# Port Lavaca, 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 5,138 active residential meters with a Port Lavaca address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). 1 of Port Lavaca's ZIP codes is split, so most addresses can shop, but yours needs a check.

## Moving to Port Lavaca

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

- **Water and utility billing:** City of Port Lavaca: utility billing (water, sewer, garbage), 361-552-9793.
- **Natural gas:** CenterPoint Energy: gas leak emergency (24/7), 888-876-5786.
- **Public schools:** Calhoun County ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Port Lavaca, 512-424-2600.

## Who delivers electricity in Port Lavaca?
ERCOT counts 5,138 active residential meters with a Port Lavaca address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in Port Lavaca choose?
Split ZIP codes holding Port Lavaca homes: 77979. They carry 5,138 of the 5,138 competitive homes with a Port Lavaca address (100%); on those streets a neighbor's utility can differ from yours.

## What is different about Port Lavaca?
- Port Lavaca counted about 11,060 residents in the Census Bureau's 2025 estimate, against 11,549 in the 2020 base, a change of -4.2%. The largest one-year change was -164 people, from July 2024 to July 2025. July 1 estimates in between: 11,394 (2021), 11,291 (2022), 11,249 (2023), 11,224 (2024). (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- Port Lavaca covers 10.2 square miles of land and 4.0 square miles of water (Census 2025 Gazetteer). That works out to about 1,090 residents and 490 occupied households per square mile of land, with roughly 2.2 residents for every Port Lavaca 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/)
- Port Lavaca-addressed homes make up 0.6% of the 810,296 residential meters on AEP Texas Central's competitive system. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Vacancy signal: 12.0 percent of residential meters in Port Lavaca's core ZIP codes were de-energized on October 5, 2026 (710 off, 5,185 on), per ERCOT. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- One ZIP code, 77979, holds almost every Port Lavaca-addressed competitive home (5,138); it also carries 47 Long Mott addresses. Taken whole, 77979 has 0.73 competitive meters per Census household: 5,185 meters, 7,140 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/)
- Among the 3 cities and towns that reach into Calhoun County, Port Lavaca places 1 for competitive homes on its postal city; second place is Seadrift, at 1,039. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- By the Census Bureau's 2025 estimates, Port Lavaca is the number 1 city or town by population among the 3 that reach into Calhoun County, one place ahead of Seadrift (1,031 residents). (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- Mailing cities on the 5,185 competitive home meters in 77979, Port Lavaca's main ZIP code: Port Lavaca 5,138, Long Mott 47. A mailing city is not a city limit, so the service address, not the postal name, settles which utility serves a home. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Electric bills over $250 a month: 31.4 percent of households in 77979, Port Lavaca's main ZIP code, per the ACS 2020-2024; the same survey puts median household income there at $77,039 and the renter share at 24.7 percent. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Victoria, 26 miles from Port Lavaca, has the most competitive homes nearby (25,955); Victoria has the fewest per household, still 1.02. (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): 11,060
- Population (2020 estimates base): 11,549
- Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024): 4,977
- Active residential meters with a Port Lavaca address: 5,138
- Active business meters with a Port Lavaca address: 1,200
- Residential meters per Census household: 1.03
- Delivery utilities (homes): AEP Texas Central 5,138
- Counties: Calhoun
- ZIP codes touching Port Lavaca: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77979 | Port Lavaca 99% | 3% | 5,185 | 7,140 | 0.73 | Split. Most homes, not all. Mostly outside Port Lavaca city limits. |

## Business electricity in Port Lavaca
1,200 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
**Does Port Lavaca have electricity choice?** Most Port Lavaca homes can. ERCOT's October 5, 2026 extract has 5,138 Port Lavaca-addressed homes on AEP Texas Central's competitive system, compared with 4,977 households in the Census survey. Addresses in 77979 (split) need an exact-address check before you shop.
**What is the biggest Port Lavaca ZIP code for electricity customers?** 77979. It holds 5,138 Port Lavaca-addressed competitive homes; counting every address in the ZIP, ERCOT has 5,185 meters for roughly 7,140 households, a 0.73 ratio.
**What do Port Lavaca electricity plans cost per kWh?** On October 19, 2026, the median fixed-rate Power to Choose listing on AEP Texas Central's wires was 12.1¢ per kWh at 1,000 kWh a month (164 listings); AEP Texas Central's delivery charge of 5.6898¢ per kWh plus $3.24 a month is included. A median is not a quote.
**How do I start electric service at a new Port Lavaca address?** Start with the address check: AEP Texas Central-delivered Port Lavaca homes choose among the plans offered there and set a start date. Turnover is real in 77979, where 8.9% moved in the past year (ACS); ERCOT logged 6 vacant-to-active meters in 77979 Oct. 7-18, 2026.
**How many households in Port Lavaca can shop for electricity?** ERCOT's October 5, 2026 extract lists 5,138 competitive residential meters with a Port Lavaca mailing address and 1,200 business meters; ACS 2020-2024: 4,977 occupied Port Lavaca households.
**Where do I report a Port Lavaca power outage?** Call AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for Port Lavaca's 5,138 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
- 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/
- 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/
- 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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