric system, established in 1922 and serving 3,400+ customers, with wholesale power through the Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency. There is no retail plan shopping — you set up electric service with the city. Rural Polk County addresses are typically on Sam Houston Electric Cooperative instead.
Provider: Livingston Municipal Electric System
Natural Gas
CenterPoint Energy (Entex)
CenterPoint Energy (Entex) is the natural gas utility serving Livingston, per the Railroad Commission of Texas's list of gas utilities by city.
Water & Sewer
City of Livingston Water & Sewer
Water and sewer are city services billed monthly on the same account as electric and garbage; apply at City Hall on West Church Street.
Trash & Recycling
City of Livingston
Garbage service is provided and billed by the City of Livingston on the consolidated city utility account.
Internet
Eastex Telephone Cooperative (fiber)
Eastex Telephone Cooperative's fiber network covers much of the Livingston area, with Optimum cable in parts of town and satellite filling rural gaps. Availability varies by address — check the FCC map.
Check your address (FCC map) →Electricity: The City Is Your Power Company
Livingston sits outside Texas's deregulated electricity market, and inside the city limits the provider is the city itself: the Livingston Municipal Electric System has been municipally owned since 1922 and serves more than 3,400 customers. Wholesale power comes through the Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency, which Livingston shares with Jasper and Liberty, and the profits stay local, funding city services.
There's no Power to Choose comparison to run — you open one city utility account and electricity is on it. If you're moving outside the city limits, rural Polk County largely belongs to Sam Houston Electric Cooperative, also with no plan shopping.
Gas, Water, and Trash
Natural gas in Livingston comes from CenterPoint Energy, set up separately from the city account. Everything else is consolidated: water, sewer, and garbage are city services billed monthly alongside electricity, with applications taken at City Hall on West Church Street. That makes Livingston one of the simpler East Texas move-ins — most of the household basics are a single application.
Internet
Livingston punches above its weight on internet thanks to Eastex Telephone Cooperative, whose fiber network covers much of the area. Optimum cable serves parts of town, local providers like LivCom fill in with DSL and wireless, and satellite covers the lake country around town. Availability is address-specific, so check the FCC National Broadband Map for your exact location.
FAQ: Utilities in Livingston
No. Livingston has a city-owned municipal electric system, so you set up power directly with the City of Livingston rather than shopping retail plans. The city buys wholesale power through the Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency.
Inside the city limits, the City of Livingston itself — the Livingston Municipal Electric System has been city-owned since 1922. Rural Polk County is largely served by Sam Houston Electric Cooperative.
CenterPoint Energy provides natural gas. Water, sewer, and garbage are all City of Livingston services, billed monthly on the same account as your city electric service.
Eastex Telephone Cooperative's fiber covers much of the Livingston area, with Optimum cable in parts of town and DSL, wireless, and satellite options elsewhere. Check the FCC National Broadband Map for your address.
Sources & Verification
- City of Livingston — Electric (municipal system)
- City of Livingston — Utilities (water, sewer, garbage billing)
- Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency (wholesale supplier; member cities Jasper, Livingston, Liberty)
- Railroad Commission of Texas — Natural Gas Service to Texas Cities (Table 1A)
- BroadbandNow — internet providers in Livingston (Eastex fiber, Optimum)
- FCC National Broadband Map
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