Harris County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Houston and Pasadena, and the communities of The Woodlands
The data center boom is not abstract in Harris County: it is on the ground here. Its power plants have 11,060 MW of capacity, 91% of it natural gas, the largest fleet in Texas. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 36 data centers in Harris County, 8% of Texas's total. 2,573 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Harris County is home to most of Houston (2,347,346 of its 2,397,315 residents), Pasadena, most of Baytown (81,470 of its 86,561 residents) and La Porte, plus the unincorporated community of The Woodlands. 967 MW of new generation is planned here across 5 units, led by NRG Greens Bayou 6 LLC (battery storage). 967 MW of it is already under construction or built.
Cities and towns in Harris County
Harris County is home to most of Houston (2,347,346 of its 2,397,315 residents), Pasadena, most of Baytown (81,470 of its 86,561 residents) and La Porte, plus the unincorporated community of The Woodlands.
And 10 smaller places.
- Houston also extends into Fort Bend County.
- Baytown also extends into Chambers County.
- Katy also extends into Fort Bend County, Waller County.
- Friendswood also extends into Galveston County.
- Pearland also extends into Brazoria County, Fort Bend County.
- Missouri City also extends into Fort Bend County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): The Woodlands, Aldine, Atascocita, Barrett, Channelview, Cinco Ranch, Cloverleaf, Crosby, Highlands, Mission Bend, Sheldon, Spring.
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 Harris County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,734,060 | 5,045,026 | ▲ 6.6% | 1st of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,350,807 | 2,458,604 | ▲ 4.6% | 125th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $72,710 | $91,491 | ▲ 25.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 170,041 | 180,772 | ▲ 6.3% | 103rd of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,824 | 20,885 | ▲ 24.1% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,770 | 5,383 | ▲ 42.8% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,008 | 14,234 | ▲ 42.2% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,759 | 2,788 | ▲ 1.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 5.0% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2,573 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 376 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 967 MW | 9% of today's fleet | 21st of 149 by size |
376 MW has retired here since 2019, including Sam Bertron (natural gas, 376 MW, 2019). Electrical contractors employ 20,885, up 24.1% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $85,575 a year. Construction employs 180,772, up 6.3% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,458,604 jobs in 2025, up 4.6% from 2019. CenterPoint Energy is the largest utility serving Harris County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 5,045,026 people live here, up 6.6% since 2020, 1st of 254 Texas counties by population.
Who powers Harris County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2,197 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Harris 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% |
| San Bernard Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 31,774 | 14.16¢ | 14% |
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 86
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 10,058 MW | 91% |
| Battery storage | 776 MW | 7% |
| Other technologies | 122 MW | 1% |
| Solar | 72 MW | 1% |
| Petroleum | 32 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T H Wharton | NRG Texas Power LLC | Natural gas | 1,190 MW | 1967 |
| Deer Park Energy Center | Deer Park Energy Center | Natural gas | 1,176 MW | 2003 |
| Channel Energy Center LLC | Channel Energy Center LLC | Natural gas | 924 MW | 2001 |
| Channelview Cogeneration Plant | EIF Channelview Cogeneration LLC | Natural gas | 918 MW | 2001 |
| Pasadena Cogeneration | Pasadena Cogeneration LP | Natural gas | 815 MW | 1998 |
| Odyssey Energy Altura Cogen, LLC | Odyssey Operating Services | Natural gas | 644 MW | 1985 |
Planned generation 5
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greens Bayou 6 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 447 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2028 | NRG Greens Bayou 6 LLC |
| Callisto II Energy Center | Batteries | 400 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Callisto II Energy Center LLC |
| Pamela Heights I Energy Center | Batteries | 100 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Pamela Heights I Energy Center LLC |
| BESS TX Camarine - BSHOU001 | Batteries | 10 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Prologis Logistics Services Incorporated BESS |
| Hockley | Batteries | 10 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Hockley LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Bertron | Natural gas | 376 MW | 2019 |
The Harris County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,458,604 | $91,491 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 180,772 | $95,398 | 1.39 |
| Electrical contractors | 20,885 | $85,575 | 1.18 |
| Power and communication line construction | 5,383 | $120,590 | 1.36 |
| Electric utilities | 14,234 | $180,909 | 2.14 |
| Data processing and hosting | 2,788 | $150,544 | 0.36 |
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 Harris County
36 data centers in Harris County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Harris County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Harris County, Brazoria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | 5,045,026 | ▲ 4.6% | 11,060 MW | 967 MW | 36 | — |
| Brazoria County | 419,080 | ▲ 7.1% | 5,961 MW | 2,499 MW | — | — |
| Chambers County | 57,594 | ▲ 35.0% | 3,035 MW | 1,080 MW | — | — |
| Fort Bend County | 975,191 | ▲ 33.0% | 7,211 MW | 360 MW | — | — |
| Galveston County | 372,207 | ▲ 13.8% | 3,048 MW | 750 MW | — | — |
| Liberty County | 121,364 | ▲ 9.7% | 110 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 781,194 | ▲ 22.4% | 1,548 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Waller County | 69,858 | ▲ 40.7% | 480 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Harris County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Harris County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Harris County in the EIA-861 2024 report: CenterPoint Energy, Entergy Texas Inc., San Bernard Electric Coop, Inc.
What county is Houston, TX in?
Most of Houston is in Harris County: 2,347,346 of its 2,397,315 residents, or 98%. The rest of the city lies in Fort Bend County.
What county is Pasadena, TX in?
Pasadena is in Harris County, Texas. About 148,539 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Baytown, TX in?
Most of Baytown is in Harris County: 81,470 of its 86,561 residents, or 94%. The rest of the city lies in Chambers County.
What power plants are in Harris County?
86 operating plants with 11,060 MW of capacity. The largest is T H Wharton (1,190 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Harris County?
967 MW across 5 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 967 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is NRG Greens Bayou 6 LLC.
Are there data centers in Harris County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 36 data centers in Harris County.
Is Harris County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,458,604 jobs in 2025 against 2,350,807 in 2019 (+4.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 170,041 to 180,772.
Does Harris County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Harris County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.