Hidalgo County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to McAllen, Edinburg and Mission
Hidalgo County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 8 data centers in Hidalgo County. Hidalgo County is home to McAllen, Edinburg, Mission and Pharr. Electrical contractors employ 1,358, up 58.3% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $55,754 a year. Its power plants have 3,426 MW of capacity, 62% of it natural gas, the 8th largest fleet in Texas. 160 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Gunnar Reliability Project LLC (battery storage). 160 MW of it is already under construction or built.
Cities and towns in Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County is home to McAllen, Edinburg, Mission and Pharr.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Abram, Citrus City, Cuevitas, César Chávez, Doffing, Doolittle, Harding Gill Tract, Hargill, Havana, Heidelberg, Indian Hills, La Blanca, La Coma Heights, La Homa, Laguna Seca, Linn, Llano Grande, Lopezville, Los Ebanos, Midway North, Midway South, Mila Doce, Monte Alto, Muniz, Murillo, North Alamo, Olivarez, Palmview South, Perezville, Relampago, Salida del Sol Estates, San Carlos, Scissors, South Alamo, Villa Verde, West Sharyland.
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 Hidalgo County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 872,753 | 921,549 | ▲ 5.6% | 9th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 266,135 | 296,499 | ▲ 11.4% | 72nd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,208 | $43,955 | ▲ 24.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,051 | 8,630 | ▲ 22.4% | 70th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 858 | 1,358 | ▲ 58.3% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 128 | 170 | ▲ 32.8% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 525 | 584 | ▲ 11.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.2% | 6.3% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,052 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 25 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 160 MW | 5% of today's fleet | 128th of 149 by size |
1,052 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Construction employs 8,630, up 22.4% since 2019. Employers here counted 296,499 jobs in 2025, up 11.4% from 2019. 25 MW has retired here since 2019, including Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers (other technologies, 24 MW, 2024). Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Hidalgo County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 921,549 people live here, up 5.6% since 2020, 9th of 254 Texas counties by population. Unemployment was 6.3% in August 2026, against 6.2% in 2019.
Who powers Hidalgo County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1,027 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hidalgo County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 3,477,215 | — | — |
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Magic Valley Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 126,402 | 10.20¢ | 10% |
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 30
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,112 MW | 62% |
| Battery storage | 758 MW | 22% |
| Wind | 539 MW | 16% |
| Petroleum | 18 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Valley Generating Station | Calpine Corp-Magic Valley | Natural gas | 801 MW | 2002 |
| Hidalgo Energy Center | Calpine Corp - Hidalgo | Natural gas | 551 MW | 2000 |
| Frontera Energy Center | Frontera Generation Limited Partnership | Natural gas | 529 MW | 1999 |
| Hidalgo Wind Farm LLC | Hidalgo Wind Farm LLC | Wind | 250 MW | 2016 |
| Monte Cristo 1 | Terra-Gen Operating Co-Wind | Wind | 238 MW | 2025 |
| Red Gate Power Plant | South Texas Electric Coop, Inc | Natural gas | 224 MW | 2016 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gunnar Reliability Project | Batteries | 150 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Gunnar Reliability Project LLC |
| North Edinburg BESS 1 | Batteries | 10 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Edinburg ESS Assets LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers | Other technologies | 24 MW | 2024 |
| Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers | Petroleum | 1 MW | 2024 |
The Hidalgo County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 296,499 | $43,955 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 8,630 | $55,541 | 0.55 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,358 | $55,754 | 0.64 |
| Power and communication line construction | 170 | $65,467 | 0.35 |
| Electric utilities | 584 | $105,080 | 0.73 |
| Data processing and hosting | 192 | $42,828 | 0.21 |
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 Hidalgo County
8 data centers in Hidalgo County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Hidalgo County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Hidalgo County, Cameron 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo County | 921,549 | ▲ 11.4% | 3,426 MW | 160 MW | 8 | — |
| Brooks County | 6,579 | ▼ 21.9% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Cameron County | 433,946 | ▲ 9.4% | 1,551 MW | 1,226 MW | 3 | — |
| Kenedy County | 319 | ▼ 55.1% | 1,075 MW | — | — | — |
| Starr County | 66,319 | ▼ 1.4% | 1,166 MW | 880 MW | — | — |
| Willacy County | 19,971 | ▲ 11.5% | 1,445 MW | — | 2 | — |
More of Texas
Hidalgo County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hidalgo County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Hidalgo County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, AEP Texas Central Company, Magic Valley Electric Coop Inc.
What county is McAllen, TX in?
McAllen is in Hidalgo County, Texas. About 150,640 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Edinburg, TX in?
Edinburg is in Hidalgo County, Texas. About 110,700 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Mission, TX in?
Mission is in Hidalgo County, Texas. About 88,992 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Hidalgo County?
30 operating plants with 3,426 MW of capacity. The largest is Magic Valley Generating Station (801 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Hidalgo County?
160 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 160 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Gunnar Reliability Project LLC.
Are there data centers in Hidalgo County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 8 data centers in Hidalgo County.
Is Hidalgo County adding jobs?
Employers counted 296,499 jobs in 2025 against 266,135 in 2019 (+11.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,051 to 8,630.
Does Hidalgo County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hidalgo County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.