San Benito, Texas electricity: AEP Texas Central wires, 2 split ZIP codes to check
12,290 San Benito-addressed homes buy power on AEP Texas Central's system. Here is where choice stops, what delivery costs and where plan prices sit today.
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 12,290 active residential meters with a San Benito address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). 2 of San Benito's ZIP codes are split, so most addresses can shop, but yours needs a check.
Who delivers electricity in San Benito?
Outages: AEP Texas Central at aeptexas.com/outages.
AEP Texas Central delivery charges and area
Can every address in San Benito choose an electricity provider?
12,286 of 12,286 San Benito-addressed competitive homes (100%) are in split ZIP codes (78586, 78566), where a neighbor may have a different utility.
1 more utility (co-op, city-owned or non-ERCOT; EIA 2024) also serves parts of Cameron County; no retail choice there unless the utility opted in.
Moving to San Benito
Local numbers for setting up a home in San Benito, each checked on the official source. More contacts, and a printable list, are on San Benito helpful move-in information.
- Water and utility billing: utility billing (start, transfer or stop water service), 833-329-3384.
- Natural gas: Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- Public schools: San Benito CISD.
- Driver license: Texas DPS Driver License Office: Harlingen, 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 San Benito 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 San Benito
Typical weather near San Benito, from the nearest NOAA station with a complete 1991-2020 record: Harlingen, about 5 miles from the city center (station elevation 38 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 98°F; January has the coolest average low, 51°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 691 for the month, and heating-degree days (below 65°F) peak in January at 179. 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 | 72 | 51 | 1.2 | 68 | 179 |
| Feb | 76 | 55 | 1.2 | 108 | 97 |
| Mar | 81 | 60 | 1.5 | 213 | 42 |
| Apr | 86 | 66 | 2.3 | 342 | 8 |
| May | 91 | 72 | 2.7 | 510 | 0 |
| Jun | 95 | 76 | 2.4 | 619 | 0 |
| Jul | 97 | 77 | 2.4 | 674 | 0 |
| Aug | 98 | 77 | 2.1 | 691 | 0 |
| Sep | 93 | 74 | 5.8 | 551 | 0 |
| Oct | 88 | 67 | 3.1 | 389 | 5 |
| Nov | 80 | 59 | 2.0 | 183 | 55 |
| Dec | 73 | 53 | 1.6 | 90 | 157 |
Historical weather records for Cameron County
The Texas Railroad Commission's county table lists a record low of 12°F (1899) and a record high of 108°F (1915), and a regional estimate of 18 consecutive hours as a typical longest freezing or frozen-precipitation period for Cameron County. These are historical county extremes, not San Benito'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 San Benito, and not an estimate for your home. EIA source.
Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USC00413943; Texas Railroad Commission, Historical Weather Data by County (2022).
What is different about electricity in San Benito?
- San Benito counted about 24,980 residents in the Census Bureau's 2025 estimate, against 24,982 in the 2020 base, a change of -0.0%. The largest one-year change was +203 people, from July 2023 to July 2024. (Census)
- Mailing addresses stretch past city limits here. 12,290 competitive residential meters use San Benito as their postal city, while the city itself has 8,351 Census households, a ratio of 1.47. (ERCOT, Census)
- Of the 810,296 homes AEP Texas Central serves on the competitive market, 1.5% have a San Benito mailing address. (ERCOT)
- From Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, 34 residential meters in San Benito'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 2,152 in San Benito's main ZIP codes, 14.7% of all 14,649 residential meters there. (ERCOT)
- ZIP 78586 holds 12,224 of the 12,286 competitive homes with a San Benito address (99%); across the whole ZIP there are 0.80 competitive meters per Census household. (ERCOT, Census)
- In 78586, the ZIP holding most San Benito homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $45,575, 25.8% renters and 29.5% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Census)
- Of San Benito's six nearest towns, Harlingen has the most competitive homes (29,141, 5 mi away) and Primera the fewest per household (0.90). (ERCOT, Census)
San Benito electricity by the numbers
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Population (July 1, 2025 estimate) | 24,980 |
| Population (2020 estimates base) | 24,982 |
| Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024) | 8,351 |
| Active residential meters with a San Benito address | 12,290 |
| Active business meters with a San Benito address | 1,910 |
| Residential meters per Census household | 1.47 |
| Delivery utilities (homes) | AEP Texas Central 12,290 |
| Counties | Cameron |
| ZIP codes touching San Benito | 2 |
| Split ZIP codes (flagged below) | 2 |
How we built these numbers. Download: San Benito ZIP table (CSV).
