ESID Lookup: Find Your Texas Electric ID

An ESID (Electric Service Identifier) is a unique number assigned to every electricity meter in the deregulated Texas market. Think of it as the Social Security number for your electric meter.^[1]

Every home, apartment, and business in ERCOT territory has a unique ESID. The number is tied to the physical meter location, not to you or your provider. When you move, your old address keeps its ESID. Your new address has a different one.

ESIDs are typically 17 to 22 digits long and start with a number that identifies your TDU (transmission and distribution utility). Oncor ESIDs start with "10." CenterPoint starts with "10" as well but with a different sequence. TNMP and AEP Texas have their own prefixes.

Your ESID is required for three key actions in the Texas electricity market.

Switching providers: When you enroll with a new REP (retail electric provider), they use your ESID to tell your TDU which meter to switch. Without it, your switch request cannot be processed.

Starting new service: Moving to a new address? Your REP needs the ESID for that address to connect your electricity. This is why moving day requires the ESID, not just the street address.

Verifying your account: Your ESID confirms you are the account holder at a specific meter. If there is a billing dispute or service issue, the ESID ties everything back to the correct physical location. No ESID ambiguity means no billing errors between neighboring apartments or units.

The fastest way to find your ESID is on your current electricity bill.

Look for "ESID," "ESI ID," or "Electric Service Identifier" on your bill. Different REPs put it in different places. Some list it near your account number. Others include it in the service details section or the TDU charges area.

Common bill locations by REP:

TXU Energy: First page, near the service address.
Reliant: Account summary section.
Direct Energy: Service details page.
Green Mountain: Near the meter number.

If you have online account access, log in and look under account details or service information. Most REPs display the ESID in your online profile alongside your meter number and service address.

No bill handy? You can look up your ESID online through your TDU.

Oncor: Use the Oncor ESID lookup tool at oncor.com. Enter your service address to find your ESID. Oncor serves Dallas-Fort Worth and much of North Texas.

CenterPoint: The CenterPoint Energy website offers address-based ESID lookup for Houston metro customers.

AEP Texas: Contact AEP Texas customer service or use their online tools for Corpus Christi and South Texas addresses.

TNMP: Call 888-866-7456 or check the TNMP website for Galveston and Central Texas addresses.

You can also call your current REP and ask them to provide your ESID. They have it on file and can read it to you over the phone in under a minute.^[2]

Your ESID and your meter number are not the same thing. This confuses many people.

The meter number is physically stamped on your electric meter. It identifies the hardware device. If your meter is replaced (upgrade, malfunction), you get a new meter number. Your ESID stays the same.

The ESID identifies the service point—the electrical connection to your home. It never changes unless the service point is physically relocated. Even if the meter is swapped, the ESID remains tied to that location.

When switching providers, always provide your ESID, not your meter number. REPs and TDUs route everything through ESIDs. A meter number alone cannot initiate a switch or start new service in the ERCOT system.

Wrong ESID on enrollment: If you enter the wrong ESID when switching REPs, the switch applies to someone else's meter. Always double-check the number. If this happens, contact your REP immediately to reverse the switch.

No ESID found for address: New construction sometimes lacks an ESID until the TDU completes the meter installation and registers it with ERCOT. Contact your TDU for new construction ESID timelines.

Multiple ESIDs at one address: Multi-unit properties (apartments, duplexes) have separate ESIDs per unit. Make sure you have the ESID for your specific unit, not a common area meter.

ESID lookup returns different TDU than expected: Some addresses near TDU territory boundaries may belong to a different TDU than neighboring homes. The ESID lookup confirms your actual TDU assignment.