# Alice, 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:** Alice homes in ERCOT's competitive data are on AEP Texas Central's wires (9,090) and Nueces Electric Cooperative's wires (2,426). 1 of Alice's ZIP codes is split, so most addresses can shop, but yours needs a check.

## Moving to Alice

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

- **Water and utility billing:** utility billing (start, transfer or stop water service), 361-668-7226.
- **Natural gas:** CenterPoint Energy: gas leak emergency (24/7), 888-876-5786.
- **Public schools:** Alice ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Alice, 512-424-2600.

## Who delivers electricity in Alice?
Alice homes in ERCOT's competitive data are on AEP Texas Central's wires (9,090) and Nueces Electric Cooperative's wires (2,426).

## Can every address in Alice choose?
11,299 of 11,498 Alice-addressed competitive homes (98%) are in split ZIP codes (78332), where a neighbor may have a different utility.

## What is different about Alice?
- Nueces Electric Cooperative says retail electric choice began in its area on Aug. 16, 2004, and that its entire service area is open to retail competition, so NEC-delivered homes here pick a retail provider like AEP Texas Central homes do. (Source: https://nueceselectric.org/choose-power-provider)
- Alice counted about 17,550 residents in the Census Bureau's 2025 estimate, against 17,872 in the 2020 base, a change of -1.8%. The largest one-year change was -147 people, from July 2021 to July 2022. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- Mailing addresses stretch past city limits here. 11,516 competitive residential meters use Alice as their postal city, while the city itself has 6,100 Census households, a ratio of 1.89. (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/)
- Alice-addressed homes make up 1.4% of the 810,296 residential meters on AEP Texas Central's competitive system. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- From Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, 27 residential meters in Alice's main ZIP codes went from vacant to active in ERCOT's daily files, which usually means a move-in. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 3,857 of the 15,429 home meters in Alice's main ZIP codes (25.0%) were de-energized on October 5, 2026, typically a vacant unit awaiting its next account. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- ZIP 78332 holds 11,299 of the 11,498 competitive homes with an Alice address (98%); across the whole ZIP there are 1.27 competitive meters per Census household. (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, Alice is number 1 of the 4 cities and towns touching Jim Wells County, ahead of San Diego (4,076). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 34.8% of households in 78332 rent (ACS 2020-2024), the most among Alice's main ZIP codes, so a lot of Alice electricity accounts open and close with each lease. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- In 78332, the ZIP holding most Alice homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $49,887, 34.8% renters and 44.5% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)

## By the numbers
- Population (July 1, 2025 estimate): 17,550
- Population (2020 estimates base): 17,872
- Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024): 6,100
- Active residential meters with an Alice address: 11,516
- Active business meters with an Alice address: 2,433
- Residential meters per Census household: 1.89
- Delivery utilities (homes): AEP Texas Central 9,090; Nueces Electric Cooperative 2,426
- Counties: Jim Wells
- ZIP codes touching Alice: 2
- 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
- Nueces Electric Cooperative: n/a

## 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78332 | Alice 99% | 2% | 11,373 | 8,946 | 1.27 | Split. Near-full coverage. Two delivery utilities: AEP Texas Central 9,134, Nueces Electric Cooperative 2,239 homes. Mostly outside Alice city limits. |
| 78333 | Alice 100% | 0% | 199 | n/a | n/a | PO box or special ZIP. Mostly outside Alice city limits. |

## Business electricity in Alice
2,433 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
**Can I choose my electricity provider in Alice?** Most Alice homes can. ERCOT's October 5, 2026 extract has 11,516 Alice-addressed homes on AEP Texas Central's competitive system, compared with 6,100 households in the Census survey. Split ZIP codes for Alice: 78332; on those, check the exact address.
**What is the biggest Alice ZIP code for electricity customers?** ZIP 78332: 11,299 of its 11,373 competitive residential meters use an Alice address, and the ZIP has about 8,946 Census households (ratio 1.27).
**How many businesses in Alice are on the competitive electricity market?** Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 2,433 Alice-addressed business meters are on the competitive market in ERCOT's data, and large accounts can also buy from commercial suppliers directly.
**How do I start electric service at a new Alice address?** Start with the address check: AEP Texas Central-delivered Alice homes choose among the plans offered there and set a start date. Turnover is real in 78332, where 9.1% moved in the past year (ACS); ERCOT logged 27 vacant-to-active meters in 78332 Oct. 7-18, 2026.
**Why are there more electric meters than households in Alice?** 11,516 Alice-addressed meters against 6,100 city households is 1.89 per household: the Alice 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 restores power in Alice after an outage?** The delivery utility for your street. ERCOT puts Alice homes on AEP Texas Central (9,090 homes) and Nueces Electric Cooperative (2,426 homes) wires; your retail provider does not run the lines.

## 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/
- Nueces Electric Cooperative (NEC): https://nueceselectric.org/
- 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
- Nueces Electric Cooperative: Choose a power provider: https://nueceselectric.org/choose-power-provider
- 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/
- 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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