Crane County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Crane
Crane 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. Crane County is home to Crane. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Lydian Energy (battery storage). 200 MW of it is already under construction or built. Employers here counted 1,336 jobs in 2025, up 18.0% from 2019. Next door, Ward County has 3 data centers and 2,335 MW of planned generation. 503 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage.
Cities and towns in Crane County
Crane County is home to Crane.
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 Crane County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,671 | 4,554 | ▼ 2.5% | 205th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,132 | 1,336 | ▲ 18.0% | 43rd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $58,450 | $73,338 | ▲ 25.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 503 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | 40% of today's fleet | 108th of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 503 MW of capacity, 70% of it battery storage. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Crane County, one of 2 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 4,554 people live here, down 2.5% since 2020.
Who powers Crane County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +503 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Crane County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 3,477,215 | — | — |
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 353 MW | 70% |
| Solar | 150 MW | 30% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crossett Power Management LLC | Crossett Power Management LLC | Battery storage | 203 MW | 2022 |
| Crane Solar Project | Crane Solar Project, LLC | Solar | 150 MW | 2020 |
| Revolution | Crane 2 BESS, LLC | Battery storage | 150 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mendoza Trail BESS | Batteries | 200 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Lydian Energy |
The Crane County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,336 | $73,338 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 49 | $90,440 | 0.69 |
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 Crane County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Crane County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Crane County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Crane County, Ward 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crane County | 4,554 | ▲ 18.0% | 503 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Crockett County | 2,769 | ▼ 11.0% | 1,124 MW | 265 MW | — | — |
| Ector County | 173,801 | ▼ 0.7% | 2,934 MW | 344 MW | — | — |
| Pecos County | 14,560 | ▼ 5.0% | 3,731 MW | 1,098 MW | 3 | — |
| Upton County | 3,131 | ▲ 132.0% | 1,841 MW | 175 MW | 1 | — |
| Ward County | 11,125 | ▲ 2.1% | 598 MW | 2,335 MW | 3 | — |
More of Texas
Crane County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Crane County, Texas?
2 utilities have service territory in Crane County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, AEP Texas North Company.
What power plants are in Crane County?
3 operating plants with 503 MW of capacity. The largest is Crossett Power Management LLC (203 MW, battery storage).
How much new power is planned in Crane County?
200 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 200 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Lydian Energy.
Are there data centers in Crane County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Crane County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Ward County.
Is Crane County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,336 jobs in 2025 against 1,132 in 2019 (+18.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Crane County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Crane County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.