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

_Updated October 19, 2026. Data: ERCOT Oct 5, 2026; Census ACS 2020-2024; Power to Choose Oct 19, 2026, 7:59 AM CT._

**Bishop at a glance:** 1,890 Bishop-addressed homes in ERCOT's Oct. 5 extract: 1,387 on AEP Texas Central; 503 on Nueces Electric Cooperative. 1 split ZIP code (78343) holds 1,890 of Bishop's 1,890 placed homes (100%); those addresses need a lookup.

## Moving to Bishop

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

- **City hall (ask about water service):** City of Bishop: City Hall (main line), 361-584-2567.
- **Natural gas:** CenterPoint Energy: gas leak emergency (24/7), 888-876-5786.
- **Public schools:** Bishop CISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Kingsville, 512-424-2600.

## Facts
- Land: 2.4 sq mi; 1,260 residents and 469 households per sq mi; 2.69 people per Bishop household. (Source: https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Heating fuel, Bishop homes (ACS 2020-2024): electricity 59.6% (±12), utility gas 38.3%, propane 1.3%; Nueces County overall: 79.2% electric. All-electric homes feel winter rates more. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Of Bishop homes paying a power bill, 36.0% report $250 or more a month and 13.1% under $100 (Nueces County: 33.4% at $250+). (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Housing stock: 80.5% detached houses, 3.9% in 5+ unit buildings, 5.6% mobile homes; median year built 1973, 9.1% built 2010 or later. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- ERCOT status split for 2,837 Bishop home meters (Oct. 5, 2026): active 1,890, inactive 301, de-energized 646; idle share 33.4%. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- ACS 2020-2024: 21.8% of Bishop housing units vacant (±6). Vacant homes keep meters that are not counted as households. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- 1,890 home meters use the Bishop postal name, against 1,132 households inside city limits (1.67 per household): the mailing area runs well past the boundary. (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/)
- 78343 carries every one of Bishop's placed homes; ratio across the whole ZIP 1.24, from 1,890 home meters in all and 1,528 households. (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/)

## Homes: heating fuel, bills, housing (ACS 2020-2024, the city (Census boundary))
- Heat with electricity: 59.6%
- Heat with utility gas: 38.3%
- Bill $250 or more: 36.0%
- Built 2010 or later: 9.1%
- Renter households: 20.0%
- Median year built: 1973

## Meters and households
- Residents, July 2025: 3,040
- Residents, 2020 base: 3,173
- Households (ACS): 1,132
- Active home meters: 1,890
- Inactive home meters: 301
- De-energized home meters: 646
- Active small-business meters: 453
- Active large-business meters: 5
- Home meters per household: 1.67
- ZIP codes listed: 1
- Split ZIP codes: 1
- County: Nueces

## Plan prices (Oct 19, 2026 medians)
AEP Texas Central (164 listings): 12.7¢ / 12.1¢ / 12¢ per kWh at 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 kWh, delivery 5.6898¢ + $3.24/mo included.

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

| ZIP | Homes with this address | All ZIP homes | Households | Ratio | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78343 | 1,890 | 1,890 | 1,528 | 1.24 | split, 2 wires firms |

## Businesses
458 business meters. Business rate reviews: /business.

## Questions
**Is electricity deregulated in Bishop?** Mostly. ERCOT counts 1,890 competitive Bishop home meters, all on AEP Texas Central's system, against 1,132 households. Split: 78343. An address lookup settles it.
**Do Bishop homes heat with electricity?** 59.6% of Bishop homes heat with electricity (ACS 2020-2024, margin ±12) and 38.3% with utility gas; 36.0% of bill-paying homes report $250 or more a month. Electric-heat homes should compare plans at winter usage.
**What ZIP code do most Bishop electricity customers have?** 78343: 1,890 Bishop-addressed competitive homes; ratio 1.24 across the ZIP (1,890 home meters in all, 1,528 households).
**Who do I call when the power is out in Bishop?** Call the wires utility for your street (not the company that bills you): AEP Texas Central (1,387 homes); Nueces Electric Cooperative (503 homes).
**How do I set up power at a new Bishop home?** Check the address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, choose a plan and a start date. Bishop had 947 idle home meters (inactive or de-energized) on Oct. 5, 2026, so many move-ins reconnect an existing meter.

## 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
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: meters by status and premise type, by postal city: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B25040, B25132, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25018, B19013, B25003, B25002, B25004 (90% margins of error): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- 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
- 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
- Census Bureau 2025 Gazetteer Files, Texas places (land and water area): https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html
- 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
- 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 estimates, tables B25040, B25132, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25018, B19013, B25003, B25002, B25004 (90% margins of error): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B25040, B25132, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25018, B19013, B25003, B25002, B25004 (90% margins of error): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B25040, B25132, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25018, B19013, B25003, B25002, B25004 (90% margins of error): 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 estimates, tables B25040, B25132, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25018, B19013, B25003, B25002, B25004 (90% margins of error): 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
- 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 Bureau Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv

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