Alamo, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires, 1 split ZIP code to check
8,166 Alamo-addressed homes buy power on AEP Texas Central's system. Here is where choice stops, what delivery costs and where plan prices sit today.
Last updated . Written by Power Hopper. Reviewed by Brent Ward, founder, on 2026-10-19. Data as of October 5, 2026 (meters) and October 19, 2026 (plan prices).
In short: ERCOT counts 8,166 active residential meters with an Alamo address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). 1 of Alamo's ZIP codes is split, so most addresses can shop, but yours needs a check.
Who delivers electricity in Alamo?
Outages: AEP Texas Central at aeptexas.com/outages.
AEP Texas Central delivery charges and area
Can every address in Alamo choose an electricity provider?
8,145 of 8,145 Alamo-addressed competitive homes (100%) are in split ZIP codes (78516), where a neighbor may have a different utility.
1 more utility (co-op, city-owned or non-ERCOT; EIA 2024) also serves parts of Hidalgo County; no retail choice there unless the utility opted in.
Moving to Alamo
Local numbers for setting up a home in Alamo, each checked on the official source. More contacts, and a printable list, are on Alamo helpful move-in information.
- Water and utility billing: utility billing (start, transfer or stop water service), 956-787-0006.
- Natural gas: Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- Public schools: Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, Donna ISD.
- Driver license: Texas DPS Driver License Office: McAllen, 512-424-2600.
You enter your address on the next screen, and we confirm there whether you can choose an electricity provider at that address.
Have a High Light Bill or Electric Bill?
If your electricity bill in Alamo came in higher than you expected, upload or enter it and see whether another plan could lower your electricity costs, or whether staying where you are makes more sense.
Weather and electricity in Alamo
Typical weather near Alamo, from the nearest NOAA station with a complete 1991-2020 record: Mcallen, about 8 miles from the city center (station elevation 100 ft). These are normals for that station, not readings at your address. August is the warmest month on average, with a normal daily high of 99°F; January has the coolest average low, 49°F. Average daily highs reach 90°F or more in May to September. No month averages a daily low at or below freezing.
For electricity, the normals point to two seasons that can lift a household's usage: cooling-degree days (a measure of how far each day's mean temperature sits above 65°F) peak in August at 711 for the month, and heating-degree days (below 65°F) peak in January at 196. How much that matters to a bill depends on the home, its insulation, its heating fuel and the household, so use your own usage history, not a regional average, when you compare plans.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precipitation (in) | Cooling degree-days | Heating degree-days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71 | 49 | 0.7 | 53 | 196 |
| Feb | 76 | 53 | 0.6 | 97 | 103 |
| Mar | 82 | 59 | 1.0 | 209 | 44 |
| Apr | 87 | 65 | 1.4 | 341 | 8 |
| May | 92 | 71 | 1.4 | 512 | 0 |
| Jun | 96 | 76 | 3.1 | 630 | 0 |
| Jul | 98 | 77 | 1.6 | 685 | 0 |
| Aug | 99 | 77 | 1.5 | 711 | 0 |
| Sep | 94 | 73 | 3.8 | 561 | 0 |
| Oct | 89 | 66 | 2.0 | 399 | 4 |
| Nov | 80 | 57 | 1.1 | 167 | 64 |
| Dec | 73 | 51 | 0.6 | 72 | 175 |
Historical weather records for Hidalgo County
The Texas Railroad Commission's county table lists a record low of 10°F (1962) and a record high of 113°F (1998), and a regional estimate of 12 consecutive hours as a typical longest freezing or frozen-precipitation period for Hidalgo County. These are historical county extremes, not Alamo's monthly averages and not a forecast; the normals above describe ordinary months.
Reference only: the U.S. Energy Information Administration's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey puts the average Texas household at about 13,440 kWh a year (about 1,120 kWh a month if spread evenly). That is a statewide average for 2020, not Alamo, and not an estimate for your home. EIA source.
Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USC00415701; Texas Railroad Commission, Historical Weather Data by County (2022).
What is different about electricity in Alamo?
- The Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate for Alamo is 20,625 people, up 5.7% on the 2020 estimates base of 19,513. The largest one-year change was +324 people, from July 2020 to July 2021. (Census)
- Mailing addresses stretch past city limits here. 8,166 competitive residential meters use Alamo as their postal city, while the city itself has 6,032 Census households, a ratio of 1.35. (ERCOT, Census)
- Of the 810,296 homes AEP Texas Central serves on the competitive market, 1.0% have an Alamo mailing address. (ERCOT)
- New construction shows up in the meter data: 13 residential meters were added in Alamo's main ZIP codes from Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, including 13 in 78516, and 26 more switched from vacant to active. (ERCOT)
- Alamo's main ZIP codes: 8,149 active and 1,198 de-energized residential meters (12.8% de-energized, usually empty or between tenants). (ERCOT)
- Nearly all Alamo-addressed competitive homes (8,145) are in one ZIP code, 78516. ZIP-wide, ERCOT counts 8,149 competitive meters for 10,045 Census households, a 0.81 ratio. (ERCOT, Census)
- By competitive homes on its postal city, Alamo is number 7 of the 22 cities and towns touching Hidalgo County, just behind Donna (8,373). (ERCOT)
- In 78516, the ZIP holding most Alamo homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $53,229, 24.5% renters and 26.3% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Census)
- Nearby, San Juan (2 mi) has just 0.48 competitive homes per household, while McAllen counts 50,000 on its postal city. (ERCOT, Census)
Alamo electricity by the numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 20,625 |
| Population (2020 estimates base) | 19,513 |
| Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024) | 6,032 |
| Active residential meters with an Alamo address | 8,166 |
| Active business meters with an Alamo address | 1,253 |
| Residential meters per Census household | 1.35 |
| Delivery utilities (homes) | AEP Texas Central 8,166 |
| Counties | Hidalgo |
| ZIP codes touching Alamo | 1 |
| Split ZIP codes (flagged below) | 1 |
How we built these numbers. Download: Alamo ZIP table (CSV).
