Harrison County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Marshall, Hallsville and Longview
The build-out shows up in Harrison County as work for the electrical trades. Electrical contractors employ 155, up 101.3% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $53,248 a year. Harrison County is home to Marshall, Hallsville, part of Longview (2,438 of its 83,236 residents) and Waskom. 450 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Southwestern Electric Power Co (natural gas). 721 MW has retired here since 2019, including Pirkey (coal, 721 MW, 2023). Construction employs 1,417, up 12.9% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Harrison County
Harrison County is home to Marshall, Hallsville, part of Longview (2,438 of its 83,236 residents) and Waskom.
- Longview also extends into Gregg County.
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 Harrison County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 68,798 | 71,956 | ▲ 4.6% | 53rd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 22,970 | 21,053 | ▼ 8.3% | 221st of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $51,401 | $66,643 | ▲ 29.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,255 | 1,417 | ▲ 12.9% | 88th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 77 | 155 | ▲ 101.3% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 284 | 171 | ▼ 39.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 5.0% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 721 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 450 MW | 43% of today's fleet | 62nd of 149 by size |
Next door, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, has 3 data centers. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 21,053 jobs in 2025, down 8.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 1,043 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Southwestern Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Harrison County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.03¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 71,956 people live here, up 4.6% since 2020.
Who powers Harrison County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −721 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Harrison County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Electric Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 156,271 | 12.03¢ | 30% |
| Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 44,415 | 12.40¢ | 18% |
| Panola-Harrison Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,394 | 9.41¢ | 33% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,038 MW | 100% |
| Other technologies | 5 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County Power Project | Northeast Texas Elec Coop, Inc | Natural gas | 570 MW | 2003 |
| Eastman Cogeneration Facility | Eastman Cogeneration LP | Natural gas | 468 MW | 2001 |
| Snider Industries | Snider Industries Inc | Other technologies | 5 MW | 1983 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hallsville | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 225 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Southwestern Electric Power Co |
| Hallsville | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 225 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Southwestern Electric Power Co |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pirkey | Coal | 721 MW | 2023 |
The Harrison County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 21,053 | $66,643 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,417 | $70,936 | 1.27 |
| Electrical contractors | 155 | $53,248 | 1.02 |
| Electric utilities | 171 | $178,873 | 3.00 |
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 Harrison County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Harrison County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Caddo Parish.
Harrison County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Harrison County, Rusk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County | 71,956 | ▼ 8.3% | 1,043 MW | 450 MW | — | — |
| Caddo Parish LA | 224,226 | ▼ 0.8% | 1,050 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Gregg County | 126,095 | ▼ 0.9% | 351 MW | — | — | — |
| Marion County | 9,896 | ▲ 10.9% | 882 MW | — | — | — |
| Panola County | 23,018 | ▼ 7.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Rusk County | 54,854 | ▼ 2.2% | 3,519 MW | — | — | — |
| Upshur County | 44,410 | ▲ 7.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Harrison County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Harrison County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Harrison County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Electric Power Co, Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp, Panola-Harrison Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Southwestern Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 12.03¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Marshall, TX in?
Marshall is in Harrison County, Texas. About 24,467 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Harrison County?
3 operating plants with 1,043 MW of capacity. The largest is Harrison County Power Project (570 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Harrison County?
450 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Southwestern Electric Power Co.
Are there data centers in Harrison County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Harrison County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Caddo Parish.
Is Harrison County adding jobs?
Employers counted 21,053 jobs in 2025 against 22,970 in 2019 (-8.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,255 to 1,417.
Does Harrison County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Harrison County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.