# Portland, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires and 8,544 competitive homes

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

**In short:** ERCOT counts 8,544 active residential meters with a Portland address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). Nearly every Portland address in our data is on AEP Texas Central's wires and can pick a retail provider.

## Moving to Portland

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

- **City hall (ask about water service):** City of Portland: City Hall (main line), 361-777-4500.
- **Natural gas:** CenterPoint Energy: gas leak emergency (24/7), 888-876-5786.
- **Public schools:** Gregory-Portland ISD, Corpus Christi ISD, Taft ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: Aransas Pass, 512-424-2600.

## Who delivers electricity in Portland?
ERCOT counts 8,544 active residential meters with a Portland address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in Portland choose?
None of the ZIP codes holding Portland's 8,544 competitive homes is flagged split, so most Portland streets can shop.

## What is different about Portland?
- Population: 20,441 (2020 base) to 20,833 (July 2025), +1.9%, per Census Vintage 2025 estimates. The largest one-year change was +248 people, from July 2023 to July 2024. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- AEP Texas Central share: 1.1% of its 810,296 competitive residential meters carry a Portland address. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- From Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, 40 residential meters in Portland's main ZIP codes went from vacant to active in ERCOT's daily files, which usually means a move-in. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- De-energized homes, usually empty or between tenants, number 309 in Portland's main ZIP codes, 3.5% of all 8,805 residential meters there. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Portland's biggest ZIP code for electricity customers is 78374, with 8,470 of the 8,544 competitive homes that carry a Portland address and a ZIP-wide ratio of 1.13 meters per 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/)
- By competitive homes on its postal city, Portland is number 2 of the 13 cities and towns touching San Patricio County, just behind Corpus Christi (137,188). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- 37.3% of households in 78374 rent (ACS 2020-2024), the most among Portland's main ZIP codes, so a lot of Portland electricity accounts open and close with each lease. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- In 78374, the ZIP holding most Portland homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $83,504, 37.3% renters and 38.5% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Portland's land splits across 3 main ZIP codes, led by 78374 (74%) and 78390 (21%), per the Census 2020 ZCTA-to-place relationship file. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/rel2020/zcta520/)
- Of Portland's six nearest towns, Corpus Christi has the most competitive homes (137,188, 13 mi away) and Corpus Christi the fewest per household (1.16). (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): 20,833
- Population (2020 estimates base): 20,441
- Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024): 7,554
- Active residential meters with a Portland address: 8,544
- Active business meters with a Portland address: 1,085
- Residential meters per Census household: 1.13
- Delivery utilities (homes): AEP Texas Central 8,544
- Counties: San Patricio, Nueces
- ZIP codes touching Portland: 3
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78374 | Portland 100% | 50% | 8,496 | 7,502 | 1.13 | Near-full coverage.  |
| 78390 | Taft 97%, Portland 3% | 1% | 2,051 | 1,871 | 1.1 | Near-full coverage. Mostly outside Portland city limits. |
| 78359 | Gregory 97%, Portland 2% | 7% | 986 | 633 | 1.56 | Near-full coverage. Mostly outside Portland city limits. |

## Business electricity in Portland
1,085 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 Portland deregulated for electricity?** Yes, where AEP Texas Central's wires reach the house, which in Portland is most of the city: 8,544 homes with a Portland mailing address were on the competitive market on October 5, 2026, 1.13 for each Census household. None of Portland's ZIP codes is flagged split, though an address check is still the only sure answer.
**What is the biggest Portland ZIP code for electricity customers?** 78374, with 8,496 competitive homes in ERCOT's data (8,470 addressed to Portland) against roughly 7,502 Census households, a 1.13 ratio.
**Can businesses in Portland choose an electricity provider?** Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 1,085 Portland-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 Portland address?** Start with the address check: AEP Texas Central-delivered Portland homes choose among the plans offered there and set a start date. Turnover is real in 78374, where 21.4% moved in the past year (ACS); ERCOT logged 40 vacant-to-active meters in 78374 Oct. 7-18, 2026.
**Why does my Portland home have a Taft address?** Because ZIP 78390 is mostly addressed to Taft: 97% of its 2,051 competitive residential meters use that postal city, and 3% use Portland. Mailing city isn't city limits; the service address decides the utility.
**Where do I report a Portland power outage?** Call AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for Portland's 8,544 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
- ERCOT TDSP ESIID Extract (report 203), Oct 5, 2026: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203
- 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: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
- 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/
- 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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