Pick a Term Length With Your Renewal Month in Mind
Most people compare plans by rate and ignore a second lever: when the contract ends. A 12-month plan signed in July renews every July, at whatever the market charges that month — wholesale Texas prices are driven by summer cooling demand, which is why timing is worth checking at all. Rather than assert a seasonal pattern, we publish exactly what we've recorded: the table below maps each common term length onto its renewal month, next to the actual market medians from our weekly capture, week counts included.
In our published data so far (22 weeks since 2026-04), August has the lowest recorded median (12.8¢/kWh) and June the highest (13.9¢/kWh) — a spread of 1.1¢/kWh at 1,000 kWh.
| Term | Renewal lands in | Recorded median | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 months | March | no data yet | |
| 12 months | September | no data yet | |
| 18 months | March | no data yet | |
| 24 months | September | no data yet | |
| 36 months | September | no data yet |
What we've recorded, month by month
| Month | Median rate | Cheapest plan seen | Weeks recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | 13.8¢/kWh | 7.4¢/kWh | 4 |
| May | 13.7¢/kWh | 7.4¢/kWh | 4 |
| June | 13.9¢/kWh | 7.7¢/kWh | 5 |
| July | 13.7¢/kWh | 6.4¢/kWh | 4 |
| August | 12.8¢/kWh | 5.9¢/kWh | 5 |
Method and limits
Rates are the weekly market-median "average price" at 1,000 kWh across standard-priced plans in our public inventory — the same definition and dataset as our weekly price-trends data, which starts 2026-04. Each month's figure is the median of its recorded weeks, with the week count shown; a month backed by two weeks is weaker evidence than one backed by five, and months we haven't lived through yet say "no data yet" rather than borrowing numbers from elsewhere. This is a record of history, not a forecast — but the physics behind it (summer cooling demand) recurs every year.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the month my contract ends matter?
Because you shop for your next plan in that month, at that month's prices. Texas retail prices track wholesale costs, which are driven by summer air-conditioning demand — so the calendar month you renew in can matter. A 12-month term locks you into the same shopping month every year; an 18-month term rotates it. Whether that difference is currently large or small is exactly what the recorded table on this page shows.
Is this a price forecast?
No. The table shows the market-median rates we actually recorded, week by week, for each calendar month since our published dataset began — with the number of weeks behind each figure. Months we haven't observed yet say 'no data yet.' Historical patterns don't guarantee future prices; they're simply the best available evidence for seasonal shape.
Which term lengths actually exist in the Texas market?
12, 24, and 36 months dominate, and 6- and 18-month terms are common. Odd lengths like 14 or 15 months appear occasionally and can be genuinely useful — they shift a summer-ending contract into a spring renewal. Our comparison tool shows each plan's term next to its estimated bill.
What should I do if my contract ends in summer?
You have two honest options: pick a non-12-month term now so future renewals land in a cheaper month, or accept the summer renewal but shop early — providers let you switch without an early-termination fee in the final 14 days of a contract. Avoid rolling onto a default month-to-month (holdover) rate, which is typically the most expensive option of all.