Refugio County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Refugio and Woodsboro
New generation is lining up in Refugio County. Refugio County is home to Refugio and Woodsboro. 394 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by AP Solar 4 LLC (solar). 394 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 5.2% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019. 220 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Employers here counted 2,158 jobs in 2025, down 8.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Refugio County
Refugio County is home to Refugio and Woodsboro.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Tivoli.
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 Refugio County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,742 | 6,657 | ▼ 1.3% | 187th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,346 | 2,158 | ▼ 8.0% | 216th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,607 | $51,844 | ▲ 21.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 5.2% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 220 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 394 MW | 179% of today's fleet | 71st of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 220 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Refugio County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 6,657 people live here, down 1.3% since 2020.
Who powers Refugio County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +220 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Refugio County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Victoria Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,500 | 12.13¢ | 8% |
| San Patricio Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,007 | 13.99¢ | 17% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 220 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranell Wind Farm LLC | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 220 MW | 2022 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charger Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 394 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | AP Solar 4 LLC |
The Refugio County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,158 | $51,844 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 274 | $60,156 | 2.40 |
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 Refugio County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Refugio County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Refugio County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Refugio 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refugio County | 6,657 | ▼ 8.0% | 220 MW | 394 MW | — | — |
| Aransas County | 26,146 | ▲ 11.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Bee County | 32,515 | ▼ 4.7% | 818 MW | 351 MW | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 19,599 | ▲ 0.6% | 1,785 MW | — | — | — |
| Goliad County | 7,208 | ▲ 6.3% | 922 MW | 432 MW | — | — |
| San Patricio County | 72,053 | ▲ 15.7% | 2,207 MW | 260 MW | — | — |
| Victoria County | 92,656 | ▼ 5.2% | 1,168 MW | 232 MW | 1 | — |
More of Texas
Refugio County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Refugio County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Refugio County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Victoria Electric Coop, Inc, San Patricio Electric Coop Inc.
What power plants are in Refugio County?
1 operating plant with 220 MW of capacity. The largest is Cranell Wind Farm LLC (220 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Refugio County?
394 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 394 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is AP Solar 4 LLC.
Are there data centers in Refugio County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Refugio County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Goliad County.
Is Refugio County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,158 jobs in 2025 against 2,346 in 2019 (-8.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Refugio County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Refugio County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.