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PROVIDER REVIEW
Reliant Review 2026
Reliant Energy has established itself as one of the most recognized retail electricity providers in Texas, backed by NRG Energy and serving the state for over two decades. Customer reviews reflect generally positive experiences, with a 4.5-star rating and a True NPS of 54, indicating solid overall satisfaction. However, the provider’s regulatory record shows 467 PUC complaints over the past 12 months—well above the industry average of 120. Additionally, a Billing Clarity Score of 38/100 suggests some customers find their bills difficult to understand.
RELIANT
Complete Provider Analysis
When evaluating Reliant, the data presents a mixed picture worth considering. While the majority of reviewers express satisfaction with their service—reflected in the above-average NPS—the elevated complaint volume filed with the Texas PUC points to recurring issues that affect a subset of customers. The Customer Service Score of 62/100 indicates room for improvement in support interactions. Prospective customers should weigh Reliant’s brand recognition and plan variety against these regulatory concerns when comparing options.
2TIO NPS REVIEW
Customer Satisfaction Analysis
Our NPS (Net Promoter Score) methodology filters out incentivized reviews, bot-generated feedback, and competitor manipulation to give you an accurate picture of real customer satisfaction.
Score Breakdown
How We Calculate NPS Scores
Our proprietary algorithm analyzes thousands of customer reviews from multiple sources including Google, BBB, and the PUC. We filter out reviews that show signs of manipulation, including incentivized feedback, review bombing, and bot-generated content. The resulting score reflects genuine customer sentiment based on real experiences.
PUC COMPLAINT HISTORY
Public Utility Commission Data
The Texas Public Utility Commission tracks complaints filed against retail electricity providers. Below is Reliant’s complaint history from the PUC database.
Total Complaints (12 mo)
467
Complaints per 10K Customers
0.50
Industry Average
1.20
Billing Complaints
197
Slamming/Cramming
39
Service Quality
3
Monthly Complaint Trends (Jan 2022 – Jan 2026)
Complaint Categories Explained
Issues related to incorrect charges, unexpected fees, meter reading disputes, and payment processing problems. This is the most common category of complaints across all providers.
Slamming: Switching a customer’s electricity provider without proper authorization or consent.
Cramming: Adding unauthorized charges or services to a customer’s electricity bill.
Issues with customer service responsiveness, account management, communication quality, and overall service experience.
Complaints about improper service disconnection, insufficient notice before disconnection, or issues with reconnection after payment.
VERIFIED CUSTOMER REVIEWS
What Customers Are Saying
Real reviews from verified Reliant customers. We display a balanced selection of positive and critical feedback to give you the complete picture.
Positive Experiences
Verified
“We just experienced a major ice and snow storm here in Texas where we get this weather 1-2 times each decade. We lost power on the first day and I was already getting text messages from Reliant letting me know what to expect and giving me info about when the power would be back and what to do while I waited. They were very responsive, proactive, and transparent. It was a good feeling to get access to actual people who responded and had answers.”
Verified
“I’ve been a Reliant Energy customer for over 9 years, and I’ve always had a great experience. Their customer service is friendly, responsive, and professional every time I’ve needed assistance. My billing has always been clear and accurate, and I really appreciate the flexible payment options and helpful energy usage insights that make it easy to manage my account. Reliant has been reliable through all these years, and I’ve never had any major issues with service or outages.”
Verified
“I don’t know what or how our electricity is so low monthly but I know we do this eco thing on our Google Nest and we are enrolled in another low usage plan along with free nights. We pay between $45-$60 monthly for a 2 bedroom 2 bath! It’s lovely! Never switching unless I can find free nights and weekends somewhere else, which is doubtful!”
Verified
“Last year I switched to a different provider when my contract ended with Reliant. Let me tell you what a mistake that was. My bills were $100 more each month. After the third month I had no issue taking a hit for ending the contract and returning to Reliant. The savings has more than made up for paying the broken contract fee. Stay away from Frontier and Gexa. They are greedy and shady.”
