# Laredo, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires and 88,259 competitive homes

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

**In short:** Every Laredo-addressed home in ERCOT's competitive data is on AEP Texas Central's wires (88,259 active residential meters, October 5, 2026). Addresses on AEP Texas Central's wires can choose a retail provider, and in Laredo that is nearly everyone our data can see.

## Moving to Laredo

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

- **City hall (ask about water service):** City of Laredo: City Hall (main line), 956-791-7300.
- **Natural gas:** CenterPoint Energy: gas leak emergency (24/7), 888-876-5786.
- **Public schools:** United ISD, Laredo ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Laredo, 512-424-2600.

## Who delivers electricity in Laredo?
Every Laredo-addressed home in ERCOT's competitive data is on AEP Texas Central's wires (88,259 active residential meters, October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in Laredo choose?
None of the ZIP codes holding Laredo's 88,257 competitive homes is flagged split in our data, so most streets can shop; the table below still shows each ZIP's ratio.

## What is different about Laredo?
- Census estimates put Laredo at 269,515 residents on July 1, 2025, up 5.6% from a 2020 estimates base of 255,212. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- ERCOT's daily files added 53 new residential meters in Laredo's main ZIP codes between Oct. 7 and Oct. 18, 2026, 13 of them in 78040. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Laredo-addressed business meters number 13,937 in ERCOT's Oct. 5 extract, one for every 6.3 homes. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 26% of Laredo-addressed competitive homes (22,888 of 88,257) are in ZIP 78045, where competitive meters run 1.08 per Census household. (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/)
- Among the 3 cities and towns that touch Webb County, Laredo ranks 1 by competitive homes on its postal city in ERCOT's data, ahead of Rio Bravo (1,357). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Renters make up 62.2% of households in 78040, the highest share among Laredo's main ZIP codes (ACS 2020-2024), so many Laredo addresses change hands, and electricity accounts, every year. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)

## By the numbers
- Population (July 1, 2025 estimate): 269,515
- Population (2020 estimates base): 255,212
- Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024): 78,082
- Active residential meters with a Laredo address: 88,259
- Active business meters with a Laredo address: 13,937
- Residential meters per Census household: 1.13
- Delivery utilities (homes): AEP Texas Central 88,259
- Counties: Webb
- ZIP codes touching Laredo: 5
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78045 | Laredo 100% | 7% | 22,889 | 21,110 | 1.08 | Near-full coverage. Mostly outside Laredo city limits. |
| 78046 | Laredo 91%, Rio Bravo 6%, El Cenizo 3% | 11% | 22,495 | 18,900 | 1.19 | Near-full coverage. 12 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. |
| 78041 | Laredo 100% | 97% | 17,935 | 15,781 | 1.14 | Near-full coverage. 12 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. |
| 78043 | Laredo 100% | 7% | 13,708 | 13,607 | 1.01 | Near-full coverage. Mostly outside Laredo city limits. |
| 78040 | Laredo 100% | 100% | 13,365 | 11,518 | 1.16 | Near-full coverage. 13 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. |

## Business electricity in Laredo
13,937 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 I choose my electricity provider in Laredo?** Yes, if AEP Texas Central delivers to your address. ERCOT lists 88,259 Laredo-addressed homes on the competitive market (October 5, 2026), about 1.13 per Census household. No ZIP code touching it is flagged split, but check your exact address.
**What is the biggest Laredo ZIP code for electricity customers?** 78045. ERCOT lists 22,889 competitive residential meters there, 22,888 with a Laredo address, against about 21,110 Census households in the ZIP (ratio 1.08).
**Are electric bills high in Laredo?** It varies by ZIP code. In the Census survey (ACS 2020-2024), 38.5% of households in 78046 reported paying $250 or more a month for electricity, the highest share among Laredo's main ZIP codes, against 28.4% in 78040. Home size, age and heating type drive much of that, so compare plans at your own usage.
**Who do I call in Laredo when the power goes out?** AEP Texas Central, which delivers to all 88,259 Laredo-addressed homes in ERCOT's competitive data, not your retail provider. aeptexas.com/outages.

## 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 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
- Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25003 (via Power Hopper's Oct 18, 2026 ZIP study): https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/

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