Val Verde County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Del Rio
No data center or power plant project is on record in Val Verde County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Val Verde County is home to Del Rio. 276 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Greenalia Wind Power Blue Hills, LLC (wind). Unemployment was 5.2% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Next door, Kinney County has 467 MW of planned generation. 181 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage.
Cities and towns in Val Verde County
Val Verde County is home to Del Rio.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Amistad, Box Canyon, Cienegas Terrace, Lake View, Laughlin AFB, Val Verde Park.
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 Val Verde County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 47,597 | 47,835 | ▲ 0.5% | 76th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 18,481 | 18,355 | ▼ 0.7% | 170th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,256 | $50,136 | ▲ 31.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 341 | 361 | ▲ 5.9% | 104th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 5.2% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 181 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 276 MW | 70% of today's fleet | 91st of 149 by size |
Construction employs 361, up 5.9% since 2019. Its power plants have 396 MW of capacity, 45% of it battery storage. Electrical contractors employ 69, at an average $45,291 a year. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Val Verde County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Employers here counted 18,355 jobs in 2025, down 0.7% from 2019. 47,835 people live here, up 0.5% since 2020.
Who powers Val Verde County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +181 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Val Verde County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Rio Grande Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,298 | 18.51¢ | 23% |
| Southwest Texas Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,886 | 13.55¢ | 10% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 180 MW | 45% |
| Wind | 149 MW | 38% |
| Hydro | 66 MW | 17% |
| Natural gas | 1 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocksprings | Rocksprings Val Verde Wind, LLC | Wind | 149 MW | 2017 |
| Tierra Seca | Tierra Seca BESS, LLC | Battery storage | 100 MW | 2026 |
| Antlia | Engie North America | Battery storage | 70 MW | 2025 |
| Amistad Dam & Power | International Bound & Wtr Comm | Hydro | 66 MW | 1983 |
| Hamilton BESS | HEN Infrastructure, L.L.C. | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2024 |
| WAL447 | Walmart Stores Texas, LLC | Natural gas | 1 MW | 2021 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Hills Wind Project | Onshore Wind Turbine | 276 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Greenalia Wind Power Blue Hills, LLC |
The Val Verde County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 18,355 | $50,136 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 361 | $51,966 | 0.37 |
| Electrical contractors | 69 | $45,291 | 0.52 |
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 Val Verde County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Val Verde County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Val Verde County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Val Verde County, Kinney 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Val Verde County | 47,835 | ▼ 0.7% | 396 MW | 276 MW | — | — |
| Crockett County | 2,769 | ▼ 11.0% | 1,124 MW | 265 MW | — | — |
| Edwards County | 1,370 | ▼ 3.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Kinney County | 3,128 | ▼ 3.9% | 340 MW | 467 MW | — | — |
| Sutton County | 3,203 | ▼ 35.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Terrell County | 702 | ▼ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Val Verde County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Val Verde County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Val Verde County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Rio Grande Electric Coop, Inc, Southwest Texas Elec Coop, Inc.
What county is Del Rio, TX in?
Del Rio is in Val Verde County, Texas. About 34,496 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Val Verde County?
6 operating plants with 396 MW of capacity. The largest is Rocksprings (149 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Val Verde County?
276 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Greenalia Wind Power Blue Hills, LLC.
Are there data centers in Val Verde County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Val Verde County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kinney County.
Is Val Verde County adding jobs?
Employers counted 18,355 jobs in 2025 against 18,481 in 2019 (-0.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 341 to 361.
Does Val Verde County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Val Verde County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.