Verified
“I have been with Reliant Energy for 10+ years now. I will continue to be a customer because they do not hide your actual costs for electricity. Every other electric company I have looked into seems to have cheaper prices, but it’s an illusion. Reliant shows you what your actual cost is—their electric rate plus service carrier costs—while others just show you their electric rate without the service carrier fee that should be added to the per kWh costs.”
Critical Feedback
Verified
“Horrible experience. I live in a studio apartment, and they tricked me with the plan. They never told me it was for two years, and the average cost is a complete lie. They hire representatives who either don’t know what they’re doing or lie to sell you a plan. Now I’m paying more than when I lived in a townhouse. It’s disrespectful. I can’t access my account unless I accept a new three-year plan. When I try to open it, the ‘accept’ message pops up, and since I don’t accept, my account is locked.”
Verified
“My experience with Reliant has been extremely frustrating and financially damaging as a small business owner. This is by far one of the worst utility companies I have ever dealt with. The monthly bills are outrageously high. We are using a business electricity plan, but the charges are completely unreasonable and do not reflect our actual usage. Every month, the bill comes in much higher than expected, making it impossible to plan or budget properly. The pricing feels inflated.”
Verified
“Reliant does not care about current customers that pay on time. I’ve been with them for 6 years straight, called in to renew and they were wanting to apply $6.90 and $4.25 fees to every month’s bill, completely eating up the per kWh rate. The rate on the same plan I had was 7 cents more per kWh. Reliant, where is the appreciation for customer loyalty?”
FINAL VERDICT
Our Recommendation
Reliant: Conditionally Recommended
Strong satisfaction scores tempered by regulatory concerns
Reliant presents a mixed picture that warrants careful consideration. On the positive side, customer sentiment is notably strong: a 4.5-star Google rating and an impressive NPS of 54 indicate that most customers are satisfied and willing to recommend the service. The customer service score of 62/100 suggests reasonably responsive support. However, two significant concerns emerge from the data. The billing clarity score of just 38/100 indicates customers frequently find their bills confusing or unclear. More notably, Reliant’s 467 PUC complaints over the past 12 months nearly quadruples the industry average of 120—a red flag that suggests systemic issues requiring attention. While many customers have positive experiences, the elevated complaint volume means some encounter serious problems. Reliant may work well for customers who prioritize service quality and can navigate potential billing complexity.
Pros
- Excellent overall rating at 4.5 out of 5 stars
- Strong customer loyalty with NPS score of 54
- Good customer service performance (score: 62/100)
- Minimal service quality complaints (only 3 reported)
- Well-established provider with reliable energy delivery
Cons
- PUC complaints nearly 4x industry average (467 vs 120)
- Poor billing transparency score of just 38/100
- 197 billing-related complaints about confusing statements
- 39 slamming/cramming complaints warrant caution
- Bill communications may be difficult to understand
Best For
- Customers who value responsive customer service interactions
- Those comfortable reviewing bills carefully for accuracy
- Shoppers who prioritize overall satisfaction over regulatory track record
- Customers who prefer established, well-known providers
- Those willing to advocate for themselves if issues arise
PRICE COMPARISON
How Reliant Compares
See how Reliant’s electricity rates compare to other Texas providers. Prices shown are averages based on the selected monthly usage level.
