Colorado County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Columbus, Eagle Lake and Weimar
Colorado County is where a large share of Texas's next power plants are planned. Colorado County is home to Columbus, Eagle Lake and Weimar. 142 MW of new generation is planned here across 8 units, led by Kerrville Public Utility Board Public Facility Corp (natural gas). 20 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 501, down 4.2% since 2019. Employers here counted 7,493 jobs in 2025, up 7.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Colorado County
Colorado County is home to Columbus, Eagle Lake and Weimar.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Garwood, Glidden, Nada, Rock Island, Sheridan.
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 Colorado County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,641 | 21,439 | ▲ 3.9% | 115th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,994 | 7,493 | ▲ 7.1% | 106th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,297 | $54,984 | ▲ 24.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 523 | 501 | ▼ 4.2% | 127th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 4.0% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 142 MW | 278% of today's fleet | 132nd of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 51 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. CenterPoint Energy is the largest utility serving Colorado County, one of 7 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 21,439 people live here, up 3.9% since 2020.
Who powers Colorado County
Utilities with service territory in Colorado County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenterPoint Energy | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 2,485,470 | — | — |
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 113,890 | 11.42¢ | 42% |
| San Bernard Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 31,774 | 14.16¢ | 14% |
| Fayette Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,150 | 12.54¢ | 18% |
| Wharton County Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,548 | 13.37¢ | 24% |
| City of Weimar - (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 | 51 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Global Power One | Sky Global Power One Pledgor, LLC | Natural gas | 51 MW | 2016 |
Planned generation 8
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Island Generation Project | Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine | 20 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Kerrville Public Utility Board Public Facility Corp |
| Rock Island Generation Project | Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine | 20 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Kerrville Public Utility Board Public Facility Corp |
| Rock Island Generation Project | Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine | 20 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Kerrville Public Utility Board Public Facility Corp |
| Rock Island Generation Project | Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine | 20 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Kerrville Public Utility Board Public Facility Corp |
| Rock Island Generation Project | Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine | 20 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Kerrville Public Utility Board Public Facility Corp |
| Rock Island Generation Project | Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine | 20 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Kerrville Public Utility Board Public Facility Corp |
| Columbus Clean Energy Center (BESS) | Batteries | 10 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | On Energy Storage |
| Colorado Clean Energy Center (BESS) | Batteries | 10 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | On Energy Storage |
The Colorado County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,493 | $54,984 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 501 | $78,797 | 1.26 |
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 Colorado County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Colorado County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Austin County.
Colorado County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Colorado County, Wharton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado County | 21,439 | ▲ 7.1% | 51 MW | 142 MW | — | — |
| Austin County | 33,625 | ▲ 27.0% | 210 MW | 800 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Fayette County | 25,459 | ▲ 1.0% | 2,172 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Jackson County | 15,393 | ▼ 11.5% | 221 MW | 508 MW | — | — |
| Lavaca County | 20,651 | ▲ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Wharton County | 42,060 | ▼ 0.8% | 3,912 MW | 2,229 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Colorado County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Colorado County, Texas?
7 utilities have service territory in Colorado County in the EIA-861 2024 report: CenterPoint Energy, AEP Texas Central Company, Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Inc, San Bernard Electric Coop, Inc.
What power plants are in Colorado County?
1 operating plant with 51 MW of capacity. The largest is Sky Global Power One (51 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Colorado County?
142 MW across 8 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 20 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Kerrville Public Utility Board Public Facility Corp.
Are there data centers in Colorado County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Colorado County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wharton County.
Is Colorado County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,493 jobs in 2025 against 6,994 in 2019 (+7.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 523 to 501.
Does Colorado County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Colorado County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.