Nueces County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Corpus Christi, Robstown and Port Aransas
Nueces County is a generation frontier for Texas. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Nueces County. Nueces County is home to Corpus Christi, Robstown, Port Aransas and Bishop. 1,229 MW of new generation is planned here across 5 units, led by Vesper Energy Development LLC (battery storage). 29 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 19,356, up 23.3% since 2019, and construction is 2.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Its power plants have 3,408 MW of capacity, 75% of it natural gas, the 9th largest fleet in Texas.
Cities and towns in Nueces County
Nueces County is home to Corpus Christi, Robstown, Port Aransas and Bishop.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Banquete, La Paloma-Lost Creek, North San Pedro, Rancho Banquete, Sandy Hollow-Escondidas, Spring Gardens, Tierra Grande, Tierra Verde.
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 Nueces County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 353,554 | 352,992 | ▼ 0.2% | 17th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 164,372 | 165,925 | ▲ 0.9% | 154th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,163 | $62,366 | ▲ 26.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,699 | 19,356 | ▲ 23.3% | 66th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,127 | 944 | ▼ 16.2% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 226 | 174 | ▼ 23.0% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 701 | 819 | ▲ 16.8% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 46 | 50 | ▲ 8.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 4.6% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 562 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 9 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,229 MW | 36% of today's fleet | 15th of 149 by size |
562 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. 9 MW has retired here since 2019, including Harbor Wind LLC (wind, 9 MW, 2019). Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Nueces County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Employers here counted 165,925 jobs in 2025, up 0.9% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 944, down 16.2% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $69,970 a year. 352,992 people live here, down 0.2% since 2020.
Who powers Nueces County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +553 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Nueces County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Nueces Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 46,409 | 10.68¢ | 17% |
| San Patricio Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,007 | 13.99¢ | 17% |
| City of Robstown - (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.
Operating power plants 17
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,544 MW | 75% |
| Wind | 462 MW | 14% |
| Battery storage | 305 MW | 9% |
| Petroleum | 57 MW | 2% |
| Solar | 28 MW | 1% |
| Other technologies | 12 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barney M Davis | City of San Antonio - (TX) | Natural gas | 1,082 MW | 1974 |
| Nueces Bay | City of San Antonio - (TX) | Natural gas | 730 MW | 1972 |
| Corpus Christi Energy Center | Corpus Christi Cogeneration LLC | Natural gas | 593 MW | 2002 |
| Chapman Ranch Wind I | Chapman Ranch Wind LLC | Wind | 236 MW | 2017 |
| Patriot Wind Farm | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 226 MW | 2019 |
| Carina | Engie North America | Battery storage | 150 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 5
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunscape Renewable Energy | Batteries | 500 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
| Sunscape Renewable Energy | Solar Photovoltaic | 500 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
| Cumbia Energy Center | Batteries | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Mission Clean Energy Devco LLC |
| M&G Resins USA | All Other | 14 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2028 | CC Polymers LLC |
| M&G Resins USA | All Other | 14 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2028 | CC Polymers LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor Wind LLC | Wind | 9 MW | 2019 |
The Nueces County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 165,925 | $62,366 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 19,356 | $87,431 | 2.20 |
| Electrical contractors | 944 | $69,970 | 0.79 |
| Power and communication line construction | 174 | $101,805 | 0.65 |
| Electric utilities | 819 | $111,178 | 1.82 |
| Data processing and hosting | 50 | $64,754 | 0.10 |
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 Nueces County
4 data centers in Nueces County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Nueces County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Nueces County, San Patricio 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nueces County | 352,992 | ▲ 0.9% | 3,408 MW | 1,229 MW | 4 | — |
| Aransas County | 26,146 | ▲ 11.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Jim Wells County | 38,804 | ▼ 11.9% | 142 MW | — | — | — |
| Kleberg County | 30,315 | ▲ 1.6% | — | 220 MW | — | — |
| San Patricio County | 72,053 | ▲ 15.7% | 2,207 MW | 260 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Nueces County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Nueces County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Nueces County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Nueces Electric Cooperative, San Patricio Electric Coop Inc, City of Robstown - (TX).
What county is Corpus Christi, TX in?
Corpus Christi is in Nueces County, Texas. About 317,241 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Robstown, TX in?
Robstown is in Nueces County, Texas. About 10,324 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Nueces County?
17 operating plants with 3,408 MW of capacity. The largest is Barney M Davis (1,082 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Nueces County?
1,229 MW across 5 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 29 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Vesper Energy Development LLC.
Are there data centers in Nueces County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Nueces County.
Is Nueces County adding jobs?
Employers counted 165,925 jobs in 2025 against 164,372 in 2019 (+0.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 15,699 to 19,356.
Does Nueces County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Nueces County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.