Caldwell County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lockhart, Luling and Martindale
The data center boom is not abstract in Caldwell County: it is on the ground here. Construction employs 1,506, up 154.0% since 2019, and construction is 2.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Caldwell County. Caldwell County is home to Lockhart, most of Luling (5,788 of its 5,920 residents), Martindale and part of Uhland (685 of its 1,958 residents). Employers here counted 11,130 jobs in 2025, up 25.3% from 2019. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Metro BESS LLC (battery storage).
Cities and towns in Caldwell County
Caldwell County is home to Lockhart, most of Luling (5,788 of its 5,920 residents), Martindale and part of Uhland (685 of its 1,958 residents).
- Luling also extends into Guadalupe County.
- Uhland also extends into Hays County.
- Mustang Ridge also extends into Travis County.
- Niederwald also extends into Hays County.
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 Caldwell County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 45,945 | 55,150 | ▲ 20.0% | 67th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,885 | 11,130 | ▲ 25.3% | 25th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,478 | $57,206 | ▲ 48.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 593 | 1,506 | ▲ 154.0% | 5th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 4.1% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 368 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | 54% of today's fleet | 109th of 149 by size |
55,150 people live here, up 20.0% since 2020. 368 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. Its power plants have 368 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Caldwell County, one of 6 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers.
Who powers Caldwell County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +368 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Caldwell County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 405,587 | 12.22¢ | 22% |
| Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 113,890 | 11.42¢ | 42% |
| Guadalupe Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 92,189 | 12.49¢ | 13% |
| City of Lockhart - (TX) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Luling - (TX) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 368 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timmerman Power Plant | Lower Colorado River Authority | Natural gas | 368 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metro BESS | Batteries | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2030 | Metro BESS LLC |
The Caldwell County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,130 | $57,206 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,506 | $89,290 | 2.55 |
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 Caldwell County
1 data center in Caldwell County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Caldwell County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Caldwell County, Travis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caldwell County | 55,150 | ▲ 25.3% | 368 MW | 200 MW | 1 | — |
| Bastrop County | 118,908 | ▲ 25.0% | 2,051 MW | 80 MW | 2 | — |
| Fayette County | 25,459 | ▲ 1.0% | 2,172 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Gonzales County | 20,159 | ▼ 0.4% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Guadalupe County | 201,111 | ▲ 20.0% | 2,651 MW | — | — | — |
| Hays County | 304,390 | ▲ 34.2% | 999 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Travis County | 1,389,670 | ▲ 19.9% | 1,624 MW | 2 MW | 25 | — |
More of Texas
Caldwell County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Caldwell County, Texas?
6 utilities have service territory in Caldwell County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Pedernales Electric Coop, Inc, Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Inc, Guadalupe Valley Elec Coop Inc.
What county is Lockhart, TX in?
Lockhart is in Caldwell County, Texas. About 18,159 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Caldwell County?
1 operating plant with 368 MW of capacity. The largest is Timmerman Power Plant (368 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Caldwell County?
200 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Metro BESS LLC.
Are there data centers in Caldwell County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Caldwell County.
Is Caldwell County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,130 jobs in 2025 against 8,885 in 2019 (+25.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 593 to 1,506.
Does Caldwell County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Caldwell County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.