Van Zandt County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Canton, Wills Point and Grand Saline
The build-out shows up in Van Zandt County as work for the electrical trades. Electrical contractors employ 177, up 80.6% since 2019 against up 24.0% statewide, at an average $61,187 a year. Van Zandt County is home to Canton, Wills Point, Grand Saline and Van. 220 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by BT Amador Storage LLC (battery storage). 220 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 1,101, up 13.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 12,908 jobs in 2025, up 13.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Van Zandt County
Van Zandt County is home to Canton, Wills Point, Grand Saline and Van.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ben Wheeler, Callender Lake, Myrtle Springs.
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 Van Zandt County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 59,747 | 66,130 | ▲ 10.7% | 57th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,356 | 12,908 | ▲ 13.7% | 63rd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,491 | $47,144 | ▲ 29.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 974 | 1,101 | ▲ 13.0% | 87th of 155 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 98 | 177 | ▲ 80.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.5% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 59 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 220 MW | 373% of today's fleet | 98th of 149 by size |
Next door, Kaufman County has 2 data centers and 851 MW of planned generation. 59 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. 66,130 people live here, up 10.7% since 2020. Its power plants have 59 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Van Zandt County, one of 6 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers.
Who powers Van Zandt County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +59 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Van Zandt County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 3,477,215 | — | — |
| Texas-New Mexico Power Co | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 233,056 | — | — |
| Southwestern Electric Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 156,271 | 12.03¢ | 30% |
| Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 84,006 | 11.51¢ | 15% |
| Trinity Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 79,954 | 11.26¢ | 14% |
| Wood County Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,793 | 12.83¢ | 39% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 59 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kellam Solar | Kellam Solar, LLC | Solar | 59 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amador BESS | Batteries | 220 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | BT Amador Storage LLC |
The Van Zandt County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,908 | $47,144 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,101 | $62,553 | 1.61 |
| Electrical contractors | 177 | $61,187 | 1.90 |
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 Van Zandt County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Van Zandt County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Van Zandt County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Van Zandt County, Kaufman 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Zandt County | 66,130 | ▲ 13.7% | 59 MW | 220 MW | — | — |
| Henderson County | 88,595 | ▲ 14.4% | 546 MW | 100 MW | — | — |
| Hunt County | 123,336 | ▲ 18.2% | 372 MW | 176 MW | — | — |
| Kaufman County | 209,235 | ▲ 41.3% | 2,196 MW | 851 MW | 2 | — |
| Rains County | 13,542 | ▲ 10.1% | 125 MW | 176 MW | — | — |
| Smith County | 252,549 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Wood County | 49,688 | ▲ 3.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Van Zandt County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Van Zandt County, Texas?
6 utilities have service territory in Van Zandt County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Texas-New Mexico Power Co, Southwestern Electric Power Co, Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (TX).
What power plants are in Van Zandt County?
1 operating plant with 59 MW of capacity. The largest is Kellam Solar (59 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Van Zandt County?
220 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 220 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is BT Amador Storage LLC.
Are there data centers in Van Zandt County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Van Zandt County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kaufman County.
Is Van Zandt County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,908 jobs in 2025 against 11,356 in 2019 (+13.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 974 to 1,101.
Does Van Zandt County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Van Zandt County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.