Karnes County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Karnes City and Kenedy
Karnes County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Construction employs 265, up 162.4% since 2019. Karnes County is home to Karnes City, Kenedy and Runge. Next door, Wilson County has 1,600 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. Employers here counted 6,162 jobs in 2025, down 8.2% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Karnes County
Karnes County is home to Karnes City, Kenedy and Runge.
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 Karnes County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,811 | 15,018 | ▲ 1.4% | 139th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,716 | 6,162 | ▼ 8.2% | 219th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $59,685 | $74,900 | ▲ 25.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 101 | 265 | ▲ 162.4% | 4th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 4.5% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 30 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
30 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Its power plants have 30 MW of capacity, 66% of it battery storage. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Karnes County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 15,018 people live here, up 1.4% since 2020.
Who powers Karnes County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +30 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Karnes County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Guadalupe Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 92,189 | 12.49¢ | 13% |
| City of Floresville | Municipal | Bundled | 15,797 | 12.37¢ | 33% |
| Karnes Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,222 | 9.90¢ | 43% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 20 MW | 66% |
| Solar | 10 MW | 34% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CatanSolar | Adapture Renewables, Inc. | Solar | 10 MW | 2020 |
| Regis Lyssy | Regis Lyssy LLC | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2026 |
| Regis Milton | Regis Milton LLC | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2026 |
The Karnes County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,162 | $74,900 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 265 | $73,954 | 0.81 |
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 Karnes County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Karnes County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Karnes County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Karnes County, Wilson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karnes County | 15,018 | ▼ 8.2% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Atascosa County | 53,590 | ▲ 2.2% | 420 MW | 106 MW | — | — |
| Bee County | 32,515 | ▼ 4.7% | 818 MW | 351 MW | — | — |
| DeWitt County | 20,309 | ▼ 11.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Goliad County | 7,208 | ▲ 6.3% | 922 MW | 432 MW | — | — |
| Gonzales County | 20,159 | ▼ 0.4% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Live Oak County | 11,929 | ▼ 12.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Wilson County | 56,139 | ▲ 7.2% | 7 MW | 1,600 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Karnes County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Karnes County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Karnes County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Guadalupe Valley Elec Coop Inc, City of Floresville, Karnes Electric Coop Inc.
What power plants are in Karnes County?
3 operating plants with 30 MW of capacity. The largest is CatanSolar (10 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Karnes County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Karnes County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wilson County.
Is Karnes County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,162 jobs in 2025 against 6,716 in 2019 (-8.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 101 to 265.
Does Karnes County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Karnes County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.