Galveston County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to League City, Texas City and Galveston
New generation is lining up in Galveston County. Galveston County is home to most of League City (117,255 of its 119,905 residents), Texas City, Galveston and most of Friendswood (30,709 of its 41,319 residents). 750 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Red Egret, LLC (battery storage). 750 MW of it is already under construction or built. Its power plants have 3,048 MW of capacity, 83% of it natural gas. 1,085 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Construction employs 7,781, up 16.3% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Galveston County
Galveston County is home to most of League City (117,255 of its 119,905 residents), Texas City, Galveston and most of Friendswood (30,709 of its 41,319 residents).
- League City also extends into Harris County.
- Friendswood also extends into Harris County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bacliff, Bolivar Peninsula, San Leon.
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 Galveston County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 351,586 | 372,207 | ▲ 5.9% | 16th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 111,079 | 126,458 | ▲ 13.8% | 62nd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $51,357 | $63,901 | ▲ 24.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,690 | 7,781 | ▲ 16.3% | 84th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,334 | 1,436 | ▲ 7.6% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 197 | 205 | ▲ 4.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 4.9% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,085 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 750 MW | 25% of today's fleet | 35th of 149 by size |
Employers here counted 126,458 jobs in 2025, up 13.8% from 2019. 5 MW has retired here since 2019, including Coastal Plains (other technologies, 5 MW, 2019). Unemployment was 4.9% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 1,436, up 7.6% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $90,206 a year. CenterPoint Energy is the largest utility serving Galveston County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 372,207 people live here, up 5.9% since 2020.
Who powers Galveston County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1,080 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Galveston County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenterPoint Energy | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 2,485,470 | — | — |
| Entergy Texas Inc. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 457,369 | 13.66¢ | 24% |
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
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 19
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,540 MW | 83% |
| Battery storage | 410 MW | 13% |
| Other technologies | 91 MW | 3% |
| Petroleum | 7 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Power 2 | South Houston Green Power LLC | Natural gas | 861 MW | 2003 |
| Topaz Generating | City of San Antonio - (TX) | Natural gas | 605 MW | 2021 |
| Texas City Power Plant | Texas City Cogeneration LLC | Natural gas | 450 MW | 1987 |
| Bacliff | PHR Holdings LLC | Natural gas | 427 MW | 2018 |
| Hidden Lakes Reliability Project | Evelyn Energy Storage LLC | Battery storage | 220 MW | 2025 |
| Power Station 4 | South Houston Green Power LLC | Natural gas | 191 MW | 1986 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Egret | Batteries | 300 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Red Egret, LLC |
| Zeya | Batteries | 250 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Engie North America |
| Vertus Energy Storage Plant | Batteries | 200 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Vertus Energy Storage, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Plains | Other technologies | 5 MW | 2019 |
The Galveston County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 126,458 | $63,901 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 7,781 | $91,467 | 1.16 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,436 | $90,206 | 1.57 |
| Power and communication line construction | 10 | $81,848 | 0.05 |
| Electric utilities | 205 | $139,251 | 0.60 |
| Data processing and hosting | 39 | $144,138 | 0.10 |
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 Galveston County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Galveston County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Galveston County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Galveston County, Harris 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galveston County | 372,207 | ▲ 13.8% | 3,048 MW | 750 MW | — | — |
| Brazoria County | 419,080 | ▲ 7.1% | 5,961 MW | 2,499 MW | — | — |
| Chambers County | 57,594 | ▲ 35.0% | 3,035 MW | 1,080 MW | — | — |
| Harris County | 5,045,026 | ▲ 4.6% | 11,060 MW | 967 MW | 36 | — |
More of Texas
Galveston County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Galveston County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Galveston County in the EIA-861 2024 report: CenterPoint Energy, Entergy Texas Inc., Texas-New Mexico Power Co.
What county is League City, TX in?
Most of League City is in Galveston County: 117,255 of its 119,905 residents, or 98%. The rest of the city lies in Harris County.
What county is Texas City, TX in?
Texas City is in Galveston County, Texas. About 59,733 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Galveston, TX in?
Galveston is in Galveston County, Texas. About 53,636 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Galveston County?
19 operating plants with 3,048 MW of capacity. The largest is Green Power 2 (861 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Galveston County?
750 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 750 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Red Egret, LLC.
Are there data centers in Galveston County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Galveston County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Harris County.
Is Galveston County adding jobs?
Employers counted 126,458 jobs in 2025 against 111,079 in 2019 (+13.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 6,690 to 7,781.
Does Galveston County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Galveston County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.