Hutchinson County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Borger, Fritch and Stinnett
No data center or power plant project is on record in Hutchinson County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Hutchinson County is home to Borger, Fritch and Stinnett. Construction employs 798, down 8.3% since 2019, and construction is 1.9 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Carson County has 16,147 MW of planned generation. 20 MW has retired here since 2019, including Little Pringle I Wind Farm (wind, 10 MW, 2022). Its power plants have 294 MW of capacity, 83% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Hutchinson County
Hutchinson County is home to Borger, Fritch and Stinnett.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lake Meredith Estates.
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 Hutchinson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,569 | 19,633 | ▼ 4.6% | 125th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,016 | 7,708 | ▼ 3.8% | 191st of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $64,187 | $78,757 | ▲ 22.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 870 | 798 | ▼ 8.3% | 138th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 4.5% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 20 MW | — |
Employers here counted 7,708 jobs in 2025, down 3.8% from 2019. Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Hutchinson County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.35¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. 19,633 people live here, down 4.6% since 2020.
Who powers Hutchinson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −20 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hutchinson 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% |
| North Plains Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,081 | 10.15¢ | 26% |
| Rita Blanca Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,255 | 8.28¢ | 96% |
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 | 244 MW | 83% |
| Other technologies | 50 MW | 17% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hawk Station | Borger Energy Associates LP | Natural gas | 244 MW | 1999 |
| Borger Plant | Sid Richardson Carbon Ltd | Other technologies | 30 MW | 1985 |
| Engineered Carbons Borger Cogen | Orion Engineered Carbons | Other technologies | 20 MW | 1982 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Pringle I Wind Farm | Wind | 10 MW | 2022 |
| Little Pringle II Wind Farm | Wind | 10 MW | 2022 |
The Hutchinson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,708 | $78,757 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 798 | $79,923 | 1.95 |
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 Hutchinson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hutchinson County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Hutchinson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Hutchinson County, Carson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson County | 19,633 | ▼ 3.8% | 294 MW | — | — | — |
| Carson County | 5,805 | ▲ 40.5% | 1,212 MW | 16,147 MW | — | — |
| Hansford County | 4,944 | ▼ 2.6% | 1,221 MW | — | — | — |
| Moore County | 21,891 | ▲ 15.2% | 98 MW | — | — | — |
| Potter County | 114,453 | ▲ 2.0% | 1,555 MW | 168 MW | 4 | — |
| Roberts County | 867 | ▼ 33.6% | 289 MW | 500 MW | — | — |
| Sherman County | 2,781 | ▲ 4.1% | 20 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Texas
Hutchinson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hutchinson County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Hutchinson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, North Plains Electric Coop Inc, Rita Blanca Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Borger, TX in?
Borger is in Hutchinson County, Texas. About 11,842 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Hutchinson County?
3 operating plants with 294 MW of capacity. The largest is Black Hawk Station (244 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Hutchinson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hutchinson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Carson County.
Is Hutchinson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,708 jobs in 2025 against 8,016 in 2019 (-3.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 870 to 798.
Does Hutchinson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hutchinson County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.