Cameron County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Brownsville, Harlingen and San Benito
New generation is lining up in Cameron County. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Cameron County. Cameron County is home to Brownsville, Harlingen, San Benito and Los Fresnos. 1,226 MW of new generation is planned here across 8 units, led by Gransolar Texas Four LLC (battery storage). 200 MW of it is already under construction or built. 711 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Construction employs 3,550, up 17.9% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Cameron County
Cameron County is home to Brownsville, Harlingen, San Benito and Los Fresnos.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Arroyo Colorado Estates, Arroyo Gardens, Bixby, Bluetown, Cameron Park, Chula Vista, Del Mar Heights, El Camino Angosto, Encantada-Ranchito-El Calaboz, Green Valley Farms, Iglesia Antigua, Juarez, La Feria North, La Paloma, La Tina Ranch, Lago, Laguna Heights, Las Palmas II, Lasana, Laureles, Lozano, Olmito, Orason, Palmer, Ratamosa, Reid Hope King, Rice Tracts, San Pedro, Santa Maria, Solis, South Point, Tierra Bonita, Villa Pancho, Villa del Sol, Yznaga.
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 Cameron County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 421,504 | 433,946 | ▲ 3.0% | 13th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 141,392 | 154,673 | ▲ 9.4% | 90th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,689 | $47,042 | ▲ 35.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,011 | 3,550 | ▲ 17.9% | 79th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 542 | 602 | ▲ 11.1% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 176 | 208 | ▲ 18.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 6.5% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 711 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,226 MW | 79% of today's fleet | 16th of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 1,551 MW of capacity, 65% of it wind. Employers here counted 154,673 jobs in 2025, up 9.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 6.5% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. 4 MW has retired here since 2019, including Silas Ray (petroleum, 4 MW, 2019). Electrical contractors employ 602, up 11.1% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $53,854 a year. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Cameron County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 433,946 people live here, up 3.0% since 2020.
Who powers Cameron County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +707 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Cameron County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Magic Valley Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 126,402 | 10.20¢ | 10% |
| Brownsville Public Utilities Board | Municipal | Bundled | 48,146 | 12.70¢ | 52% |
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 22
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 1,005 MW | 65% |
| Battery storage | 186 MW | 12% |
| Solar | 180 MW | 12% |
| Natural gas | 137 MW | 9% |
| Petroleum | 42 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Vientos Wind 1B | Deriva Energy | Wind | 202 MW | 2012 |
| Los Vientos Wind 1A | Deriva Energy | Wind | 200 MW | 2012 |
| La Chalupa, LLC | Acciona Energy USA Global, LLC | Wind | 198 MW | 2021 |
| Cameron Wind 1 LLC | Cameron Wind 1 LLC | Wind | 181 MW | 2015 |
| Palmas Wind, LLC | Acciona Energy USA Global, LLC | Wind | 145 MW | 2020 |
| Silas Ray | Brownsville Public Utilities Board | Petroleum | 142 MW | 1959 |
Planned generation 8
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hecate Grid East Valley Storage | Batteries | 255 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Hecate Grid East Valley Storage, LLC |
| Resaca Oasis Storage | Batteries | 201 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Red River Clean Energy |
| Accalia Point Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 190 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Accalia Point Solar, LLC |
| Harryoung PV and BESS | Batteries | 190 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Gransolar Texas Four LLC |
| Harryoung PV and BESS | Solar Photovoltaic | 190 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Gransolar Texas Four LLC |
| Arroyo Storage | Batteries | 180 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | BT Cantwell Solar, LLC |
| Mesquite Clean Energy Center (BESS) | Batteries | 10 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | On Energy Storage |
| Harlingen #1 BESS 1 | Batteries | 10 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Harlingen ESS Assets LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silas Ray | Petroleum | 4 MW | 2019 |
The Cameron County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 154,673 | $47,042 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,550 | $55,556 | 0.43 |
| Electrical contractors | 602 | $53,854 | 0.54 |
| Electric utilities | 208 | $120,817 | 0.50 |
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 Cameron County
3 data centers in Cameron County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Cameron County and its neighbors
Of the 2 counties that border Cameron County, Hidalgo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron County | 433,946 | ▲ 9.4% | 1,551 MW | 1,226 MW | 3 | — |
| Hidalgo County | 921,549 | ▲ 11.4% | 3,426 MW | 160 MW | 8 | — |
| Willacy County | 19,971 | ▲ 11.5% | 1,445 MW | — | 2 | — |
More of Texas
Cameron County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cameron County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Cameron County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Magic Valley Electric Coop Inc, Brownsville Public Utilities Board.
What county is Brownsville, TX in?
Brownsville is in Cameron County, Texas. About 192,957 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Harlingen, TX in?
Harlingen is in Cameron County, Texas. About 72,467 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is San Benito, TX in?
San Benito is in Cameron County, Texas. About 24,980 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Cameron County?
22 operating plants with 1,551 MW of capacity. The largest is Los Vientos Wind 1B (202 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Cameron County?
1,226 MW across 8 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 200 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Gransolar Texas Four LLC.
Are there data centers in Cameron County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Cameron County.
Is Cameron County adding jobs?
Employers counted 154,673 jobs in 2025 against 141,392 in 2019 (+9.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,011 to 3,550.
Does Cameron County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cameron County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.