Hidalgo County, New Mexico: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lordsburg
Hidalgo County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Hidalgo County is home to Lordsburg. Employers here counted 1,274 jobs in 2025, down 21.9% from 2019. 2 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by USS Fletcher Solar LLC (solar). 2 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Cochise County, Arizona, has 1 data center and 351 MW of planned generation. 4 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County is home to Lordsburg.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Animas, Cotton City, Glen Acres, Playas, Rodeo, Windmill.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Hidalgo County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,163 | 3,929 | ▼ 5.6% | 29th of 33 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,632 | 1,274 | ▼ 21.9% | 33rd of 33 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,150 | $58,289 | ▲ 45.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.7% | 6.6% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 2 MW | 1% of today's fleet | 14th of 14 by size |
Unemployment was 6.6% in August 2026, against 5.7% in 2019. Its power plants have 297 MW of capacity, 92% of it natural gas. Public Service Co of NM is the largest utility serving Hidalgo County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.57¢/kWh in 2024. 3,929 people live here, down 5.6% since 2020.
Who powers Hidalgo County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +4 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hidalgo County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Co of NM | Investor Owned | Bundled | 492,945 | 15.57¢ | 39% |
| Columbus Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Duncan Valley Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 274 MW | 92% |
| Other technologies | 19 MW | 6% |
| Solar | 4 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pyramid | Tri-State G & T Assn, Inc | Natural gas | 186 MW | 2003 |
| Lordsburg Generating | Public Service Co of NM | Natural gas | 88 MW | 2002 |
| Lightning Dock Geothermal | Lightning Dock Geothermal HI-01, LLC | Other technologies | 19 MW | 2013 |
| Pluma - SLT Hidalgo CSG | Standard Solar | Solar | 4 MW | 2026 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USS Fletcher Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | USS Fletcher Solar LLC |
The Hidalgo County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,274 | $58,289 | 1.00 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Hidalgo County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hidalgo County. New Mexico has 12 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Grant County.
Hidalgo County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Hidalgo County, Cochise County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo County | 3,929 | ▼ 21.9% | 297 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Cochise County AZ | 126,332 | ▲ 1.3% | 1,666 MW | 351 MW | 1 | — |
| Grant County | 27,252 | ▲ 2.0% | 55 MW | 5 MW | — | 1 |
| Greenlee County AZ | 9,312 | ▲ 9.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Luna County | 25,407 | ▲ 5.2% | 1,058 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
More of New Mexico
Hidalgo County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hidalgo County, New Mexico?
3 utilities have service territory in Hidalgo County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of NM, Columbus Electric Coop, Inc, Duncan Valley Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Public Service Co of NM, charged residential customers 15.57¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hidalgo County?
4 operating plants with 297 MW of capacity. The largest is Pyramid (186 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Hidalgo County?
2 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 2 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is USS Fletcher Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Hidalgo County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hidalgo County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cochise County.
Is Hidalgo County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,274 jobs in 2025 against 1,632 in 2019 (-21.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hidalgo County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hidalgo County. New Mexico has 12 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.