Webb County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Laredo, Rio Bravo and El Cenizo
The data center boom is not abstract in Webb County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Webb County. Webb County and the city of Laredo share the same boundaries; Rio Bravo, El Cenizo also lie inside it. 776 MW of new generation is planned here across 4 units, led by Gransolar Texas Two LLC (solar). 10 MW of it is already under construction or built. 1,506 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 2,613 MW of capacity, 44% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Webb County
Webb County and the city of Laredo share the same boundaries; Rio Bravo, El Cenizo also lie inside it.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Aguilares, Bonanza Hills, Botines, Bruni, Colorado Acres, Four Points, Hillside Acres, La Coma, La Moca Ranch, La Presa, Laredo Ranchettes, Laredo Ranchettes West, Las Haciendas, Las Pilas, Los Altos, Los Arcos, Los Centenarios, Los Corralitos, Los Fresnos, Los Huisaches, Los Minerales, Los Nopalitos, Los Veteranos I, Los Veteranos II, Mirando City, Oilton, Pueblo East, Pueblo Nuevo, Ranchitos East, Ranchitos Las Lomas, Ranchos Penitas West, San Carlos I, San Carlos II, Sunset Acres, Tanquecitos South Acres, Tanquecitos South Acres II, Valle Verde.
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 Webb County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 267,336 | 281,224 | ▲ 5.2% | 20th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 104,124 | 108,931 | ▲ 4.6% | 124th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,237 | $47,646 | ▲ 28.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,868 | 2,277 | ▲ 21.9% | 71st of 155 by growth |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 54 | 54 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 4.4% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,506 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 776 MW | 30% of today's fleet | 32nd of 149 by size |
Construction employs 2,277, up 21.9% since 2019. Employers here counted 108,931 jobs in 2025, up 4.6% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 479, at an average $66,639 a year. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Webb County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 281,224 people live here, up 5.2% since 2020.
Who powers Webb County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1,506 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Webb County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Medina Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,205 | 12.10¢ | 20% |
| Rio Grande Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,298 | 18.51¢ | 23% |
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 15
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 1,142 MW | 44% |
| Solar | 725 MW | 28% |
| Battery storage | 479 MW | 18% |
| Natural gas | 268 MW | 10% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hecate Energy Outpost Solar LLC | Repsol Renewables NA | Solar | 515 MW | 2025 |
| Cedro Hill Wind LLC | Cedro Hill Wind, LLC | Wind | 300 MW | 2010 |
| Torrecillas Wind Energy, LLC | Torrecillas Wind Energy, LLC | Wind | 300 MW | 2019 |
| Laredo | City of San Antonio - (TX) | Natural gas | 264 MW | 2008 |
| Javelina Wind Energy, LLC | Javelina Wind Energy, LLC | Wind | 250 MW | 2015 |
| Guajillo Energy Storage | Guajillo Energy Storage, LLC | Battery storage | 229 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 4
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuchillas PV and BESS | Batteries | 307 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Gransolar Texas Two LLC |
| Cuchillas PV and BESS | Solar Photovoltaic | 306 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Gransolar Texas Two LLC |
| Quarter Ranch Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 154 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Gransolar Texas Three, LLC |
| Torrecillas Energy Storage | Batteries | 10 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Torrecillas Energy Storage, LLC |
The Webb County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 108,931 | $47,646 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,277 | $56,867 | 0.39 |
| Electrical contractors | 479 | $66,639 | 0.61 |
| Power and communication line construction | 54 | $66,698 | 0.31 |
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 Webb County
4 data centers in Webb County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Webb County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Webb County, Zapata 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webb County | 281,224 | ▲ 4.6% | 2,613 MW | 776 MW | 4 | — |
| Dimmit County | 8,024 | ▼ 16.2% | 220 MW | — | — | — |
| Duval County | 9,402 | ▲ 4.1% | — | 300 MW | — | — |
| Jim Hogg County | 4,555 | ▼ 0.4% | 78 MW | — | — | — |
| La Salle County | 6,517 | ▼ 9.6% | 20 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Maverick County | 58,823 | ▲ 5.5% | 143 MW | 186 MW | 1 | — |
| McMullen County | 544 | ▼ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Zapata County | 13,753 | ▼ 14.6% | 441 MW | 200 MW | 4 | — |
More of Texas
Webb County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Webb County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Webb County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Medina Electric Coop, Inc, Rio Grande Electric Coop, Inc.
What county is Laredo, TX in?
Laredo is in Webb County, Texas. About 269,515 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Webb County?
15 operating plants with 2,613 MW of capacity. The largest is Hecate Energy Outpost Solar LLC (515 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Webb County?
776 MW across 4 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 10 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Gransolar Texas Two LLC.
Are there data centers in Webb County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Webb County.
Is Webb County adding jobs?
Employers counted 108,931 jobs in 2025 against 104,124 in 2019 (+4.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,868 to 2,277.
Does Webb County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Webb County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.