Pharr, Texas electricity: only part of town can choose a provider
Part of Pharr is on the competitive market and part isn't, so the first question for any Pharr address is whether AEP Texas Central or another utility serves it.
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 14,146 active residential meters with a Pharr address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). Only part of Pharr is on the competitive market; the Census counts about 23,877 households in the city. Many of the rest likely get power from an electric co-op or another utility without retail choice, so check your exact address.
Who delivers electricity in Pharr?
Outages: AEP Texas Central at aeptexas.com/outages.
AEP Texas Central delivery charges and area
Can every address in Pharr choose an electricity provider?
14,146 of 14,146 Pharr-addressed competitive homes (100%) are in split ZIP codes (78577), 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 Pharr
Local numbers for setting up a home in Pharr, each checked on the official source. More contacts, and a printable list, are on Pharr helpful move-in information.
- Water and utility billing: utility billing (start, transfer or stop water service), 956-402-4190.
- Natural gas: Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- Public schools: Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, Hidalgo ISD, Valley View ISD.
- Driver license: Texas DPS Driver License Office: McAllen, 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 Pharr 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 Pharr
Typical weather near Pharr, from the nearest NOAA station with a complete 1991-2020 record: Mcallen Miller International Airport, about 4 miles from the city center (station elevation 100 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 100°F; January has the coolest average low, 53°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 752 for the month, and heating-degree days (below 65°F) peak in January at 150. 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 | 73 | 53 | 0.8 | 81 | 150 |
| Feb | 77 | 57 | 0.7 | 139 | 79 |
| Mar | 83 | 63 | 1.4 | 274 | 28 |
| Apr | 88 | 68 | 1.4 | 407 | 5 |
| May | 93 | 74 | 2.0 | 577 | 0 |
| Jun | 97 | 78 | 3.1 | 681 | 0 |
| Jul | 99 | 79 | 2.0 | 733 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 79 | 1.8 | 752 | 0 |
| Sep | 94 | 76 | 4.6 | 599 | 0 |
| Oct | 89 | 69 | 2.1 | 438 | 4 |
| Nov | 80 | 60 | 1.2 | 206 | 51 |
| Dec | 74 | 54 | 1.1 | 104 | 136 |
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 Pharr'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 Pharr, and not an estimate for your home. EIA source.
Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00012959; Texas Railroad Commission, Historical Weather Data by County (2022).
What is different about electricity in Pharr?
- Population: 79,732 (2020 base) to 80,830 (July 2025), +1.4%, per Census Vintage 2025 estimates. The largest one-year change was +612 people, from July 2021 to July 2022. (Census)
- Only 14,146 competitive residential meters carry a Pharr mailing address, against 23,877 Census households in the city, a ratio of 0.59: some homes use other postal cities, and some likely have no retail choice. (ERCOT, Census)
- AEP Texas Central share: 1.7% of its 810,296 competitive residential meters carry a Pharr address. (ERCOT)
- From Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, 54 residential meters in Pharr's main ZIP codes went from vacant to active in ERCOT's daily files, which usually means a move-in. (ERCOT)
- De-energized homes, usually empty or between tenants, number 1,635 in Pharr's main ZIP codes, 10.3% of all 15,807 residential meters there. (ERCOT)
- Nearly all Pharr-addressed competitive homes (14,146) are in one ZIP code, 78577. ZIP-wide, ERCOT counts 14,172 competitive meters for 23,957 Census households, a 0.59 ratio. (ERCOT, Census)
- In ZIP 78577, which holds 14,146 Pharr-addressed homes, ERCOT counts only 0.59 competitive meters per Census household. EIA's 2024 data lists Magic Valley Electric Cooperative, Medina Electric Cooperative, and Rio Grande Electric Cooperative among others 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)
- 41.0% of households in 78577 rent (ACS 2020-2024), the most among Pharr's main ZIP codes, so a lot of Pharr electricity accounts open and close with each lease. (Census)
- In 78577, the ZIP holding most Pharr homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $52,770, 41.0% renters and 24.3% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Census)
Pharr electricity by the numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 80,830 |
| Population (2020 estimates base) | 79,732 |
| Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024) | 23,877 |
| Active residential meters with a Pharr address | 14,146 |
| Active business meters with a Pharr address | 3,040 |
| Residential meters per Census household | 0.59 |
| Delivery utilities (homes) | AEP Texas Central 14,146 |
| Counties | Hidalgo |
| ZIP codes touching Pharr | 1 |
| Split ZIP codes (flagged below) | 1 |
How we built these numbers. Download: Pharr ZIP table (CSV).
What do electricity plans cost in Pharr 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) |
Pharr 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 | Pharr homes | Land in Pharr | Postal cities | Competitive homes (ERCOT) | Households (Census) | Ratio | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78577 | 14,146 | 91% | Pharr 100% | 14,172 | 23,957 | 0.59 | Split. Partial coverage. |
Split ZIP codes for Pharr: 78577.
Homes, renters and electric bills in Pharr’s ZIP codes
$250+ monthly electric bills peak in 78577 (24.3% of households).
| ZIP | Pharr homes | Median income | Renters | 5+ units | $250+ bills | Built 2020+ | New meters | Vacant to active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78577 | 14,146 | $52,770 | 41.0% | 3.5% | 24.3% | 2.1% | 5 | 54 |
ACS 2020-2024 by ZCTA; meters: ERCOT daily files, Oct 7-18, 2026.
How do towns near Pharr compare?
| Town (2,000+ people) | Miles | Competitive homes | Per household | Utility | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan | 3 mi | 5,038 | 0.48 | AEP Texas Central | Partly |
| Alamo | 5 mi | 8,166 | 1.35 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Hidalgo | 5 mi | 1,994 | 0.51 | AEP Texas Central | Partly |
| McAllen | 5 mi | 50,000 | 1.02 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Mission | 9 mi | 42,908 | 1.49 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Palmhurst | 9 mi | 688 | 0.88 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
Business electricity in Pharr
Pharr business meters: 3,040 (4.7 homes per business meter); large non-residential meters in Pharr’s main ZIP codes: 2 (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 Pharr?
ZIP first, then your address; read each plan’s Electricity Facts Label before choosing.
Common questions about electricity in Pharr
Does Pharr have electricity choice?
Some can: 14,146 Pharr-addressed homes are on the competitive market, against about 23,877 city households. Many others likely belong to an electric co-op and can't choose. Split ZIP codes for Pharr: 78577; on those, check the exact address.
Where do most Pharr electricity customers live?
78577, with 14,172 competitive homes in ERCOT's data (14,146 addressed to Pharr) against roughly 23,957 Census households, a 0.59 ratio.
Can businesses in Pharr choose an electricity provider?
Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 3,040 Pharr-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 Pharr address?
Start with the address check: AEP Texas Central-delivered Pharr homes choose among the plans offered there and set a start date. Turnover is real in 78577, where 12.9% moved in the past year (ACS); ERCOT logged 54 vacant-to-active meters in 78577 Oct. 7-18, 2026.
Where do I report a Pharr power outage?
Call AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for Pharr's 14,146 competitive homes; a retail provider can't fix lines. Co-op members report outages to their co-op.
Where to next?
Up: AEP Texas Central area · Hidalgo County
Nearest town pages: San Juan · Alamo · Hidalgo · McAllen · Mission · Donna · Edinburg · Alton
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)
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