AEP Texas · Texas

AEP Texas Residential Standard Offer Program

AEP Texas pays efficiency incentives — including A/C duct testing and sealing — through enrolled contractors, not as a fixed homeowner check.

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Deadline: AEP Texas runs its efficiency programs on an annual cycle and pays while program funds remain; enroll through a participating contractor early in the program year, as budgets can be fully committed before year-end.

At a glance

Covered measure
A/C duct testing & sealing
Delivery
Through enrolled contractor
Incentive basis
Measured kWh/kW savings
Service area
AEP Texas Central + North
Not this program
SMART Source = solar only

Rebate amounts by equipment tier

Equipment tier Amount Requirements
Duct testing & sealing (Residential Standard Offer) Set per project by the contractor Work performed by an AEP Texas enrolled Energy Efficiency Service Provider; incentive based on verified savings
Income-qualified (Hard-to-Reach Standard Offer) Higher incentive tier Household income at or below program limits; same measure set
Service territory: The AEP Texas electric delivery area — AEP Texas Central, which covers Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend, and AEP Texas North. AEP Texas is the wires utility, so you can be on it while buying power from any retail provider. Austin, San Antonio, and most of DFW and Houston sit on other utilities and use their own programs.

AEP Texas is the regulated transmission and distribution utility — the company that owns the poles and wires — for the Coastal Bend, including Corpus Christi, and for the Laredo and Rio Grande area. Even in deregulated Texas, where you buy electricity from a retail provider, the energy-efficiency programs are run by the wires utility, so Corpus Christi homeowners use AEP Texas programs regardless of who bills them for power.

AEP Texas's residential portfolio lists A/C system duct testing and sealing as a covered measure, delivered through the Residential Standard Offer Program. A Standard Offer program works differently from a flat rebate: AEP Texas pays an incentive to an enrolled contractor — an Energy Efficiency Service Provider — based on the energy savings the project is measured to deliver, and that benefit is passed through as a lower project cost. Because the payment is tied to measured savings rather than a fixed equipment rebate, there is no single dollar figure to quote up front; the enrolled contractor prices the job with the incentive applied. Lower-income households can qualify for the Hard-to-Reach Standard Offer Program, which carries a higher incentive for the same kind of work.

One common point of confusion: AEP's SMART Source program is a residential solar incentive, not duct sealing — the two are unrelated, so ask for the Residential Standard Offer Program by name. Duct sealing is also separate from duct cleaning: sealing closes leaks to cut energy waste and improve comfort, while cleaning removes debris; AEP's incentive is for the efficiency (sealing and testing) side. Programs run on an annual budget and can change year to year, so confirm the current measure list and contractor requirements before scheduling work.

Who qualifies

How to apply

Confirm current program-year details with the utility before installing — amounts, deadlines, and qualifying equipment lists change yearly.

Go to the official AEP Texas page →

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Educational content — not professional advice.

The information on this page is provided "as is" for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not tax, legal, or other professional advice and should not be relied on as such. We do not warrant that the information is accurate, complete, or current — utility rebate amounts, eligibility rules, deadlines, and program availability change frequently and may differ from what you read here.

Verify all rebate details with the issuing utility before purchasing or installing equipment. We are not affiliated with AEP Texas or any utility, government agency, or rebate administrator.

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Generated: 2026-06-03 · Last reviewed: 2026-06-03