Lamar County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Paris, Reno and Blossom
Lamar County is where a large share of Texas's next power plants are planned. 1,616 MW of new generation is planned here across 8 units, led by Parliament Energy Holdings LLC (solar), the 9th largest pipeline among Texas's counties. 676 MW of it is already under construction or built. Lamar County is home to Paris, Reno, Blossom and Roxton. 1,450 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 2,838 MW of capacity, 51% of it solar. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Lamar County
Lamar County is home to Paris, Reno, Blossom and Roxton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brookston, Petty, Powderly.
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 Lamar County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 50,131 | 51,503 | ▲ 2.7% | 74th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 21,908 | 22,227 | ▲ 1.5% | 147th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,680 | $53,747 | ▲ 23.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,299 | 1,357 | ▲ 4.5% | 109th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 135 | 141 | ▲ 4.4% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 274 | 101 | ▼ 63.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 5.1% | ▲ 1.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,450 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,616 MW | 57% of today's fleet | 9th of 149 by size |
Construction employs 1,357, up 4.5% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 141, up 4.4% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $57,388 a year. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Lamar County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Employers here counted 22,227 jobs in 2025, up 1.5% from 2019. 51,503 people live here, up 2.7% since 2020.
Who powers Lamar County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1,450 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lamar 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 | — | — |
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
| Lamar County Elec Coop Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,935 | 13.71¢ | 43% |
| Fannin County Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,712 | 15.65¢ | 26% |
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 9
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 1,460 MW | 51% |
| Natural gas | 1,378 MW | 49% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar Power Project | LaFrontera Holdings LLC | Natural gas | 1,113 MW | 2000 |
| Mockingbird Solar Center | Mockingbird Solar Center, LLC | Solar | 471 MW | 2024 |
| Paris Energy Center | Paris Generation LP | Natural gas | 266 MW | 1989 |
| Samson Solar Energy III LLC | Invenergy Services LLC | Solar | 250 MW | 2022 |
| Eiffel Solar Project | Paris Farm Solar, LLC | Solar | 240 MW | 2023 |
| Samson Solar Energy II LLC | Invenergy Services LLC | Solar | 200 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 8
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowdy Creek Solar and BESS | Solar Photovoltaic | 455 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2028 | Parliament Energy Holdings LLC |
| Rowdy Creek Solar and BESS | Batteries | 350 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Parliament Energy Holdings LLC |
| SGT Hoskins Solar Project Hybrid | Solar Photovoltaic | 204 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | SGT Hoskins Solar Project, LLC |
| Echols Grove Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 201 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Echols Grove LLC |
| MRG Goody Solar Project Hybrid | Solar Photovoltaic | 171 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Nexus Renewable Power, LLC |
| SGT Hoskins Solar Project Hybrid | Batteries | 102 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | SGT Hoskins Solar Project, LLC |
| Roscommon Solar Park | Solar Photovoltaic | 83 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Greenalia Solar Power Roscommon, LLC |
| MRG Goody Solar Project Hybrid | Batteries | 50 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Nexus Renewable Power, LLC |
The Lamar County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 22,227 | $53,747 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,357 | $73,319 | 1.15 |
| Electrical contractors | 141 | $57,388 | 0.88 |
| Electric utilities | 101 | $141,909 | 1.68 |
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 Lamar County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lamar County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Lamar County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Lamar County, Hopkins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar County | 51,503 | ▲ 1.5% | 2,838 MW | 1,616 MW | — | — |
| Bryan County OK | 51,367 | ▲ 14.9% | 10 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Choctaw County OK | 14,059 | ▲ 30.3% | 531 MW | — | — | — |
| Delta County | 5,549 | ▼ 4.0% | 304 MW | 165 MW | — | — |
| Fannin County | 39,265 | ▲ 5.8% | 565 MW | 194 MW | — | — |
| Franklin County | 10,994 | ▲ 15.5% | 258 MW | 666 MW | — | — |
| Hopkins County | 39,063 | ▲ 13.4% | 1,782 MW | 450 MW | 1 | — |
| Red River County | 11,816 | ▲ 1.8% | 610 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Lamar County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lamar County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Lamar County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Texas-New Mexico Power Co, Lamar County Elec Coop Assn, Fannin County Electric Coop.
What county is Paris, TX in?
Paris is in Lamar County, Texas. About 25,205 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Lamar County?
9 operating plants with 2,838 MW of capacity. The largest is Lamar Power Project (1,113 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Lamar County?
1,616 MW across 8 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 676 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Parliament Energy Holdings LLC.
Are there data centers in Lamar County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lamar County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Franklin County.
Is Lamar County adding jobs?
Employers counted 22,227 jobs in 2025 against 21,908 in 2019 (+1.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,299 to 1,357.
Does Lamar County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lamar County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.