San Patricio County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Portland, Ingleside and Aransas Pass
San Patricio County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. San Patricio County is home to Portland, Ingleside, most of Aransas Pass (7,969 of its 8,842 residents) and Sinton. Construction employs 3,925, down 4.2% since 2019, and construction is 3.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 260 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Lydian Energy (battery storage). 260 MW of it is already under construction or built. Employers here counted 21,467 jobs in 2025, up 15.7% from 2019. 840 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in San Patricio County
San Patricio County is home to Portland, Ingleside, most of Aransas Pass (7,969 of its 8,842 residents) and Sinton.
- Aransas Pass also extends into Aransas County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Country Acres, Del Sol, Edgewater Estates, Edroy, Falman, La Paloma Addition, Lakeshore Gardens-Hidden Acres, Loma Linda, Morgan Farm, Paisano Park, Rancho Chico, St. Paul, Taft Southwest, Tradewinds.
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 San Patricio County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 68,839 | 72,053 | ▲ 4.7% | 52nd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 18,551 | 21,467 | ▲ 15.7% | 48th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,784 | $65,297 | ▲ 33.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,099 | 3,925 | ▼ 4.2% | 128th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 293 | 244 | ▼ 16.7% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 102 | 152 | ▲ 49.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 5.3% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 840 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 260 MW | 12% of today's fleet | 94th of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 2,207 MW of capacity, 48% of it wind. Next door, Nueces County has 4 data centers and 1,229 MW of planned generation. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving San Patricio County, one of 2 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 72,053 people live here, up 4.7% since 2020. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 244, down 16.7% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $88,892 a year.
Who powers San Patricio County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +840 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in San Patricio County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| 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 10
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 1,050 MW | 48% |
| Natural gas | 987 MW | 45% |
| Solar | 150 MW | 7% |
| Battery storage | 20 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ingleside Cogeneration | Ingleside Cogeneration LP | Natural gas | 517 MW | 1999 |
| Gregory Power Plant | Gregory Power Partners LLC | Natural gas | 470 MW | 2000 |
| Karankawa Wind LLC | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 307 MW | 2019 |
| El Algodon Alto Wind Farm, LLC | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 200 MW | 2022 |
| Papalote Creek II LLC | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 200 MW | 2010 |
| Papalote Creek I LLC | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 180 MW | 2009 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pintail BESS | Batteries | 200 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Lydian Energy |
| Bird Dog Energy Storage | Batteries | 60 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | VESI 37 LLC |
The San Patricio County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 21,467 | $65,297 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,925 | $79,559 | 3.45 |
| Electrical contractors | 244 | $88,892 | 1.58 |
| Electric utilities | 152 | $142,723 | 2.62 |
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 San Patricio County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in San Patricio County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
San Patricio County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border San Patricio County, Nueces 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Patricio County | 72,053 | ▲ 15.7% | 2,207 MW | 260 MW | — | — |
| Aransas County | 26,146 | ▲ 11.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Bee County | 32,515 | ▼ 4.7% | 818 MW | 351 MW | — | — |
| Jim Wells County | 38,804 | ▼ 11.9% | 142 MW | — | — | — |
| Live Oak County | 11,929 | ▼ 12.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Nueces County | 352,992 | ▲ 0.9% | 3,408 MW | 1,229 MW | 4 | — |
| Refugio County | 6,657 | ▼ 8.0% | 220 MW | 394 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
San Patricio County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in San Patricio County, Texas?
2 utilities have service territory in San Patricio County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, San Patricio Electric Coop Inc.
What county is Portland, TX in?
Portland is in San Patricio County, Texas. About 20,833 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Ingleside, TX in?
Ingleside is in San Patricio County, Texas. About 10,085 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in San Patricio County?
10 operating plants with 2,207 MW of capacity. The largest is Ingleside Cogeneration (517 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in San Patricio County?
260 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 260 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Lydian Energy.
Are there data centers in San Patricio County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in San Patricio County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Nueces County.
Is San Patricio County adding jobs?
Employers counted 21,467 jobs in 2025 against 18,551 in 2019 (+15.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,099 to 3,925.
Does San Patricio County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for San Patricio County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.