Foard County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
New generation is lining up in Foard County. Foard County is home to Crowell. 300 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Pease River Solar LLC (solar). 555 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Its power plants have 555 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Employers here counted 388 jobs in 2025, up 3.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Foard County
Foard County is home to Crowell.
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 Foard County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,090 | 1,044 | ▼ 4.2% | 245th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 375 | 388 | ▲ 3.5% | 134th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $30,348 | $47,003 | ▲ 54.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 555 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 300 MW | 54% of today's fleet | 86th of 149 by size |
Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Foard County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.35¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 1,044 people live here, down 4.2% since 2020.
Who powers Foard County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +555 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Foard 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% |
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 118,075 | 12.65¢ | 35% |
| South Plains Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 56,173 | 10.35¢ | 23% |
| Southwest Rural Elec Assn Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 555 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foard City Wind | Foard City Wind, LLC | Wind | 353 MW | 2019 |
| Montgomery Ranch Wind Farm, LLC | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 202 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pease River Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 300 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2030 | Pease River Solar LLC |
The Foard County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 388 | $47,003 | 1.00 |
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 Foard County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Foard County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Foard County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Foard County, Hardeman 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foard County | 1,044 | ▲ 3.5% | 555 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Baylor County | 3,472 | ▲ 12.4% | 381 MW | — | — | — |
| Cottle County | 1,224 | ▲ 90.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Hardeman County | 3,292 | ▲ 4.5% | 200 MW | 1,000 MW | — | — |
| King County | 192 | ▲ 89.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Knox County | 3,192 | ▼ 0.5% | 954 MW | 450 MW | — | — |
| Wilbarger County | 12,481 | ▲ 2.4% | 1,195 MW | 373 MW | 1 | — |
More of Texas
Foard County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Foard County, Texas?
5 utilities have service territory in Foard County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, AEP Texas North Company, Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (TX), South Plains Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Foard County?
2 operating plants with 555 MW of capacity. The largest is Foard City Wind (353 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Foard County?
300 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Pease River Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Foard County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Foard County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hardeman County.
Is Foard County adding jobs?
Employers counted 388 jobs in 2025 against 375 in 2019 (+3.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Foard County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Foard County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.