Irion County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Irion County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Irion County is home to Mertzon. Employers here counted 794 jobs in 2025, down 17.0% from 2019. Next door, Tom Green County has 316 MW of planned generation. 302 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Irion County
Irion County is home to Mertzon.
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 Irion County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,506 | 1,463 | ▼ 2.9% | 239th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 957 | 794 | ▼ 17.0% | 244th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $62,897 | $93,692 | ▲ 49.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 3.7% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 302 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 302 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Irion County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 1,463 people live here, down 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Irion County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +302 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Irion 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 North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| Concho Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,060 | 12.73¢ | 4% |
| Southwest Texas Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,886 | 13.55¢ | 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 302 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rita East | Invenergy Services LLC | Wind | 302 MW | 2019 |
The Irion County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 794 | $93,692 | 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 Irion County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Irion County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Tom Green County.
Irion County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Irion County, Crockett 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irion County | 1,463 | ▼ 17.0% | 302 MW | — | — | — |
| Crockett County | 2,769 | ▼ 11.0% | 1,124 MW | 265 MW | — | — |
| Reagan County | 3,166 | ▼ 20.4% | 310 MW | — | — | — |
| Schleicher County | 2,245 | ▼ 8.1% | 200 MW | — | — | — |
| Tom Green County | 120,602 | ▲ 4.2% | 818 MW | 316 MW | — | 1 |
More of Texas
Irion County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Irion County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Irion County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, AEP Texas North Company, Concho Valley Elec Coop Inc, Southwest Texas Elec Coop, Inc.
What power plants are in Irion County?
1 operating plant with 302 MW of capacity. The largest is Santa Rita East (302 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Irion County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Irion County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Tom Green County.
Is Irion County adding jobs?
Employers counted 794 jobs in 2025 against 957 in 2019 (-17.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Irion County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Irion County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.