Swisher County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Tulia
New generation is lining up in Swisher County. Swisher County is home to Tulia, Kress and most of Happy (527 of its 584 residents). 601 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Vesper Energy Development LLC (solar). 1,100 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 1,100 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Employers here counted 1,790 jobs in 2025, down 4.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Swisher County
Swisher County is home to Tulia, Kress and most of Happy (527 of its 584 residents).
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 Swisher County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,948 | 6,703 | ▼ 3.5% | 186th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,879 | 1,790 | ▼ 4.7% | 198th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,412 | $47,715 | ▲ 24.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 42 | 43 | ▲ 2.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 4.5% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,100 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 601 MW | 55% of today's fleet | 43rd of 149 by size |
Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Southwestern Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Swisher County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.35¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. 6,703 people live here, down 3.5% since 2020.
Who powers Swisher County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1,100 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Swisher 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% |
| Lighthouse Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,878 | 14.59¢ | 72% |
| Swisher Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Tulia | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 1,100 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornet Solar (TX) | Vesper Energy Development LLC | Solar | 600 MW | 2025 |
| Hecate Energy Frye Solar LLC | Repsol Renewables NA | Solar | 500 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TX Nazareth Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 201 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
| Hornet Solar II (TX) (Hybrid) | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
| Hornet Solar II (TX) (Hybrid) | Batteries | 200 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
The Swisher County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,790 | $47,715 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 43 | $41,512 | 0.45 |
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 Swisher County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Swisher County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Swisher County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Swisher County, Hale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swisher County | 6,703 | ▼ 4.7% | 1,100 MW | 601 MW | — | — |
| Armstrong County | 1,843 | ▲ 85.1% | 266 MW | 266 MW | 1 | — |
| Briscoe County | 1,474 | ▲ 7.2% | 350 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Castro County | 7,295 | ▲ 14.2% | 442 MW | 440 MW | — | — |
| Floyd County | 4,881 | ▼ 2.4% | 761 MW | — | — | — |
| Hale County | 31,819 | ▼ 7.6% | 1,445 MW | 200 MW | 1 | — |
| Randall County | 152,351 | ▲ 13.9% | 166 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Swisher County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Swisher County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Swisher County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Public Service Co, Lighthouse Electric Coop, Inc, Swisher Electric Coop, Inc, City of Tulia. The largest, Southwestern Public Service Co, charged residential customers 13.35¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Swisher County?
2 operating plants with 1,100 MW of capacity. The largest is Hornet Solar (TX) (600 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Swisher County?
601 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Vesper Energy Development LLC.
Are there data centers in Swisher County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Swisher County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Castro County.
Is Swisher County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,790 jobs in 2025 against 1,879 in 2019 (-4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 42 to 43.
Does Swisher County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Swisher County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.