# Donna, 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:** 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.

## Moving to Donna

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

## Who delivers electricity in Donna?
ERCOT counts 8,373 active residential meters with a Donna address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in Donna choose?
8,369 of 8,369 Donna-addressed competitive homes (100%) are in split ZIP codes (78537), where a neighbor may have a different utility.

## What is different about 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. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- 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. (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/)
- Of the 810,296 homes AEP Texas Central serves on the competitive market, 1.0% have a Donna mailing address. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 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. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Donna's main ZIP codes: 8,396 active and 1,420 de-energized residential meters (14.5% de-energized, usually empty or between tenants). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 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. (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/)
- Hidalgo County context: Donna ranks 6 of 22 touching cities and towns for postal-city competitive homes, just behind Pharr (14,146). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 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. (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/, https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/)
- 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. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- 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). (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 the numbers
- 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

## 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78537 | Donna 100% | 14% | 8,396 | 13,909 | 0.6 | Split. Most homes, not all.  |

## Business electricity in Donna
1,660 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 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.

## 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/
- 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/
- EIA-861 (2024) utility service territories by county: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/
- 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/

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