# Edcouch, 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._

**Edcouch at a glance:** 1,297 Edcouch-addressed homes, all wired by AEP Texas Central (ERCOT, Oct. 5, 2026). 1 split ZIP code (78538) holds 1,286 of Edcouch's 1,286 placed homes (100%); those addresses need a lookup.

## Moving to Edcouch

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

- **City hall (ask about water service):** City of Edcouch: City Hall (main line), 956-262-2140.
- **Natural gas:** Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- **Public schools:** Edcouch-Elsa ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Weslaco, 512-424-2600.

## Facts
- Covered here as well: Monte Alto (pop. 2,350, 716 own-addressed meters; ZIP 78538). Most of their homes carry Edcouch mailing addresses in ERCOT's data, so the Edcouch ZIP rows apply. (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://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/rel2020/zcta520/)
- Land: 1.0 sq mi; 2,560 residents and 1,032 households per sq mi; 2.48 people per Edcouch 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, Edcouch homes (ACS 2020-2024): electricity 99.4% (±2), utility gas 0.0%; Hidalgo County overall: 90.6% 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 Edcouch homes paying a power bill, 18.9% report $250 or more a month and 21.2% under $100 (Hidalgo County: 26.9% at $250+). (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Housing stock: 76.0% detached houses, 9.6% in 5+ unit buildings, 3.4% mobile homes; median year built 1992, 12.3% built 2010 or later. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- ERCOT status split for 2,054 Edcouch home meters (Oct. 5, 2026): active 1,297, inactive 451, de-energized 306; idle share 36.9%. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 78538 carries every one of Edcouch's placed homes; ratio across the whole ZIP 0.60, from 2,128 home meters in all and 3,556 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/)
- Weakest Edcouch ZIP: 78538, 0.60 competitive meters per household, 1,286 Edcouch-addressed. EIA (2024) lists 1 co-op in its counties; co-op members stay with the co-op unless it opted in to competition. (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/)

## Homes: heating fuel, bills, housing (ACS 2020-2024, the city (Census boundary))
- Heat with electricity: 99.4%
- Heat with utility gas: 0.0%
- Bill $250 or more: 18.9%
- Built 2010 or later: 12.3%
- Renter households: 50.3%
- Median year built: 1992

## Meters and households
- Residents, July 2025: 2,650
- Residents, 2020 base: 2,780
- Households (ACS): 1,068
- Active home meters: 1,297
- Inactive home meters: 451
- De-energized home meters: 306
- Active small-business meters: 185
- Active large-business meters: 0
- Home meters per household: 1.21
- ZIP codes listed: 1
- Split ZIP codes: 1
- County: Hidalgo

## 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78538 | 1,286 | 2,128 | 3,556 | 0.6 | split |

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

## Questions
**Does this page cover Monte Alto?** Yes. Monte Alto has 716 meters under its own name; its homes mostly use Edcouch addresses. ZIP 78538: ratio 0.60, from 2,128 home meters in all and 3,556 households. Confirm your address.
**Can Edcouch homes choose an electric provider?** Mostly. ERCOT counts 1,297 competitive Edcouch home meters, all on AEP Texas Central's system, against 1,068 households. Split: 78538. An address lookup settles it.
**Why are some Edcouch electric bills so high in winter?** 99.4% of Edcouch homes heat with electricity (ACS 2020-2024, margin ±2) and 0.0% with utility gas; 18.9% of bill-paying homes report $250 or more a month. Electric-heat homes should compare plans at winter usage.
**Which ZIP code covers most of Edcouch?** 78538: 1,286 Edcouch-addressed competitive homes; ratio 0.60 across the ZIP (2,128 home meters in all, 3,556 households).
**Who handles Edcouch power outages?** Outages go to AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for 1,297 Edcouch competitive homes.
**How do I set up power at a new Edcouch home?** Check the address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, choose a plan and a start date. Edcouch had 757 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/
- 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
- 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 2020 ZCTA-to-place relationship file: https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/rel2020/zcta520/
- 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
- 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
- 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/

BJW Ventures LLC d/b/a Power Hopper | PUCT BR260201