Moore County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Dumas, Cactus and Sunray
No data center or power plant project is on record in Moore County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Moore County is home to Dumas, Cactus and Sunray. Employers here counted 12,962 jobs in 2025, up 15.2% from 2019. Next door, Carson County has 16,147 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. Its power plants have 98 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Moore County
Moore County is home to Dumas, Cactus and Sunray.
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 Moore County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 21,264 | 21,891 | ▲ 2.9% | 113th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,254 | 12,962 | ▲ 15.2% | 52nd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,714 | $58,125 | ▲ 21.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 3.3% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Moore County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.35¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 21,891 people live here, up 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Moore County
Utilities with service territory in Moore County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Public Service Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 222,146 | 13.35¢ | 25% |
| Rita Blanca Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,255 | 8.28¢ | 96% |
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 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 98 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunray Wind I | Diamond Shamrock Refining Company LP | Wind | 50 MW | 2009 |
| Brisket Wind (8) LLC | UPC Power Solutions | Wind | 10 MW | 2008 |
| Flat Iron Wind (7) LLC | UPC Power Solutions | Wind | 10 MW | 2008 |
| Ribeye Wind (11) LLC | UPC Power Solutions | Wind | 10 MW | 2008 |
| Tri-Tip Wind (9) LLC | UPC Power Solutions | Wind | 10 MW | 2008 |
| T-Bone Wind (10) LLC | UPC Power Solutions | Wind | 9 MW | 2008 |
The Moore County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,962 | $58,125 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 442 | $74,087 | 0.64 |
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 Moore County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Moore County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Moore County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Moore County, Carson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moore County | 21,891 | ▲ 15.2% | 98 MW | — | — | — |
| Carson County | 5,805 | ▲ 40.5% | 1,212 MW | 16,147 MW | — | — |
| Dallam County | 7,508 | ▲ 6.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Hansford County | 4,944 | ▼ 2.6% | 1,221 MW | — | — | — |
| Hartley County | 4,904 | ▲ 11.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Hutchinson County | 19,633 | ▼ 3.8% | 294 MW | — | — | — |
| Oldham County | 1,783 | ▼ 11.0% | 755 MW | — | — | — |
| Potter County | 114,453 | ▲ 2.0% | 1,555 MW | 168 MW | 4 | — |
| Sherman County | 2,781 | ▲ 4.1% | 20 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Texas
Moore County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Moore County, Texas?
2 utilities have service territory in Moore County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, Rita Blanca Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Dumas, TX in?
Dumas is in Moore County, Texas. About 14,862 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Moore County?
6 operating plants with 98 MW of capacity. The largest is Sunray Wind I (50 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Moore County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Moore County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Carson County.
Is Moore County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,962 jobs in 2025 against 11,254 in 2019 (+15.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Moore County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Moore County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.