Administration & Regulatory Affairs

Utility Regulation

This page lists the utilities currently regulated by the City.

The City exercises original jurisdiction (regulates) over the rates, operations and services of investor owned electric, gas and water utilities (IOUs) for customers inside city limits. The Public Utility Commission (PUC) and the Railroad Commission (RRC) have appellate jurisdiction over the City’s decisions. IOUs are granted authority to operate by the PUC for electric and water/sewer utilities and the RRC for gas utilities through a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN). CCNs are granted for an indefinite period of time.

The City also maintains local regulatory authority over the municipally franchised cable television providers.

The City also exercise its police powers over municipally-owned rights-of-way (ROW) and municipally-owned easements. The City enforces ordinances regulating digging in the ROW, closing traffic lanes, time-of-day restrictions, and restoration standards.

Houston Electric Utility Regulation (.pdf)

UTILITIES REGULATED BY THE CITY

Houston’s regulated IOUs include:

• Electric Utilities
• CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, LLC
• Entergy Texas, Inc.
• Natural Gas Utilities
• CenterPoint Energy Entex (Houston Division)
• Water Utilities
• Aqua Texas, Inc.
• Blue Bell Manor Utility Company, Inc.
• Champs Water Company
• Nitsch and Son Utility Co., Inc.
• Southern Water Corporation
• Cable Television Providers
• Phonoscope