La Salle County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cotulla
La Salle County is where a large share of Texas's next power plants are planned. La Salle County is home to Cotulla and Encinal. 300 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Dahlia Energy LLC (solar). Employers here counted 3,240 jobs in 2025, down 9.6% from 2019. 20 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in La Salle County
La Salle County is home to Cotulla and Encinal.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fowlerton.
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 La Salle County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,642 | 6,517 | ▼ 1.9% | 190th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,586 | 3,240 | ▼ 9.6% | 224th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $71,990 | $83,856 | ▲ 16.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.2% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 20 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 300 MW | 1515% of today's fleet | 82nd of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 20 MW of capacity, 100% of it battery storage. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving La Salle County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 6,517 people live here, down 1.9% since 2020.
Who powers La Salle County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +20 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in La Salle County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Medina Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,205 | 12.10¢ | 20% |
| 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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 20 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotulla BESS 1 | Marubeni Power International, Inc. | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2026 |
| Holcomb (TX) | HEN Infrastructure, L.L.C. | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dahlia Energy | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Dahlia Energy LLC |
| Dahlia Energy | Batteries | 100 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Dahlia Energy LLC |
The La Salle County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,240 | $83,856 | 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 La Salle County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in La Salle County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
La Salle County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border La Salle County, Webb 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Salle County | 6,517 | ▼ 9.6% | 20 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Atascosa County | 53,590 | ▲ 2.2% | 420 MW | 106 MW | — | — |
| Dimmit County | 8,024 | ▼ 16.2% | 220 MW | — | — | — |
| Duval County | 9,402 | ▲ 4.1% | — | 300 MW | — | — |
| Frio County | 18,823 | ▼ 16.7% | 744 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| McMullen County | 544 | ▼ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Webb County | 281,224 | ▲ 4.6% | 2,613 MW | 776 MW | 4 | — |
More of Texas
La Salle County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in La Salle County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in La Salle County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Medina Electric Coop, Inc, Karnes Electric Coop Inc.
What power plants are in La Salle County?
2 operating plants with 20 MW of capacity. The largest is Cotulla BESS 1 (10 MW, battery storage).
How much new power is planned in La Salle County?
300 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Dahlia Energy LLC.
Are there data centers in La Salle County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in La Salle County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Webb County.
Is La Salle County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,240 jobs in 2025 against 3,586 in 2019 (-9.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does La Salle County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for La Salle County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.