What do electricity plans cost in San Benito 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) |
San Benito 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 | San Benito homes | Land in San Benito | Postal cities | Competitive homes (ERCOT) | Households (Census) | Ratio | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78586 | 12,224 | 10% | San Benito 98%, Laureles 2% | 12,497 | 15,699 | 0.80 | Split. Most homes, not all. Split: Brownsville Public Utilities Board (Brownsville city limits cover about 6% of the ZIP's land); that utility's customers can't choose. |
| 78566 | 62 | 0% | Los Fresnos 76%, Bayview 16%, Indian Lake 5% | 6,880 | 7,241 | 0.95 | Split. Near-full coverage. Split: Brownsville Public Utilities Board (Brownsville city limits cover about 12% of the ZIP's land); that utility's customers can't choose. Mostly outside San Benito city limits. |
Split ZIP codes for San Benito: 78586, 78566.
Homes, renters and electric bills in San Benito’s ZIP codes
$250+ monthly electric bills peak in 78586 (29.5% of households).
| ZIP | San Benito homes | Median income | Renters | 5+ units | $250+ bills | Built 2020+ | New meters | Vacant to active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78586 | 12,224 | $45,575 | 25.8% | 2.8% | 29.5% | 1.6% | 6 | 34 |
ACS 2020-2024 by ZCTA; meters: ERCOT daily files, Oct 7-18, 2026.
How do towns near San Benito compare?
| Town (2,000+ people) | Miles | Competitive homes | Per household | Utility | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlingen | 5 mi | 29,141 | 1.12 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Rio Hondo | 8 mi | 1,165 | 1.57 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Rancho Viejo | 8 mi | 1,467 | 1.34 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Primera | 9 mi | 1,325 | 0.90 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Combes | 10 mi | 1,095 | 0.99 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
| Los Fresnos | 10 mi | 5,254 | 2.22 | AEP Texas Central | Most addresses can choose |
Business electricity in San Benito
San Benito business meters: 1,910 (6.4 homes per business meter); large non-residential meters in San Benito’s main ZIP codes: 1 (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 San Benito?
ZIP first, then your address; read each plan’s Electricity Facts Label before choosing.
Common questions about electricity in San Benito
Does San Benito have electricity choice?
Most San Benito homes can. ERCOT's October 5, 2026 extract has 12,290 San Benito-addressed homes on AEP Texas Central's competitive system, compared with 8,351 households in the Census survey. Split ZIP codes for San Benito: 78586, 78566; on those, check the exact address.
Which San Benito ZIP code has the most homes on the competitive market?
ZIP 78586: 12,224 of its 12,497 competitive residential meters use a San Benito address, and the ZIP has about 15,699 Census households (ratio 0.80).
Can businesses in San Benito choose an electricity provider?
Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 1,910 San Benito-addressed business meters are on the competitive market in ERCOT's data, and large accounts can also buy from commercial suppliers directly.
I'm moving to San Benito. How do I set up electricity?
Confirm the address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, then pick a plan and a start date. In 78586, 6.1% of residents moved in the past year (ACS); 34 78586 meters went vacant-to-active Oct. 7-18, 2026.
Why are there more electric meters than households in San Benito?
12,290 San Benito-addressed meters against 8,351 city households is 1.47 per household: the San Benito postal area extends past city limits, and new homes get meters before the Census counts them. It doesn't mean every nearby address can choose.
Where do I report a San Benito power outage?
Call AEP Texas Central (aeptexas.com/outages), the wires utility for San Benito's 12,290 competitive homes; a retail provider can't fix lines.
Where to next?
Up: AEP Texas Central area · Cameron County
Nearest town pages: Harlingen · Mercedes · Weslaco · Donna · Alamo · San Juan · Edinburg · Pharr
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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