Big Spring, Texas electricity: Oncor wires and 12,114 competitive homes
Two questions decide electricity in Big Spring: whose wires reach your street, and what plans on Oncor's system cost right now. This page answers both from ERCOT, Census and PUCT data.
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 12,114 active residential meters with a Big Spring address, all on Oncor's wires (October 5, 2026). Nearly every Big Spring address in our data is on Oncor's wires and can pick a retail provider.
Who delivers electricity in Big Spring?
Outages: Oncor at oncor.com/outages.
Oncor delivery charges and area
Can every address in Big Spring choose an electricity provider?
None of the ZIP codes holding Big Spring's 12,114 competitive homes is flagged split, so most Big Spring streets can shop.
1 more utility (co-op, city-owned or non-ERCOT; EIA 2024) also serves parts of Howard County; no retail choice there unless the utility opted in.
Moving to Big Spring
Local numbers for setting up a home in Big Spring, each checked on the official source. More contacts, and a printable list, are on Big Spring helpful move-in information.
- Water and utility billing: utility billing (start, transfer or stop water service), 432-264-2544.
- Natural gas: Atmos Energy: customer service, 888-286-6700.
- Public schools: Big Spring ISD, Forsan ISD.
- Driver license: Texas DPS Driver License Office: Big Spring, 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 Big Spring 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 Big Spring
Typical weather near Big Spring, from the nearest NOAA station with a complete 1991-2020 record: Big Spring, about 2 miles from the city center (station elevation 2,510 ft). These are normals for that station, not readings at your address. July is the warmest month on average, with a normal daily high of 96°F; January has the coolest average low, 31°F. Average daily highs reach 90°F or more in June to August. Average lows are at or below freezing in January.
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 July at 587 for the month, and heating-degree days (below 65°F) peak in January at 629. 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 | 58 | 31 | 0.7 | 0 | 629 |
| Feb | 63 | 35 | 0.8 | 3 | 462 |
| Mar | 71 | 42 | 1.2 | 28 | 285 |
| Apr | 79 | 50 | 1.6 | 99 | 107 |
| May | 87 | 60 | 2.5 | 278 | 22 |
| Jun | 94 | 68 | 2.5 | 481 | 1 |
| Jul | 96 | 72 | 1.6 | 587 | 0 |
| Aug | 95 | 72 | 2.4 | 561 | 0 |
| Sep | 88 | 64 | 2.4 | 333 | 11 |
| Oct | 79 | 53 | 1.8 | 126 | 93 |
| Nov | 67 | 41 | 1.4 | 12 | 345 |
| Dec | 58 | 33 | 0.8 | 0 | 605 |
Historical weather records for Howard County
The Texas Railroad Commission's county table lists a record low of -7°F (1962) and a record high of 114°F (1994), and a regional estimate of 30 consecutive hours as a typical longest freezing or frozen-precipitation period for Howard County. These are historical county extremes, not Big Spring'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 Big Spring, and not an estimate for your home. EIA source.
Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00023041; Texas Railroad Commission, Historical Weather Data by County (2022).
What is different about electricity in Big Spring?
- Population: 26,321 (2020 base) to 22,290 (July 2025), -15.3%, per Census Vintage 2025 estimates. The largest one-year change was -3,460 people, from July 2021 to July 2022. (Census)
- The Big Spring mailing area is bigger than the city: ERCOT lists 12,114 competitive homes under the Big Spring postal city, 1.34 for each of the city's 9,061 Census households. (ERCOT, Census)
- Oncor share: 0.3% of its 3,564,530 competitive residential meters carry a Big Spring address. (ERCOT)
- New construction shows up in the meter data: 10 residential meters were added in Big Spring's main ZIP codes from Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, including 10 in 79720, and 30 more switched from vacant to active. (ERCOT)
- De-energized homes, usually empty or between tenants, number 1,879 in Big Spring's main ZIP codes, 13.5% of all 13,918 residential meters there. (ERCOT)
- ZIP 79720 holds 12,034 of the 12,114 competitive homes with a Big Spring address (99%); across the whole ZIP there are 1.04 competitive meters per Census household. (ERCOT, Census)
- By competitive homes on its postal city, Big Spring is number 1 of the 3 cities and towns touching Howard County, ahead of Coahoma (666). (ERCOT)
- 30.8% of households in 79720 rent (ACS 2020-2024), the most among Big Spring's main ZIP codes, so a lot of Big Spring electricity accounts open and close with each lease. (Census)
- In 79720, the ZIP holding most Big Spring homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $68,785, 30.8% renters and 32.3% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Census)
Big Spring electricity by the numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 22,290 |
| Population (2020 estimates base) | 26,321 |
| Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024) | 9,061 |
| Active residential meters with a Big Spring address | 12,114 |
| Active business meters with a Big Spring address | 6,252 |
| Residential meters per Census household | 1.34 |
| Delivery utilities (homes) | Oncor 12,114 |
| Counties | Howard |
| ZIP codes touching Big Spring | 3 |
| Split ZIP codes (flagged below) | 0 |
How we built these numbers. Download: Big Spring ZIP table (CSV).
