# McAllen, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires, 4 split ZIP codes to check

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

**In short:** Every McAllen-addressed home in ERCOT's competitive data is on AEP Texas Central's wires (50,000 active residential meters, October 5, 2026). Most McAllen addresses can choose a retail provider, but 4 of the ZIP codes below are split, so check your exact address. Your delivery utility handles the wires and outages; the retail provider you choose sets your price and sends the bill.

## Moving to McAllen

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

- **Water and utility billing:** utility billing (start, transfer or stop water service), 956-681-1600.
- **Natural gas:** Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- **Public schools:** McAllen ISD, Edinburg CISD, Sharyland ISD and 2 more on the move-in page.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: McAllen, 512-424-2600.

## Who delivers electricity in McAllen?
Every McAllen-addressed home in ERCOT's competitive data is on AEP Texas Central's wires (50,000 active residential meters, October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in McAllen choose?
Most McAllen addresses can choose a retail provider, but 4 of the ZIP codes below are split, so check your exact address.

## What is different about McAllen?
- Magic Valley Electric Cooperative serves parts of Hidalgo County; its members do not have retail choice. (Source: https://www.magicvalley.coop/, https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/)
- In ZIP 78573 (north Mission, Alton, Palmhurst) ERCOT lists 4,938 competitive residential meters for about 12,720 Census households (ratio 0.39), and in 78504 (north McAllen) 16,052 for 19,697 (0.81). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)

## By the numbers
- Population (July 1, 2025 estimate): 150,640
- Population (2020 estimates base): 142,188
- Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024): 48,905
- Active residential meters with a McAllen address: 50,000
- Active business meters with a McAllen address: 10,811
- Residential meters per Census household: 1.02
- Delivery utilities (homes): AEP Texas Central 50,000
- Counties: Hidalgo
- ZIP codes touching McAllen: 6
- Split ZIP codes (flagged below): 4

## 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78501 | Mcallen 24,878, Mission 2, Mercedes 1 | 100% | 24,881 | 21,734 | 1.14 | Most homes are on the competitive market.  |
| 78504 | Mcallen 16,044, Mission 7, Palmview 1 | 89% | 16,052 | 19,697 | 0.81 | Split. Most, but not all, homes are on the competitive market. Fewer competitive meters than households: some homes are likely co-op or other non-choice service. 14 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. |
| 78541 | Edinburg 9,076, Elsa 62, Mcallen 30 | 1% | 9,211 | 16,679 | 0.55 | Split. Only part of the ZIP is on the competitive market. Fewer competitive meters than households: some homes are likely co-op or other non-choice service. 12 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. Mostly outside McAllen city limits. |
| 78503 | Mcallen 8,889 | 92% | 8,889 | 7,247 | 1.23 | Most homes are on the competitive market.  |
| 78573 | Mission 2,735, Alton 1,809, Palmhurst 280 | 11% | 4,938 | 12,720 | 0.39 | Split. Only part of the ZIP is on the competitive market. Fewer competitive meters than households: some homes are likely co-op or other non-choice service. 12 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. |
| 78557 | Hidalgo 1,988, Asherton 3 | 22% | 1,991 | 3,909 | 0.51 | Split. Only part of the ZIP is on the competitive market. Fewer competitive meters than households: some homes are likely co-op or other non-choice service. 15 new residential meters Oct 7-18, 2026. |

## Business electricity in McAllen
10,811 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
**Is McAllen Public Utility my electric company?** No. McAllen Public Utility is the city’s water and sewer utility. EIA’s 2024 data lists no city-owned electric utility in McAllen; electricity comes from a retail provider over AEP Texas Central’s wires, or from Magic Valley if the co-op serves you.
**Is McAllen AEP or Magic Valley Electric?** Inside McAllen mostly AEP Texas Central: ERCOT lists 50,000 McAllen-addressed homes on its wires. Magic Valley Electric Cooperative serves some homes around the city; ZIP-level data points to the north and northwest edges. Only AEP addresses can choose a provider.
**Which McAllen ZIP codes are split?** 78504 (ratio 0.81) and nearby 78573 (0.39) and 78541 (0.55) have fewer competitive meters than homes, a sign of co-op service. 78501 and 78503 are almost fully competitive.
**What is AEP Texas Central's delivery charge?** 5.6898¢ per kWh plus $3.24 a month for residential service in our Oct. 19, 2026 snapshot (tariff effective Sept. 29, 2026).
**Who restores power in McAllen?** AEP Texas for AEP addresses (aeptexas.com/outages); Magic Valley members call the co-op.

## 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
- Magic Valley Electric Cooperative: https://www.magicvalley.coop/
- EIA-861 (2024) utility service territories by county: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- McAllen Public Utility: https://www.mcallenpublicutility.com/
- EIA-861 (2024) utility service territories by county: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/

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