Hale County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Plainview, Abernathy and Hale Center
The data center boom is not abstract in Hale County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Hale County. Hale County is home to Plainview, most of Abernathy (2,140 of its 2,826 residents), Hale Center and Petersburg. Construction employs 375, down 36.9% since 2019. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc (natural gas). 200 MW of it is already under construction or built. 678 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Hale County
Hale County is home to Plainview, most of Abernathy (2,140 of its 2,826 residents), Hale Center and Petersburg.
- Abernathy also extends into Lubbock County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Seth Ward.
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 Hale County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 32,458 | 31,819 | ▼ 2.0% | 92nd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,737 | 10,840 | ▼ 7.6% | 212th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,710 | $51,347 | ▲ 32.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 594 | 375 | ▼ 36.9% | 150th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 320 | 75 | ▼ 76.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 4.4% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 678 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | 14% of today's fleet | 114th of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 1,445 MW of capacity, 53% of it natural gas. Employers here counted 10,840 jobs in 2025, down 7.6% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Hale 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. 31,819 people live here, down 2.0% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 75, down 76.6% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $57,864 a year.
Who powers Hale County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +678 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hale 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% |
| South Plains Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 56,173 | 10.35¢ | 23% |
| Lighthouse Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,878 | 14.59¢ | 72% |
| Lamb County Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 2,810 | 9.52¢ | 17% |
| Swisher Electric Coop, 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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 767 MW | 53% |
| Wind | 478 MW | 33% |
| Battery storage | 200 MW | 14% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Station | Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc | Natural gas | 599 MW | 2015 |
| Hale Community Wind Farm | Southwestern Public Service Co | Wind | 478 MW | 2019 |
| Paleo | Engie North America | Battery storage | 200 MW | 2024 |
| Antelope Station | Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc | Natural gas | 167 MW | 2011 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Station | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 200 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc |
The Hale County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 10,840 | $51,347 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 375 | $56,807 | 0.65 |
| Electrical contractors | 75 | $57,864 | 0.96 |
| Electric utilities | 86 | $124,774 | 2.93 |
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 Hale County
1 data center in Hale County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Hale County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Hale County, Swisher 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hale County | 31,819 | ▼ 7.6% | 1,445 MW | 200 MW | 1 | — |
| Castro County | 7,295 | ▲ 14.2% | 442 MW | 440 MW | — | — |
| Crosby County | 4,852 | ▼ 18.3% | 367 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Floyd County | 4,881 | ▼ 2.4% | 761 MW | — | — | — |
| Hockley County | 21,600 | ▼ 9.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Lamb County | 12,579 | ▼ 0.1% | 1,476 MW | — | — | — |
| Lubbock County | 328,906 | ▲ 8.2% | 874 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Swisher County | 6,703 | ▼ 4.7% | 1,100 MW | 601 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Hale County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hale County, Texas?
5 utilities have service territory in Hale County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, South Plains Electric Coop Inc, Lighthouse Electric Coop, Inc, Lamb County Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Plainview, TX in?
Plainview is in Hale County, Texas. About 19,314 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Hale County?
4 operating plants with 1,445 MW of capacity. The largest is Elk Station (599 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Hale County?
200 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 200 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Are there data centers in Hale County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Hale County.
Is Hale County adding jobs?
Employers counted 10,840 jobs in 2025 against 11,737 in 2019 (-7.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 594 to 375.
Does Hale County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hale County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.