Lee County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Giddings and Lexington
Lee County is where a large share of Texas's next power plants are planned. Construction employs 2,469, down 14.4% since 2019, and construction is 5.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Lee County is home to Giddings and Lexington. 1,290 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by SL Energy Power Plant I, LLC (natural gas). Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Lee County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.42¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities.
Cities and towns in Lee County
Lee County is home to Giddings and Lexington.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Dime Box.
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 Lee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,504 | 18,729 | ▲ 7.0% | 130th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,970 | 8,011 | ▲ 0.5% | 160th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $54,641 | $63,905 | ▲ 17.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,886 | 2,469 | ▼ 14.4% | 144th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 74 | 68 | ▼ 8.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 4.0% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,290 MW | no fleet today | 14th of 149 by size |
18,729 people live here, up 7.0% since 2020. Employers here counted 8,011 jobs in 2025, up 0.5% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 68, down 8.1% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $65,770 a year.
Who powers Lee County
Utilities with service territory in Lee County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 113,890 | 11.42¢ | 42% |
| Fayette Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,150 | 12.54¢ | 18% |
| Bartlett Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,527 | 16.09¢ | 24% |
| City of Giddings - (TX) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Lexington - (TX) | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Lee County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandow Lakes Energy Station | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 645 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | SL Energy Power Plant I, LLC |
| Sandow Lakes Energy Station | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 645 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | SL Energy Power Plant I, LLC |
The Lee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,011 | $63,905 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,469 | $87,726 | 5.82 |
| Electrical contractors | 68 | $65,770 | 1.18 |
| Power and communication line construction | 153 | $59,616 | 11.82 |
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 Lee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lee County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Milam County.
Lee County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lee County, Milam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 18,729 | ▲ 0.5% | — | 1,290 MW | — | — |
| Bastrop County | 118,908 | ▲ 25.0% | 2,051 MW | 80 MW | 2 | — |
| Burleson County | 20,549 | ▲ 13.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Fayette County | 25,459 | ▲ 1.0% | 2,172 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Milam County | 26,258 | ▲ 17.8% | 990 MW | 1,364 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Washington County | 38,288 | ▲ 10.2% | — | 60 MW | — | — |
| Williamson County | 752,827 | ▲ 31.3% | 214 MW | — | 6 | — |
More of Texas
Lee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lee County, Texas?
5 utilities have service territory in Lee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Inc, Fayette Electric Coop, Inc, Bartlett Electric Coop, Inc, City of Giddings - (TX). The largest, Bluebonnet Electric Coop, Inc, charged residential customers 11.42¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Lee County?
1,290 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is SL Energy Power Plant I, LLC.
Are there data centers in Lee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Milam County.
Is Lee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,011 jobs in 2025 against 7,970 in 2019 (+0.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,886 to 2,469.
Does Lee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lee County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.