# Alamo, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires, 1 split ZIP code to check

_Updated October 19, 2026. Data: ERCOT Oct 5, 2026; Power to Choose Oct 19, 2026, 7:59 AM CT._

**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.

## Moving to Alamo

Local numbers for setting up a home in Alamo, each checked on the official source. More contacts: https://powerhopper.energy/texas-electricity/alamo/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.

## Who delivers electricity in Alamo?
ERCOT counts 8,166 active residential meters with an Alamo address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in Alamo choose?
8,145 of 8,145 Alamo-addressed competitive homes (100%) are in split ZIP codes (78516), where a neighbor may have a different utility.

## What is different about 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. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- 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. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Of the 810,296 homes AEP Texas Central serves on the competitive market, 1.0% have an Alamo mailing address. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 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. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Alamo's main ZIP codes: 8,149 active and 1,198 de-energized residential meters (12.8% de-energized, usually empty or between tenants). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 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. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- 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). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 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. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Nearby, San Juan (2 mi) has just 0.48 competitive homes per household, while McAllen counts 50,000 on its postal city. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)

## By the numbers
- 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

## Plan prices (median ¢/kWh at 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 kWh)
- AEP Texas Central: 12.7 / 12.1 / 12; delivery 5.6898¢/kWh + $3.24/mo

## ZIP codes
**Not every address in these ZIP codes has retail choice; check your exact address.**

| ZIP | Postal cities | Land in city | Competitive homes | Households | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78516 | Alamo 100% | 20% | 8,149 | 10,045 | 0.81 | Split. Most homes, not all. 13 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. |

## Business electricity in Alamo
1,253 active business meters. Power Hopper compares offers from retail electric providers and direct suppliers; for high-consumption businesses we can run a competitive bid. No savings or bidder count is promised. Businesses in Texas retail-choice areas can request a rate review online.

## Questions
**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.

## Sources
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203): full extract as of Oct 5, 2026; daily files Oct 7-18, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25003 households, B01003 population): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- Census Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-place and ZCTA-to-county relationship files: https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/rel2020/zcta520/
- EIA-861 (2024) utility service territories by county: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/
- PUCT Power to Choose residential offer export, Oct 19, 2026, 7:59 AM CT: https://www.powertochoose.org/en-us/Plan/ExportToCsv
- PUCT: Choosing an Electric Plan: https://www.puc.texas.gov/consumer-help/electricity/electric-plan/
- PUCT broker directory (BR260201): https://www.puc.texas.gov/industry/electric/directories/brk/alpha_brk/
- AEP Texas (Central Division): https://www.aeptexas.com/
- AEP Texas Central delivery tariff (effective September 29, 2026): https://www.aeptexas.com/lib/docs/ratesandtariffs/Texas/AEP_TEXAS_TARIFF_Eff_Sept_29_2026v1.pdf
- Census Bureau Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25003: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- ERCOT daily TDSP ESIID Extract files, Oct 7-18, 2026, via Power Hopper's Oct 18 ZIP study: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25003: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25003: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25003: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/

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