Gray County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pampa
Gray County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Gray County. Gray County is home to Pampa and McLean. 500 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Intersect USA, LLC (solar). Electrical contractors employ 122, up 13.0% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $67,746 a year. Construction employs 322, up 2.2% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Gray County
Gray County is home to Pampa and McLean.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alanreed.
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 Gray County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 21,197 | 20,919 | ▼ 1.3% | 116th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,729 | 7,622 | ▼ 1.4% | 176th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $50,227 | $62,007 | ▲ 23.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 315 | 322 | ▲ 2.2% | 114th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 108 | 122 | ▲ 13.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 4.0% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 500 MW | no fleet today | 51st of 149 by size |
Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Gray 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. Employers here counted 7,622 jobs in 2025, down 1.4% from 2019. 20,919 people live here, down 1.3% since 2020.
Who powers Gray County
Utilities with service territory in Gray 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% |
| Southwestern Electric Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 156,271 | 12.03¢ | 30% |
| Greenbelt Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,912 | 18.00¢ | 11% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Gray County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IP Meitner Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 500 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Intersect USA, LLC |
The Gray County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,622 | $62,007 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 322 | $64,350 | 0.80 |
| Electrical contractors | 122 | $67,746 | 2.22 |
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 Gray County
1 data center in Gray County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Gray County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Gray County, Carson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gray County | 20,919 | ▼ 1.4% | — | 500 MW | 1 | — |
| Armstrong County | 1,843 | ▲ 85.1% | 266 MW | 266 MW | 1 | — |
| Carson County | 5,805 | ▲ 40.5% | 1,212 MW | 16,147 MW | — | — |
| Collingsworth County | 2,487 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Donley County | 3,213 | ▲ 1.0% | 174 MW | — | — | — |
| Hemphill County | 3,083 | ▼ 34.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Roberts County | 867 | ▼ 33.6% | 289 MW | 500 MW | — | — |
| Wheeler County | 4,773 | ▼ 14.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Gray County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Gray County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Gray County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, Southwestern Electric Power Co, Greenbelt Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Pampa, TX in?
Pampa is in Gray County, Texas. About 16,414 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
How much new power is planned in Gray County?
500 MW across 1 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 Gray County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Gray County.
Is Gray County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,622 jobs in 2025 against 7,729 in 2019 (-1.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 315 to 322.
Does Gray County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Gray County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.