Frio County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pearsall and Dilley
No data center or power plant project is on record in Frio County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Frio County is home to Pearsall and Dilley. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Leeward Asset Management, LLC (battery storage). Employers here counted 6,381 jobs in 2025, down 16.7% from 2019. Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Next door, Uvalde County has 480 MW of planned generation.
Cities and towns in Frio County
Frio County is home to Pearsall and Dilley.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bigfoot, Hilltop, Moore, North Pearsall.
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 Frio County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 18,406 | 18,823 | ▲ 2.3% | 129th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,663 | 6,381 | ▼ 16.7% | 243rd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $52,360 | $64,581 | ▲ 23.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 5.7% | ▲ 1.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 542 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | 27% of today's fleet | 111th of 149 by size |
542 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 744 MW of capacity, 72% of it solar. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Frio County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 18,823 people live here, up 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Frio County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +542 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Frio County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Medina Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,205 | 12.10¢ | 20% |
| Karnes Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,222 | 9.90¢ | 43% |
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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 532 MW | 72% |
| Natural gas | 202 MW | 27% |
| Battery storage | 10 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearsall | South Texas Electric Coop, Inc | Natural gas | 202 MW | 2010 |
| Horizon Solar | Leeward Asset Management, LLC | Solar | 200 MW | 2023 |
| Morrow Lake Solar | Leeward Asset Management, LLC | Solar | 200 MW | 2026 |
| Elara Solar | Elara Energy Holdings, LLC | Solar | 132 MW | 2021 |
| Sunset Ridge Energy Center, LLC | East Point Energy, LLC | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morrow Lake BESS | Batteries | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Leeward Asset Management, LLC |
The Frio County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,381 | $64,581 | 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 Frio County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Frio County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Frio County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Frio County, Uvalde 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frio County | 18,823 | ▼ 16.7% | 744 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Atascosa County | 53,590 | ▲ 2.2% | 420 MW | 106 MW | — | — |
| Dimmit County | 8,024 | ▼ 16.2% | 220 MW | — | — | — |
| La Salle County | 6,517 | ▼ 9.6% | 20 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| McMullen County | 544 | ▼ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Medina County | 56,881 | ▲ 12.3% | — | 180 MW | 3 | — |
| Uvalde County | 24,963 | ▼ 0.7% | 304 MW | 480 MW | — | — |
| Zavala County | 9,037 | ▼ 5.8% | — | 425 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Frio County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Frio County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Frio County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Medina Electric Coop, Inc, Karnes Electric Coop Inc.
What power plants are in Frio County?
5 operating plants with 744 MW of capacity. The largest is Pearsall (202 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Frio County?
200 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Leeward Asset Management, LLC.
Are there data centers in Frio County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Frio County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Uvalde County.
Is Frio County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,381 jobs in 2025 against 7,663 in 2019 (-16.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Frio County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Frio County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.