Constellation

Constellation has been selling lights in Texas since 2009. They’re owned by Exelon, one of the largest energy companies in the country, with operations across the entire United States. That’s a Fortune 200 corporation behind your light bill, which means financial stability and no risk of them suddenly folding. It also means you’re dealing with a large national operation, not a local Texas company that knows your market the way smaller competitors do.

They are licensed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT #10014) and serve the major deregulated Texas markets including Houston (CenterPoint territory) and Dallas-Fort Worth (Oncor territory).

Credit Check and Deposits

Constellation runs a credit check on every traditional plan application. If your credit history shows late utility payments or unpaid balances, they will require a deposit before your lights come on. That deposit starts at $50 and can climb to several hundred dollars depending on what they find. Solid credit typically means $0 deposit. Credit problems mean money upfront.

That’s not personal. Every traditional light company sets its own rules about what credit score triggers a deposit and how much. Those rules shift based on business conditions, the economy, and how much new business they’re trying to write at any given moment. The company asking you for $200 today might have approved the same credit file for $0 six months ago. The system wasn’t built to be consistent.

This is exactly where we help. Instead of you calling Constellation, then TXU, then three more companies to get quoted deposits, we check multiple light companies at the same time. Many people with credit problems find a $0 deposit traditional option through that process. See our deposits explained guide for what a deposit means for your budget and your options when one comes up.

What Constellation Does Well

The Exelon backing is real. Constellation is not a startup, not a reseller, and not a company that gets acquired and rebranded every two years. Your account is with a company that has been in the energy business for decades.

Constellation offers multiple plan types including fixed-rate contracts at 12 and 24 months, plus variable-rate options if you want flexibility without a long commitment. If you get approved for a traditional plan, their rates are competitive with other major Texas light companies.

Same-day lights are available Monday through Friday if you sign up before 2 PM Central Time. That’s one of the earlier same-day cutoffs in Texas, so if you’re cutting it close on time, pay attention to the clock. Sign up after 2 PM on a weekday and your lights typically come on the next business day. Sign up on a weekend and you’re looking at Monday.

The multiple plan options also give you flexibility to match your usage pattern. If your household runs high in summer and low in winter, a 12-month fixed rate locks in stability. If your situation might change in six months, a shorter commitment or variable plan keeps your options open.

What Constellation Gets Wrong

The 2 PM same-day cutoff is the strictest in Texas. Most major light companies cut off same-day service at 5 or 6 PM. If you need lights today and it’s past 2 PM, Constellation isn’t going to help you today. That’s a real limitation if you’re dealing with a disconnection.

Constellation does not offer a prepaid option. If their credit check requires a deposit you can’t cover, there’s no Constellation fallback. You’ll need to find another company entirely. For people who need lights today with no credit check and no deposit, pay-as-you-go lights from a prepaid company are always available. Our how prepaid works guide explains what to expect on startup costs and rates.

As a national company, Constellation’s customer service experience can feel less personalized than smaller Texas-focused light companies. Complex issues sometimes take multiple contacts to resolve. If you need hands-on support during a billing dispute, set your expectations accordingly.

Prepaid vs Traditional: Know the Difference

Constellation only offers traditional post-paid plans. If you’re here because your current lights are off or you expect a deposit problem, understand what that means before you apply.

A traditional plan has lower monthly rates, roughly $40-$60 per month less than prepaid at 1,000 units of usage. Over a year, that savings reaches $500 to $700. But it requires passing a credit check. If Constellation’s credit check triggers a deposit and you can’t cover it right now, that savings disappears.

Pay-as-you-go has no credit check, no deposit, and same-day service. The startup amount ($40 to $75) goes toward your usage, not a fee. It costs more per month, but it’s available to everyone with no qualification required. Read our prepaid vs traditional guide to see the full cost comparison.

Who Constellation Works For

Constellation is a strong choice if your credit is in decent shape and you want a financially stable national company with multiple plan options. The Exelon backing makes them one of the more secure names in Texas lights.

Constellation is not the right fit if you need same-day service after 2 PM, if a deposit is likely and you can’t cover it, or if you want a prepaid fallback from the same company. For those situations, compare all no-deposit light companies to see what else is available.

Try Traditional First

If you’re assuming a deposit is inevitable based on past experience, check before you give up on traditional plans. We run your situation through multiple companies at the same time to find who approves you at $0. Constellation’s threshold isn’t the only one in Texas, and one company’s rejection doesn’t mean every company will say the same thing.

If traditional doesn’t work out, prepaid is always there. No rejection, no deposit, lights on today. Read our path to traditional plans guide to understand how to build toward lower monthly rates once you get stable.

See our full Constellation review for current rates, plan details, and a side-by-side comparison against other Texas light companies.