Reliant Avg Price
18.1¢/kWh
Market Rank
#14 of 17
vs Market Average
7.4% above
Market Average
16.8¢/kWh
All Texas Providers (1000 kWh/month)
| Rank | Provider | Avg ¢/kWh | Lowest | Highest | # Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | APGE | 13.18¢ | 8.79¢ | 20.54¢ | 57 |
| #2 | 4Change Energy | 14.57¢ | 8.79¢ | 19.87¢ | 35 |
| #3 | Just Energy | 14.79¢ | 6.48¢ | 21.75¢ | 53 |
| #4 | Tara Energy | 15.09¢ | 13.29¢ | 18.43¢ | 14 |
| #5 | Energy Texas | 15.21¢ | 9.63¢ | 20.86¢ | 20 |
| #6 | Constellation | 15.92¢ | 14.52¢ | 17.32¢ | 5 |
| #7 | Rhythm Energy | 16.21¢ | 9.63¢ | 20.86¢ | 16 |
| #8 | Discount Power | 16.30¢ | 9.00¢ | 22.63¢ | 26 |
| #9 | Cirro Energy | 16.42¢ | 9.00¢ | 22.61¢ | 26 |
| #10 | Atlantex Power | 16.62¢ | 15.00¢ | 18.50¢ | 10 |
| #11 | Frontier Utilities | 17.57¢ | 8.95¢ | 22.42¢ | 30 |
| #12 | Gexa Energy | 17.62¢ | 8.95¢ | 22.42¢ | 30 |
| #13 | Amigo Energy | 17.94¢ | 16.43¢ | 19.80¢ | 24 |
| #14 | Reliant This Provider | 18.05¢ | 13.86¢ | 24.21¢ | 51 |
| #15 | Direct Energy | 18.47¢ | 15.46¢ | 23.58¢ | 20 |
| #16 | TXU Energy | 19.15¢ | 14.50¢ | 24.54¢ | 44 |
| #17 | Payless Power | 19.24¢ | 18.56¢ | 19.99¢ | 8 |
| #18 | Green Mountain | 20.12¢ | 17.49¢ | 25.23¢ | 24 |
100% Renewable Energy Plans
Reliant Green Plans
10 plans
Avg Green Price
18.7¢/kWh
Green Provider Rank
#5 of 7
100% Renewable Providers (1000 kWh/month)
| Rank | Provider | Avg ¢/kWh | # Green Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Energy Texas | 15.21¢ | 20 |
| #2 | Rhythm Energy | 16.21¢ | 16 |
| #3 | Atlantex Power | 16.80¢ | 5 |
| #4 | Gexa Energy | 17.62¢ | 30 |
| #5 | Reliant This Provider | 18.67¢ | 10 |
| #6 | TXU Energy | 19.97¢ | 5 |
| #7 | Green Mountain | 20.12¢ | 24 |
Our Methodology
How We Calculate NPS Scores
Our proprietary scoring system analyzes thousands of customer reviews to provide an unbiased assessment of each electricity provider.
- Data Source: Online Reviews from verified customers
- AI Analysis: We analyze each review to distill sentiment and filter out incentivized reviews, bot-generated content, and review bombing attempts
- True NPS Calculation: We calculate Net Promoter Score as (% Promoters) – (% Detractors), where Promoters rate 9-10 and Detractors rate 1-6
- Star Rating: NPS scores are mapped to a 3.0-5.0 star scale for intuitive comparison
About “Billing Clarity” Scores
This score measures how clearly a provider communicates billing to customers—not billing accuracy. Texas electricity providers have robust, audited billing systems that are highly accurate.
- What we measure: Clarity of bill statements, proactive notifications, explanation of credits and charges, time-of-use rate communication
- Why it matters: Customers often report confusion about bills even when charges are correct—this score reflects how well providers help customers understand their bills
- PUC “billing complaints”: Most are about confusing statements or unexpected (but legitimate) charges, not actual billing errors
Pricing Data Collection
We collect electricity plan pricing directly from official sources to ensure accuracy.
- Data Source: ComparePower, the original Texas electricity consumer advocate
- Update Frequency: Prices are synced daily from all 5 TDSP territories
- Usage Levels: We display pricing at 500, 1000, and 2000 kWh/month to show how rates vary by consumption
- Coverage: All 17 retail electricity providers in the Texas deregulated market
PUC Complaint Data
Complaint data provides insight into provider accountability and customer issues.
- Data Source: Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) official complaint records
- History: 46+ months of historical complaint data (January 2022 – Present)
- Categories: Billing, Slamming/Cramming, Quality of Service, Disconnection, and Other
- Update Frequency: Monthly updates as new PUC data becomes available
Questions about our methodology? Contact our team.
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