What do electricity plans cost in Alamo right now?
Same-day medians for AEP Texas Central’s area (AEP Texas Central: 164 listings), delivery included; not a quote.
| Delivery utility | 500 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 2,000 kWh | Delivery charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central | 12.7¢ | 12.1¢ | 12¢ | 5.6898¢/kWh + $3.24/mo (effective September 29, 2026; tariff) |
Alamo ZIP codes: how much of each is on the competitive market?
Not every address in these ZIP codes has retail choice; check your exact address.
| ZIP | Alamo homes | Land in Alamo | Postal cities | Competitive homes (ERCOT) | Households (Census) | Ratio | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78516 | 8,145 | 20% | Alamo 100% | 8,149 | 10,045 | 0.81 | Split. Most homes, not all. 13 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. |
Split ZIP codes for Alamo: 78516.
Homes, renters and electric bills in Alamo’s ZIP codes
$250+ monthly electric bills peak in 78516 (26.3% of households).
| ZIP | Alamo homes | Median income | Renters | 5+ units | $250+ bills | Built 2020+ | New meters | Vacant to active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78516 | 8,145 | $53,229 | 24.5% | 1.2% | 26.3% | 2.5% | 13 | 26 |
ACS 2020-2024 by ZCTA; meters: ERCOT daily files, Oct 7-18, 2026.
How do towns near Alamo compare?
| Town (2,000+ people) | Miles | Competitive homes | Per household | Utility | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan | 2 mi | 5,038 | 0.48 | AEP Texas Central | Partly |
| Pharr | 5 mi | 14,146 | 0.59 | AEP Texas Central | Partly |
| Donna | 5 mi | 8,373 | 1.70 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Weslaco | 8 mi | 15,166 | 1.07 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| McAllen | 9 mi | 50,000 | 1.02 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Hidalgo | 9 mi | 1,994 | 0.51 | AEP Texas Central | Partly |
Business electricity in Alamo
Alamo business meters: 1,253 (6.5 homes per business meter); large non-residential meters in Alamo’s main ZIP codes: 3 (ERCOT, October 5, 2026).
We compare retail providers and direct suppliers and can bid out high-consumption accounts, but we can’t promise savings or how many suppliers will bid. Businesses in Texas retail-choice areas can request a rate review online.
How do I compare electricity plans in Alamo?
ZIP first, then your address; read each plan’s Electricity Facts Label before choosing.
Common questions about electricity in Alamo
Does Alamo have electricity choice?
Most Alamo homes can. ERCOT's October 5, 2026 extract has 8,166 Alamo-addressed homes on AEP Texas Central's competitive system, compared with 6,032 households in the Census survey. Split ZIP codes for Alamo: 78516; on those, check the exact address.
Which Alamo ZIP code has the most homes on the competitive market?
78516, with 8,149 competitive homes in ERCOT's data (8,145 addressed to Alamo) against roughly 10,045 Census households, a 0.81 ratio.
How many businesses in Alamo are on the competitive electricity market?
Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 1,253 Alamo-addressed business meters are on the competitive market in ERCOT's data, and large accounts can also buy from commercial suppliers directly.
I'm moving to Alamo. How do I set up electricity?
8.0% of 78516 residents moved within a year (ACS), and 26 78516 meters turned from vacant to active Oct. 7-18, 2026. Check that your Alamo address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, then choose a plan and start date.
Why are there more electric meters than households in Alamo?
8,166 Alamo-addressed meters against 6,032 city households is 1.35 per household: the Alamo postal area extends past city limits, and new homes get meters before the Census counts them. It doesn't mean every nearby address can choose.
Who do I call in Alamo when the power goes out?
AEP Texas Central, at aeptexas.com/outages: it carries power to all 8,166 Alamo-addressed competitive homes, whatever retail provider bills them.
Where to next?
Up: AEP Texas Central area · Hidalgo County
Nearest town pages: San Juan · Pharr · Donna · Weslaco · McAllen · Hidalgo · Edinburg · Mercedes
Compare plans · Moving · High bill · Texas rates · Areas without retail choice · Methodology
Sources
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203): full extract as of Oct 5, 2026; daily files Oct 7-18, 2026
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25003 households, B01003 population)
- Census Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-place and ZCTA-to-county relationship files
- EIA-861 (2024) utility service territories by county
- PUCT Power to Choose residential offer export, Oct 19, 2026, 7:59 AM CT
- PUCT: Choosing an Electric Plan
- PUCT broker directory (BR260201)
- AEP Texas (Central Division)
- AEP Texas Central delivery tariff (effective September 29, 2026)
BJW Ventures LLC d/b/a Power Hopper | PUCT BR260201. PUCT registration is not an endorsement.