Setting Up Utilities in Tyler, Texas
Tyler sits in Texas's deregulated electricity market, which means you don't get assigned a power company — you choose one. The local poles, wires, and meters are owned by Oncor, the transmission and distribution utility, but dozens of competing retail providers sell the actual electricity, so it pays to compare plans before you sign up.
The rest of the setup is more conventional: CenterPoint Energy handles natural gas, the City of Tyler runs water service for most of the city, and Optimum is the dominant cable and fiber internet provider, with availability that varies block to block.
Electricity
You can choose your providerTyler is in the deregulated ERCOT market. Oncor delivers the power and handles outages, but you pick your retail electric provider and can compare plans on the state's Power to Choose site.
Delivery utility (poles, wires & outages): Oncor
Compare electricity plans →Natural Gas
CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy is the natural gas utility serving the City of Tyler.
Water & Sewer
City of Tyler Water Utilities
Most of the city is served by City of Tyler Water Utilities; some outlying areas are on Southern Utilities Co. or a rural water supply corporation.
Trash & Recycling
City of Tyler Solid Waste Services
Residential trash and recycling collection is handled by the City of Tyler Solid Waste Services department; set up service through the city.
Internet
Optimum
Optimum is the dominant cable and fiber provider across most of Tyler, with AT&T and others available in parts of the city. Coverage varies by address — check the FCC map for your exact location.
Check your address (FCC map) →Electricity: You Choose Your Provider
Because Tyler is in the deregulated part of Texas, electricity service is split in two. Oncor is the transmission and distribution utility — it owns the lines, reads your meter, and is who you call during an outage — but it doesn't sell you electricity. That part comes from a retail electric provider you choose yourself.
That means it's worth shopping before you turn the lights on. Plans differ on price per kilowatt-hour, contract length, and whether the rate is fixed or variable. The state's official comparison site, Power to Choose, lists every provider serving the Oncor grid so you can compare apples to apples for your ZIP code.
Gas, Water, and Trash
Natural gas in the City of Tyler is provided by CenterPoint Energy. Water and sewer service for most of the city comes from City of Tyler Water Utilities, though some outlying neighborhoods are served by Southern Utilities Co. or a rural water supply corporation — worth confirming for your specific address. Residential trash and recycling collection is run by the City of Tyler, set up alongside your water account.
Internet
Optimum (formerly Suddenlink) is the dominant internet provider in Tyler, offering cable and fiber across most of the city. AT&T and other providers serve parts of town, and satellite options like Starlink cover the gaps. Broadband availability is address-specific and changes often, so the most reliable way to see what you can actually get is to enter your address on the FCC National Broadband Map.
FAQ: Utilities in Tyler
Yes. Tyler is in Texas's deregulated electricity market on the Oncor grid, so you choose your own retail electric provider. Oncor delivers the power and handles outages, but you pick who you buy electricity from and can compare plans on the state's Power to Choose site.
Oncor is the transmission and distribution utility (TDU) that owns the lines and delivers power in Tyler, but it doesn't sell electricity. You buy your electricity from a competing retail provider of your choice.
CenterPoint Energy provides natural gas in the City of Tyler. Water and sewer for most of the city come from City of Tyler Water Utilities, with some outlying areas on Southern Utilities Co. or a rural water supply corporation.
Optimum is the dominant cable and fiber internet provider in Tyler, with AT&T and others in parts of the city and satellite options elsewhere. Because broadband availability varies by address, check the FCC National Broadband Map for your exact location.
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