# San Juan, Texas electricity: only part of town can choose a provider

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

**In short:** ERCOT counts 5,038 active residential meters with a San Juan address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026). Only part of San Juan is on the competitive market; the Census counts about 10,440 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.

## Moving to San Juan

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

- **City hall (ask about water service):** City of San Juan: City Hall (main line), 956-223-2200.
- **Natural gas:** Texas Gas Service: customer service, 800-700-2443.
- **Public schools:** Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, Hidalgo ISD.
- **Driver license:** Texas DPS Driver License Office: McAllen, 512-424-2600.

## Who delivers electricity in San Juan?
ERCOT counts 5,038 active residential meters with a San Juan address, all on AEP Texas Central's wires (October 5, 2026).

## Can every address in San Juan choose?
5,036 of 5,036 San Juan-addressed competitive homes (100%) are in split ZIP codes (78589), where a neighbor may have a different utility.

## What is different about San Juan?
- San Juan counted about 37,868 residents in the Census Bureau's 2025 estimate, against 35,329 in the 2020 base, a change of +7.2%. The largest one-year change was +765 people, from July 2022 to July 2023. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/cities/totals/sub-est2025_48.csv)
- Only 5,038 competitive residential meters carry a San Juan mailing address, against 10,440 Census households in the city, a ratio of 0.48: some homes use other postal cities, and some likely have no retail choice. (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/)
- Of the 810,296 homes AEP Texas Central serves on the competitive market, 0.6% have a San Juan mailing address. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- From Oct. 7 to Oct. 18, 2026, 19 residential meters in San Juan'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 718 in San Juan's main ZIP codes, 12.4% of all 5,776 residential meters there. (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- Nearly all San Juan-addressed competitive homes (5,036) are in one ZIP code, 78589. ZIP-wide, ERCOT counts 5,058 competitive meters for 11,709 Census households, a 0.43 ratio. (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, San Juan is number 9 of the 22 cities and towns touching Hidalgo County, just behind Mercedes (7,559). (Source: https://www.ercot.com/misapp/GetReports.do?reportTypeId=203)
- In ZIP 78589, which holds 5,036 San Juan-addressed homes, ERCOT counts only 0.43 competitive meters per Census household. EIA's 2024 data lists Magic Valley Electric Cooperative in the counties ERCOT and the Census link to that ZIP; their customers are not on the competitive market unless the utility opted in. (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/, https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/)
- In 78589, the ZIP holding most San Juan homes, the ACS 2020-2024 survey finds a median household income of $54,285, 20.7% renters and 18.1% of households with $250+ monthly electric bills. (Source: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/)
- Nearby, Hidalgo (8 mi) has just 0.51 competitive homes per household, while McAllen counts 50,000 on its postal city. (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): 37,868
- Population (2020 estimates base): 35,329
- Occupied households (ACS 2020-2024): 10,440
- Active residential meters with a San Juan address: 5,038
- Active business meters with a San Juan address: 773
- Residential meters per Census household: 0.48
- Delivery utilities (homes): AEP Texas Central 5,038
- Counties: Hidalgo
- ZIP codes touching San Juan: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78589 | San Juan 100% | 46% | 5,058 | 11,709 | 0.43 | Split. Partial coverage.  |

## Business electricity in San Juan
773 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
**Can I choose my electricity provider in San Juan?** Some can: 5,038 San Juan-addressed homes are on the competitive market, against about 10,440 city households. Many others likely belong to an electric co-op and can't choose. Split ZIP codes for San Juan: 78589; on those, check the exact address.
**Where do most San Juan electricity customers live?** ZIP 78589: 5,036 of its 5,058 competitive residential meters use a San Juan address, and the ZIP has about 11,709 Census households (ratio 0.43).
**Can businesses in San Juan choose an electricity provider?** Yes, where AEP Texas Central delivers: 773 San Juan-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 Juan. How do I set up electricity?** 9.5% of 78589 residents moved within a year (ACS), and 19 78589 meters turned from vacant to active Oct. 7-18, 2026. Check that your San Juan address is on AEP Texas Central's wires, then choose a plan and start date.
**Where do I report a San Juan power outage?** AEP Texas Central, at aeptexas.com/outages: it carries power to all 5,038 San Juan-addressed competitive homes, whatever retail provider bills them. Co-op members report outages to their 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
- 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
- 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
- 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/
- EIA-861 (2024) utility service territories by county: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/
- 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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