When the lights go out, call the right company.
Your retail electric provider doesn't fix outages — your delivery utility does. Here's who that is for every city we serve, how to report and track an outage, and what it takes to never care again.
Two utilities keep this area's lights on.
Verified 2026-07-04. Downed line or sparking equipment? Stay far back and call 911 first, then the utility.
CenterPoint Energy (electric)
Electric delivery — poles, wires, meters, outage restoration
Outages: 713-207-2222Serves Galveston Island, Santa Fe, Webster, and most of the Houston side of our service area. Enroll in Power Alert Service (text/email/voice updates tied to your ESI ID) before storm season — during Beryl-scale events the phone lines saturate but the tracker and alerts keep working.
Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP)
Electric delivery — poles, wires, meters, outage restoration
Outages: 888-866-7456Serves the Gulf Coast mainland corridor — Texas City, League City, Dickinson, Friendswood, and La Marque. TNMP's outage map shows restoration estimates and cause; a Spanish-language text/email notification system launched in late 2025.
Which utility restores your city's power
| City | Electric delivery (outages) | Natural gas |
|---|---|---|
| Dickinson | Texas-New Mexico Power | CenterPoint Energy |
| League City | Texas-New Mexico Power Most of League City is TNMP; some pockets toward the Harris County line differ — check the delivery line on your bill. | CenterPoint Energy |
| Friendswood | Texas-New Mexico Power | CenterPoint Energy |
| Texas City | Texas-New Mexico Power | CenterPoint Energy |
| La Marque | Texas-New Mexico Power | CenterPoint Energy |
| Galveston | CenterPoint Energy | Texas Gas Service |
| Santa Fe | CenterPoint Energy | CenterPoint Energy |
| Webster | CenterPoint Energy | CenterPoint Energy |
Territory boundaries split some neighborhoods — the "delivery" or "TDU" line on your electric bill is always the ground truth. Cities beyond this table: check that line or ask us.
The paperwork between you and permission to operate
A standby generator legally connects to the grid through an automatic transfer switch — and both utilities review that connection so your generator can never back-feed a line a crew is working on. Here's what each utility's process looks like. On a Mackey install, we file every step of this.
CenterPoint territory (Galveston · Santa Fe · Webster)
- 1
Application before installation
The installing contractor applies through CenterPoint's transfer-switch process before any hardware goes in. Open-transition (break-before-make) automatic transfer switches — the standard for home standby — use the streamlined portal; closed-transition switches go through the separate Distributed Generation review.
- 2
What the application needs
Your permanent ESI ID (the meter identifier on your bill — temporary construction IDs are rejected), a one-line electrical diagram showing meter, ATS, generator, and panels, manufacturer spec sheets, and the master electrician's name and Texas license number.
- 3
Placement rules
The transfer switch must be service-entrance rated or sit behind a main protective device — never between the meter and the socket. CenterPoint typically answers a complete application within about two business days.
- 4
Tie-in and energize
The electrician coordinates a temporary service disconnect for the tie-in, then a reconnect; CenterPoint may inspect on-site before final approval.
TNMP territory (Dickinson · League City · Friendswood · Texas City · La Marque)
- 1
Application via TNMP's DG portal
The contractor uploads the distributed-generation application, a site plan showing the TNMP meter and AC disconnect, a one-line diagram, and equipment specs.
- 2
The email step that stalls everything
TNMP's system (PowerClerk) emails YOU, the homeowner, to confirm your installer is authorized. Until you click confirm, nothing moves. We warn every TNMP customer to watch for that email.
- 3
Engineering review → agreement
After the engineering study, TNMP issues an Interconnection Agreement to sign, then a Letter of No Objection — the green light for physical installation.
- 4
Completion, inspection, meter swap
Post-install, the contractor files a Notification of Completion with photos. TNMP may inspect, then swaps in a DG meter (TNMP has charged a meter-change fee — around $227 — verify current amount) before the system is authorized to operate.
A whole-home generator can draw more gas at full load than the rest of the house combined — the meter often needs upsizing.
- · A licensed plumber runs and pressure-tests the new gas line under a plumbing permit; the utility only sets or upsizes the meter after inspections pass.
- · Code requires a manual shut-off valve on the generator's fuel line, and regulators/vents carry strict clearance rules from ignition sources, windows, and air intakes.
- · On Galveston Island, Texas Gas Service verifies main-line pressure before committing to a meter set; on the mainland, CenterPoint gas handles the same step.
- · Mackey coordinates the plumbing permit, the pressure test, and the utility meter work as part of a standby install — it is the least DIY-able part of the whole project.
The never-DIY line: back-feeding a generator through a dryer outlet, running one in a garage, or wiring your own transfer switch are the three mistakes that turn outages into tragedies. The full rules live in our outage & generator safety guide.
Outage FAQs
Who do I call when the power goes out — my electric company or someone else?
The delivery utility (TDU), not the company on your bill's logo. Retail providers only sell you the energy; the TDU owns the poles and restores outages. In our area that's TNMP at 888-866-7456 for Dickinson, League City, Friendswood, Texas City, and La Marque — and CenterPoint at 713-207-2222 for Galveston, Santa Fe, and Webster. Check the 'delivery' or 'TDU' line on your bill if you're unsure.
How do I see the outage map for my neighborhood?
CenterPoint's Outage Tracker (tracker.centerpointenergy.com) and TNMP's outage map (tnmp.com/outages) both show live outages, causes, and restoration estimates. Sign up for alerts BEFORE storm season — CenterPoint's Power Alert Service texts you updates tied to your meter's ESI ID, and TNMP added a Spanish-language notification system in late 2025.
Why did my neighbor's power come back before mine?
You may literally be on different utilities — territory lines in this area run between neighborhoods, and a League City street (TNMP) can border a Webster street (CenterPoint). Even on the same utility, restoration works from transmission lines down to laterals, so two houses a block apart can sit on different circuits with different damage.
Does a standby generator need the utility's permission?
Yes — the interconnection (permission-to-operate) process exists so your generator can never back-feed the grid and injure a line worker. CenterPoint reviews the transfer-switch application before installation (usually about two business days for a complete open-transition application); TNMP runs a portal process with an engineering review, a signed Interconnection Agreement, and a meter swap. Mackey files all of it as part of a standby install.
What stalls TNMP generator approvals most often?
An unclicked email. TNMP's system emails the homeowner to confirm the installer is authorized before the engineering review starts — until you confirm, the application sits. If we've filed for you and things seem quiet, check your inbox (and spam) for the PowerClerk confirmation message.
Can I run a portable generator into a wall outlet during an outage?
Never. Back-feeding through an outlet can electrocute utility crews and burn your house down, and it's the exact hazard interconnection rules exist to prevent. Portables run outdoors, 20+ feet from the house, feeding appliances by cord — or better, feed the house through a properly installed transfer switch. Our outage safety guide covers the full rules.
More local resources
Never memorize an outage number again.
A right-sized standby generator with the interconnection filed, the gas line permitted, and the windstorm anchoring certified — that's a Mackey install. Call (281) 317-0631 for a generator consult before the next storm names itself.
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