# Del Rio, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires and 17,835 competitive homes

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

**In short:** ERCOT counts 17,835 active residential meters with a Del Rio address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). Nearly every Del Rio address in our data is on AEP Texas Central's wires and can pick a retail provider.

## Moving to Del Rio

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

- **Water and utility billing:** utility billing (start, transfer or stop water service), 830-774-8550.
- **Trash pickup:** Trash and recycling service (number on the city trash page), 830-775-2715.
- **Public schools:** San Felipe-Del Rio CISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Del Rio, 512-424-2600.

## Who delivers electricity in Del Rio?
ERCOT counts 17,835 active residential meters with a Del Rio address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in Del Rio choose?
None of the ZIP codes holding Del Rio's 17,834 competitive homes is flagged split, so most Del Rio streets can shop.

## What is different about Del Rio?
- The Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate for Del Rio is 34,496 people, down 0.6% on the 2020 estimates base of 34,717. The largest one-year change was -151 people, from July 2020 to July 2021. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- The Del Rio mailing area is bigger than the city: ERCOT lists 17,835 competitive homes under the Del Rio postal city, 1.44 for each of the city's 12,407 Census 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/)
- AEP Texas Central share: 2.2% of its 810,296 competitive residential meters carry a Del Rio address. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- From Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, 51 residential meters in Del Rio'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)
- De-energized homes, usually empty or between tenants, number 1,915 in Del Rio's main ZIP codes, 9.7% of all 19,750 residential meters there. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Nearly all Del Rio-addressed competitive homes (17,834) are in one ZIP code, 78840. ZIP-wide, ERCOT counts 17,835 competitive meters for 16,721 Census households, a 1.07 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/)
- 31.1% of households in 78840 rent (ACS 2020-2024), the most among Del Rio's main ZIP codes, so a lot of Del Rio 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 78840, the ZIP holding most Del Rio homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $66,084, 31.1% renters and 35.0% 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): 34,496
- Population (2020 estimates base): 34,717
- Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024): 12,407
- Active residential meters with a Del Rio address: 17,835
- Active business meters with a Del Rio address: 3,112
- Residential meters per Census household: 1.44
- Delivery utilities (homes): AEP Texas Central 17,835
- Counties: Val Verde
- ZIP codes touching Del Rio: 1
- Split ZIP codes (flagged below): 0

## 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78840 | Del Rio 100% | 2% | 17,835 | 16,721 | 1.07 | Near-full coverage. Mostly outside Del Rio city limits. |

## Business electricity in Del Rio
3,112 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 Del Rio have electricity choice?** Yes, where AEP Texas Central's wires reach the house, which in Del Rio is most of the city: 17,835 homes with a Del Rio mailing address were on the competitive market on October 5, 2026, 1.44 for each Census household. None of Del Rio's ZIP codes is flagged split, though an address check is still the only sure answer.
**Where do most Del Rio electricity customers live?** ZIP 78840: 17,834 of its 17,835 competitive residential meters use a Del Rio address, and the ZIP has about 16,721 Census households (ratio 1.07).
**Can businesses in Del Rio choose an electricity provider?** Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 3,112 Del Rio-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 Del Rio address?** Confirm the address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, then pick a plan and a start date. In 78840, 13.8% of residents moved in the past year (ACS); 51 78840 meters went vacant-to-active Oct. 7-18, 2026.
**Why are there more electric meters than households in Del Rio?** 17,835 Del Rio-addressed meters against 12,407 city households is 1.44 per household: the Del Rio 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 Del Rio after an outage?** Call AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for Del Rio's 17,835 competitive homes; a retail provider can't fix 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/
- 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/
- 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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