Hardeman County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Quanah
Hardeman County is a generation frontier for Texas. Hardeman County is home to Quanah and Chillicothe. 1,000 MW of new generation is planned here across 4 units, led by Lazy U ESS 2 LLC (battery storage). 200 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,357 jobs in 2025, up 4.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Hardeman County
Hardeman County is home to Quanah and Chillicothe.
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 Hardeman County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,558 | 3,292 | ▼ 7.5% | 214th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,299 | 1,357 | ▲ 4.5% | 126th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,028 | $47,068 | ▲ 27.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 3.7% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 200 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,000 MW | 500% of today's fleet | 20th of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 200 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. AEP Texas North Company is the largest utility serving Hardeman County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 3,292 people live here, down 7.5% since 2020.
Who powers Hardeman County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +200 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hardeman County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| South Plains Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 56,173 | 10.35¢ | 23% |
| Harmon Electric Assn Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 200 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Summit III Wind | Blue Summit III Wind, LLC | Wind | 200 MW | 2019 |
Planned generation 4
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lazy U ESS 2 | Batteries | 250 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Lazy U ESS 2 LLC |
| Lazy U Solar 1 | Solar Photovoltaic | 250 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Lazy U Solar 1 LLC |
| Lazy U Solar 2 | Solar Photovoltaic | 250 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Lazy U Solar 2 LLC |
| Lazy U ESS 1 | Batteries | 250 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2030 | Lazy U ESS 1 LLC |
The Hardeman County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,357 | $47,068 | 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 Hardeman County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hardeman County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Hardeman County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Hardeman County, Wilbarger 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardeman County | 3,292 | ▲ 4.5% | 200 MW | 1,000 MW | — | — |
| Childress County | 6,643 | ▲ 18.3% | 572 MW | 170 MW | 3 | — |
| Cottle County | 1,224 | ▲ 90.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Foard County | 1,044 | ▲ 3.5% | 555 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Harmon County OK | 2,327 | ▼ 2.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County OK | 24,764 | ▲ 0.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Wilbarger County | 12,481 | ▲ 2.4% | 1,195 MW | 373 MW | 1 | — |
More of Texas
Hardeman County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hardeman County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Hardeman County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas North Company, South Plains Electric Coop Inc, Harmon Electric Assn Inc, Southwest Rural Elec Assn Inc.
What power plants are in Hardeman County?
1 operating plant with 200 MW of capacity. The largest is Blue Summit III Wind (200 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Hardeman County?
1,000 MW across 4 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Lazy U ESS 2 LLC.
Are there data centers in Hardeman County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hardeman County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wilbarger County.
Is Hardeman County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,357 jobs in 2025 against 1,299 in 2019 (+4.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hardeman County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hardeman County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.