Deaf Smith County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hereford
Deaf Smith County is a generation frontier for Texas. 1,686 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Intersect USA, LLC (solar), the 8th largest pipeline among Texas's counties. Deaf Smith County is home to Hereford. Construction employs 255, down 18.3% since 2019. 210 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Its power plants have 710 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Deaf Smith County
Deaf Smith County is home to Hereford.
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 Deaf Smith County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 18,533 | 18,626 | ▲ 0.5% | 131st of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,762 | 8,262 | ▲ 6.4% | 112th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,165 | $54,632 | ▲ 26.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 312 | 255 | ▼ 18.3% | 147th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 210 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,686 MW | 237% of today's fleet | 8th of 149 by size |
Employers here counted 8,262 jobs in 2025, up 6.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Deaf Smith County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.35¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 18,626 people live here, up 0.5% since 2020.
Who powers Deaf Smith County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +210 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Deaf Smith County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Public Service Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 222,146 | 13.35¢ | 25% |
| Deaf Smith Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,333 | 8.83¢ | 19% |
| Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (NM) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 710 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TX Jumbo Road Wind | TX Jumbo Road Wind, LLC | Wind | 300 MW | 2015 |
| Canadian Breaks, LLC | Canadian Breaks LLC | Wind | 210 MW | 2019 |
| TX Hereford Wind | Boralex US Operations LLC | Wind | 200 MW | 2014 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IP Roman Wind | Onshore Wind Turbine | 670 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Intersect USA, LLC |
| Renegade Solar Project (Dawn) | Solar Photovoltaic | 515 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Renegade Renewables, LLC |
| IP Roman Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 500 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Intersect USA, LLC |
The Deaf Smith County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,262 | $54,632 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 255 | $72,289 | 0.58 |
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 Deaf Smith County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Deaf Smith County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Deaf Smith County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Deaf Smith County, Potter 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaf Smith County | 18,626 | ▲ 6.4% | 710 MW | 1,686 MW | — | — |
| Castro County | 7,295 | ▲ 14.2% | 442 MW | 440 MW | — | — |
| Curry County NM | 46,655 | ▲ 7.1% | 573 MW | — | — | — |
| Oldham County | 1,783 | ▼ 11.0% | 755 MW | — | — | — |
| Parmer County | 9,678 | ▲ 11.1% | 495 MW | — | — | — |
| Potter County | 114,453 | ▲ 2.0% | 1,555 MW | 168 MW | 4 | — |
| Quay County NM | 8,454 | ▼ 1.1% | 409 MW | — | — | — |
| Randall County | 152,351 | ▲ 13.9% | 166 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Deaf Smith County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Deaf Smith County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Deaf Smith County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, Deaf Smith Electric Coop, Inc, Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (NM). The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Hereford, TX in?
Hereford is in Deaf Smith County, Texas. About 14,976 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Deaf Smith County?
3 operating plants with 710 MW of capacity. The largest is TX Jumbo Road Wind (300 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Deaf Smith County?
1,686 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Intersect USA, LLC.
Are there data centers in Deaf Smith County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Deaf Smith County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Castro County.
Is Deaf Smith County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,262 jobs in 2025 against 7,762 in 2019 (+6.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 312 to 255.
Does Deaf Smith County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Deaf Smith County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.