Matagorda County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bay City and Palacios
Matagorda County is where a large share of Texas's next power plants are planned. Construction employs 764, up 84.1% since 2019. Matagorda County is home to Bay City and Palacios. 1,125 MW of new generation is planned here across 7 units, led by Eldora Energy LLC (battery storage). 297 MW of it is already under construction or built. Its power plants have 3,134 MW of capacity, 86% of it nuclear, the 10th largest fleet in Texas. 424 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Matagorda County
Matagorda County is home to Bay City and Palacios.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Blessing, Markham, Matagorda, Midfield, Sargent, Van Vleck, Wadsworth.
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 Matagorda County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 36,287 | 36,463 | ▲ 0.5% | 87th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,788 | 11,495 | ▲ 6.6% | 111th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $56,298 | $68,644 | ▲ 21.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 415 | 764 | ▲ 84.1% | 15th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.9% | 6.0% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 424 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,125 MW | 36% of today's fleet | 17th of 149 by size |
Employers here counted 11,495 jobs in 2025, up 6.6% from 2019. CenterPoint Energy is the largest utility serving Matagorda County, one of 5 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Unemployment was 6.0% in August 2026, against 5.9% in 2019. 36,463 people live here, up 0.5% since 2020.
Who powers Matagorda County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +424 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Matagorda County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenterPoint Energy | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 2,485,470 | — | — |
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
| Jackson Electric Coop, Inc - (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,620 | 13.42¢ | 5% |
| Wharton County Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,548 | 13.37¢ | 24% |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 2,709 MW | 86% |
| Wind | 394 MW | 13% |
| Battery storage | 30 MW | 1% |
| Natural gas | 1 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Texas Project | STP Nuclear Operating Co | Nuclear | 2,709 MW | 1988 |
| Peyton Creek Wind Farm II | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 243 MW | 2025 |
| Peyton Creek Wind Farm LLC | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 151 MW | 2020 |
| SMT Bay City LLC | SMT Bay City LLC | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2023 |
| Pavlov | HEN Infrastructure, L.L.C. | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2024 |
| Regis Palacios | Regis Palacios LLC | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 7
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duffy BESS | Batteries | 236 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Duffy Energy Storage LLC |
| Ventures BESS | Batteries | 227 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Gransolar Texas Twelve LLC |
| Blackcat BESS | Batteries | 201 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | RIC Development, LLC |
| Eldora Energy LLC | Batteries | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Eldora Energy LLC |
| Eldora Energy LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Eldora Energy LLC |
| Isaac Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 51 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Industrial Bravo Project, LLC |
| Matagorda Clean Energy Center (BESS) | Batteries | 10 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | On Energy Storage |
The Matagorda County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,495 | $68,644 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 764 | $72,729 | 1.25 |
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 Matagorda County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Matagorda County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Matagorda County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Matagorda County, Brazoria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matagorda County | 36,463 | ▲ 6.6% | 3,134 MW | 1,125 MW | — | — |
| Brazoria County | 419,080 | ▲ 7.1% | 5,961 MW | 2,499 MW | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 19,599 | ▲ 0.6% | 1,785 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 15,393 | ▼ 11.5% | 221 MW | 508 MW | — | — |
| Wharton County | 42,060 | ▼ 0.8% | 3,912 MW | 2,229 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Matagorda County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Matagorda County, Texas?
5 utilities have service territory in Matagorda County in the EIA-861 2024 report: CenterPoint Energy, AEP Texas Central Company, Texas-New Mexico Power Co, Jackson Electric Coop, Inc - (TX).
What county is Bay City, TX in?
Bay City is in Matagorda County, Texas. About 17,488 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Matagorda County?
7 operating plants with 3,134 MW of capacity. The largest is South Texas Project (2,709 MW, nuclear).
How much new power is planned in Matagorda County?
1,125 MW across 7 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 297 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Eldora Energy LLC.
Are there data centers in Matagorda County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Matagorda County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Brazoria County.
Is Matagorda County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,495 jobs in 2025 against 10,788 in 2019 (+6.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 415 to 764.
Does Matagorda County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Matagorda County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.