What do electricity plans cost in Big Spring right now?
Same-day medians for Oncor’s area (Oncor: 170 listings), delivery included; not a quote.
| Delivery utility | 500 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 2,000 kWh | Delivery charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor | 14.1¢ | 13.4¢ | 13.2¢ | 6.8673¢/kWh + $4.06/mo (effective October 4, 2026; tariff) |
Big Spring 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 | Big Spring homes | Land in Big Spring | Postal cities | Competitive homes (ERCOT) | Households (Census) | Ratio | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79720 | 12,034 | 2% | Big Spring 100% | 12,039 | 11,578 | 1.04 | Near-full coverage. 10 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. Mostly outside Big Spring city limits. |
| 79739 | 75 | 0% | Garden City 88%, Big Spring 12% | 613 | 352 | 1.74 | Near-full coverage. Mostly outside Big Spring city limits. |
| 79721 | 5 | 100% | Big Spring 100% | 5 | 0 | n/a | Too few homes to rate. |
Split ZIP codes for Big Spring: none flagged.
Homes, renters and electric bills in Big Spring’s ZIP codes
$250+ monthly electric bills peak in 79720 (32.3% of households).
| ZIP | Big Spring homes | Median income | Renters | 5+ units | $250+ bills | Built 2020+ | New meters | Vacant to active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79720 | 12,034 | $68,785 | 30.8% | 9.8% | 32.3% | 0.4% | 10 | 30 |
ACS 2020-2024 by ZCTA; meters: ERCOT daily files, Oct 7-18, 2026.
How do towns near Big Spring compare?
| Town (2,000+ people) | Miles | Competitive homes | Per household | Utility | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanton | 19 mi | 2,288 | 2.44 | Oncor | Most addresses can choose |
Business electricity in Big Spring
Big Spring business meters: 6,252 (1.9 homes per business meter); large non-residential meters in Big Spring’s main ZIP codes: 101 (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 Big Spring?
ZIP first, then your address; read each plan’s Electricity Facts Label before choosing.
Common questions about electricity in Big Spring
Does Big Spring have electricity choice?
Most Big Spring homes can. ERCOT's October 5, 2026 extract has 12,114 Big Spring-addressed homes on Oncor's competitive system, compared with 9,061 households in the Census survey. None of Big Spring's ZIP codes is flagged split, though an address check is still the only sure answer.
Where do most Big Spring electricity customers live?
79720, with 12,039 competitive homes in ERCOT's data (12,034 addressed to Big Spring) against roughly 11,578 Census households, a 1.04 ratio.
How many businesses in Big Spring are on the competitive electricity market?
Yes, where Oncor delivers: 6,252 Big Spring-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 Big Spring. How do I set up electricity?
Confirm the address is on Oncor's wires, then pick a plan and a start date. In 79720, 12.9% of residents moved in the past year (ACS); 30 79720 meters went vacant-to-active Oct. 7-18, 2026.
Why are there more electric meters than households in Big Spring?
12,114 Big Spring-addressed meters against 9,061 city households is 1.34 per household: the Big Spring 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 Big Spring when the power goes out?
Call Oncor (oncor.com/outages), the wires utility for Big Spring's 12,114 competitive homes; a retail provider can't fix lines.
Where to next?
Up: Oncor area · Howard County
Nearest town pages: Midland · Odessa · San Angelo · Lubbock · Abilene · Brownwood · Stephenville · Del Rio
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)
- Oncor Electric Delivery
- Oncor delivery tariff (effective October 4, 2026)
BJW Ventures LLC d/b/a Power Hopper | PUCT BR260201. PUCT registration is not an endorsement.