Donna, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires, 1 split ZIP code to check
8,373 Donna-addressed homes buy power on AEP Texas Central's system. Here is where choice stops, what delivery costs and where plan prices sit today.
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 8,373 active residential meters with a Donna address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). 1 of Donna's ZIP codes is split, so most addresses can shop, but yours needs a check.
Who delivers electricity in Donna?
Outages: AEP Texas Central at aeptexas.com/outages.
AEP Texas Central delivery charges and area
Can every address in Donna choose an electricity provider?
8,369 of 8,369 Donna-addressed competitive homes (100%) are in split ZIP codes (78537), where a neighbor may have a different utility.
1 more utility (co-op, city-owned or non-ERCOT; EIA 2024) also serves parts of Hidalgo County; no retail choice there unless the utility opted in.
Moving to Donna
Local numbers for setting up a home in Donna, each checked on the official source. More contacts, and a printable list, are on Donna helpful move-in information.
- City hall (ask about water service): City of Donna: City Hall (main line), 956-464-3314.
- Natural gas: Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- Public schools: Donna ISD.
- Driver license: Texas DPS Driver License Office: Weslaco, 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 Donna 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 Donna
Typical weather near Donna, from the nearest NOAA station with a complete 1991-2020 record: Weslaco, about 4 miles from the city center (station elevation 75 ft). These are normals for that station, not readings at your address. August is the warmest month on average, with a normal daily high of 97°F; January has the coolest average low, 50°F. Average daily highs reach 90°F or more in May to September. No month averages a daily low at or below freezing.
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 August at 677 for the month, and heating-degree days (below 65°F) peak in January at 187. 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 | 71 | 50 | 1.0 | 53 | 187 |
| Feb | 75 | 54 | 1.0 | 91 | 107 |
| Mar | 81 | 60 | 1.5 | 206 | 39 |
| Apr | 86 | 65 | 1.5 | 328 | 7 |
| May | 90 | 72 | 2.6 | 493 | 0 |
| Jun | 95 | 76 | 2.8 | 601 | 0 |
| Jul | 96 | 77 | 2.2 | 654 | 0 |
| Aug | 97 | 76 | 1.9 | 677 | 0 |
| Sep | 92 | 73 | 5.6 | 522 | 0 |
| Oct | 87 | 66 | 2.8 | 366 | 7 |
| Nov | 80 | 58 | 1.6 | 185 | 61 |
| Dec | 72 | 52 | 1.3 | 74 | 173 |
Historical weather records for Hidalgo County
The Texas Railroad Commission's county table lists a record low of 10°F (1962) and a record high of 113°F (1998), and a regional estimate of 12 consecutive hours as a typical longest freezing or frozen-precipitation period for Hidalgo County. These are historical county extremes, not Donna'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 Donna, and not an estimate for your home. EIA source.
Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USC00419588; Texas Railroad Commission, Historical Weather Data by County (2022).
What is different about electricity in Donna?
- Population: 16,809 (2020 base) to 16,698 (July 2025), -0.7%, per Census Vintage 2025 estimates. The largest one-year change was -162 people, from July 2024 to July 2025. (Census)
- The Donna mailing area is bigger than the city: ERCOT lists 8,373 competitive homes under the Donna postal city, 1.7 for each of the city's 4,924 Census households. (ERCOT, Census)
- Of the 810,296 homes AEP Texas Central serves on the competitive market, 1.0% have a Donna mailing address. (ERCOT)
- From Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, 30 residential meters in Donna's main ZIP codes went from vacant to active in ERCOT's daily files, which usually means a move-in. (ERCOT)
- Donna's main ZIP codes: 8,396 active and 1,420 de-energized residential meters (14.5% de-energized, usually empty or between tenants). (ERCOT)
- Nearly all Donna-addressed competitive homes (8,369) are in one ZIP code, 78537. ZIP-wide, ERCOT counts 8,396 competitive meters for 13,909 Census households, a 0.60 ratio. (ERCOT, Census)
- In ZIP 78537, which holds 8,369 Donna-addressed homes, ERCOT counts only 0.60 competitive meters per Census household. EIA's 2024 data lists Magic Valley Electric Cooperative in the counties ERCOT and the Census link to that ZIP; their customers are not on the competitive market unless the utility opted in. (ERCOT, Census, EIA-861)
- In 78537, the ZIP holding most Donna homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $40,668, 25.8% renters and 23.2% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Census)
- Of Donna's six nearest towns, Weslaco has the most competitive homes (15,166, 3 mi away) and San Juan the fewest per household (0.48). (ERCOT, Census)
Donna electricity by the numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 16,698 |
| Population (2020 estimates base) | 16,809 |
| Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024) | 4,924 |
| Active residential meters with a Donna address | 8,373 |
| Active business meters with a Donna address | 1,660 |
| Residential meters per Census household | 1.7 |
| Delivery utilities (homes) | AEP Texas Central 8,373 |
| Counties | Hidalgo |
| ZIP codes touching Donna | 1 |
| Split ZIP codes (flagged below) | 1 |
How we built these numbers. Download: Donna ZIP table (CSV).
