Wharton County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to El Campo, Wharton and East Bernard
New generation is lining up in Wharton County. 2,229 MW of new generation is planned here across 9 units, led by Danish Fields Solar, LLC (solar), the 6th largest pipeline among Texas's counties. 1,171 MW of it is already under construction or built. Wharton County is home to El Campo, Wharton and East Bernard. 2,000 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 3,912 MW of capacity, 51% of it natural gas, the 5th largest fleet in Texas. Construction employs 807, down 28.1% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Wharton County
Wharton County is home to El Campo, Wharton and East Bernard.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Boling, Hungerford, Iago, Louise.
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 Wharton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 41,581 | 42,060 | ▲ 1.2% | 80th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,326 | 16,194 | ▼ 0.8% | 173rd of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,926 | $53,945 | ▲ 28.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,123 | 807 | ▼ 28.1% | 149th of 155 by growth |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 68 | 73 | ▲ 7.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 5.2% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2,000 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 2,229 MW | 57% of today's fleet | 6th of 149 by size |
Unemployment was 5.2% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. CenterPoint Energy is the largest utility serving Wharton County, one of 4 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. Employers here counted 16,194 jobs in 2025, down 0.8% from 2019. 42,060 people live here, up 1.2% since 2020.
Who powers Wharton County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2,000 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Wharton County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenterPoint Energy | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 2,485,470 | — | — |
| AEP Texas Central Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 784,148 | — | — |
| Jackson Electric Coop, Inc - (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,620 | 13.42¢ | 5% |
| Wharton County Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,548 | 13.37¢ | 24% |
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 12
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,986 MW | 51% |
| Solar | 1,100 MW | 28% |
| Battery storage | 460 MW | 12% |
| Wind | 366 MW | 9% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Bend II | Constellation Power, Inc | Natural gas | 1,230 MW | 2017 |
| Colorado Bend Energy Center | CER Colorado Bend Energy Partners LP | Natural gas | 654 MW | 2002 |
| Aktina Solar | Hecate Energy Ramsey, LLC | Solar | 500 MW | 2023 |
| Red Tailed Hawk Solar LLC | Acciona Energy USA Global, LLC | Solar | 360 MW | 2024 |
| GulfStar Power, LLC | GulfStar Power, LLC | Battery storage | 300 MW | 2025 |
| Bernard Creek Solar | Bernard Creek Solar, LLC | Solar | 230 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 9
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danish Fields Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 600 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Danish Fields Solar, LLC |
| Hecate Energy Ramsey Storage | Batteries | 500 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Hecate Energy Ramsey Storage, LLC |
| GulfStar Power, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 452 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | GulfStar Power, LLC |
| OCI SunRoper | Solar Photovoltaic | 260 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | OCI Energy LLC |
| Erin | Solar Photovoltaic | 202 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Erin Solar LLC |
| Raven Storage | Batteries | 100 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Raven Storage, LLC |
| Wittig Solar Park | Solar Photovoltaic | 96 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Greenalia Solar Power Wittig, LLC |
| East Bernard | Batteries | 10 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | East Bernard LLC |
| Pledger | Batteries | 10 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Pledger LLC |
The Wharton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,194 | $53,945 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 807 | $64,980 | 0.94 |
| Electric utilities | 73 | $106,191 | 1.67 |
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 Wharton County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wharton County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Austin County.
Wharton County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Wharton County, Brazoria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wharton County | 42,060 | ▼ 0.8% | 3,912 MW | 2,229 MW | — | — |
| Austin County | 33,625 | ▲ 27.0% | 210 MW | 800 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Brazoria County | 419,080 | ▲ 7.1% | 5,961 MW | 2,499 MW | — | — |
| Colorado County | 21,439 | ▲ 7.1% | 51 MW | 142 MW | — | — |
| Fort Bend County | 975,191 | ▲ 33.0% | 7,211 MW | 360 MW | — | — |
| Jackson County | 15,393 | ▼ 11.5% | 221 MW | 508 MW | — | — |
| Matagorda County | 36,463 | ▲ 6.6% | 3,134 MW | 1,125 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Wharton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wharton County, Texas?
4 utilities have service territory in Wharton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: CenterPoint Energy, AEP Texas Central Company, Jackson Electric Coop, Inc - (TX), Wharton County Elec Coop, Inc.
What county is El Campo, TX in?
El Campo is in Wharton County, Texas. About 12,142 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Wharton County?
12 operating plants with 3,912 MW of capacity. The largest is Colorado Bend II (1,230 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Wharton County?
2,229 MW across 9 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 1,171 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Danish Fields Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Wharton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wharton County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Brazoria County.
Is Wharton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,194 jobs in 2025 against 16,326 in 2019 (-0.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,123 to 807.
Does Wharton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wharton County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.