What do electricity plans cost in Donna right now?
Same-day medians for AEP Texas Central’s area (AEP Texas Central: 164 listings), delivery included; not a quote.
| Delivery utility | 500 kWh | 1,000 kWh | 2,000 kWh | Delivery charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central | 12.7¢ | 12.1¢ | 12¢ | 5.6898¢/kWh + $3.24/mo (effective September 29, 2026; tariff) |
Donna 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 | Donna homes | Land in Donna | Postal cities | Competitive homes (ERCOT) | Households (Census) | Ratio | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78537 | 8,369 | 14% | Donna 100% | 8,396 | 13,909 | 0.60 | Split. Most homes, not all. |
Split ZIP codes for Donna: 78537.
Homes, renters and electric bills in Donna’s ZIP codes
$250+ monthly electric bills peak in 78537 (23.2% of households).
| ZIP | Donna homes | Median income | Renters | 5+ units | $250+ bills | Built 2020+ | New meters | Vacant to active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78537 | 8,369 | $40,668 | 25.8% | 2.4% | 23.2% | 3.0% | 4 | 30 |
ACS 2020-2024 by ZCTA; meters: ERCOT daily files, Oct 7-18, 2026.
How do towns near Donna compare?
| Town (2,000+ people) | Miles | Competitive homes | Per household | Utility | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weslaco | 3 mi | 15,166 | 1.07 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Alamo | 5 mi | 8,166 | 1.35 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Progreso | 7 mi | 1,767 | 1.52 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| San Juan | 7 mi | 5,038 | 0.48 | AEP Texas Central | Partly |
| Mercedes | 8 mi | 7,559 | 1.45 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Pharr | 10 mi | 14,146 | 0.59 | AEP Texas Central | Partly |
Business electricity in Donna
Donna business meters: 1,660 (5.0 homes per business meter); large non-residential meters in Donna’s main ZIP codes: 1 (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 Donna?
ZIP first, then your address; read each plan’s Electricity Facts Label before choosing.
Common questions about electricity in Donna
Can Donna residents pick their own electric company?
Yes, where AEP Texas Central's wires reach the house, which in Donna is most of the city: 8,373 homes with a Donna mailing address were on the competitive market on October 5, 2026, 1.7 for each Census household. Split ZIP codes for Donna: 78537; on those, check the exact address.
Where do most Donna electricity customers live?
78537, with 8,396 competitive homes in ERCOT's data (8,369 addressed to Donna) against roughly 13,909 Census households, a 0.60 ratio.
How many businesses in Donna are on the competitive electricity market?
Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 1,660 Donna-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 Donna address?
Confirm the address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, then pick a plan and a start date. In 78537, 9.3% of residents moved in the past year (ACS); 30 78537 meters went vacant-to-active Oct. 7-18, 2026.
Why are there more electric meters than households in Donna?
8,373 Donna-addressed meters against 4,924 city households is 1.7 per household: the Donna 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.
Where do I report a Donna power outage?
Call AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for Donna's 8,373 competitive homes; a retail provider can't fix lines.
Where to next?
Up: AEP Texas Central area · Hidalgo County
Nearest town pages: Weslaco · Alamo · San Juan · Mercedes · Pharr · Edinburg · Hidalgo · McAllen
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)
- AEP Texas (Central Division)
- AEP Texas Central delivery tariff (effective September 29, 2026)
BJW Ventures LLC d/b/a Power Hopper | PUCT BR260201. PUCT registration is not an endorsement.