Wilbarger County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Vernon
The data center boom is not abstract in Wilbarger County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Wilbarger County. Wilbarger County is home to Vernon. 373 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Adams Creek Solar Project, LLC (solar). 720 MW has retired here since 2019, including Oklaunion (coal, 720 MW, 2020). 800 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Wilbarger County
Wilbarger County is home to Vernon.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Harrold, Lockett, Oklaunion.
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 Wilbarger County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,842 | 12,481 | ▼ 2.8% | 151st of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,887 | 6,027 | ▲ 2.4% | 140th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,348 | $49,248 | ▲ 28.4% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 126 | 32 | ▼ 74.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 4.1% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 800 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 720 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 373 MW | 31% of today's fleet | 72nd of 149 by size |
Its power plants have 1,195 MW of capacity, 85% of it wind. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 6,027 jobs in 2025, up 2.4% from 2019. Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is the largest utility serving Wilbarger County, one of 5 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 12,481 people live here, down 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Wilbarger County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +80 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Wilbarger 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 | — | — |
| Southwestern Public Service Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 222,146 | 13.35¢ | 25% |
| AEP Texas North Company | — | Delivery only (retail choice) | 157,455 | — | — |
| Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (TX) | Cooperative | Bundled | 118,075 | 12.65¢ | 35% |
| Southwest Rural Elec Assn Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 1,015 MW | 85% |
| Battery storage | 180 MW | 15% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Trail Wind, LLC | Orsted Onshore North America | Wind | 367 MW | 2022 |
| Electra Wind Farm | Electra Wind, LLC | Wind | 230 MW | 2016 |
| Lockett Windfarm | Lockett Windfarm, LLC | Wind | 184 MW | 2019 |
| Blue Summit II Storage | Blue Summit II Storage, LLC | Battery storage | 150 MW | 2026 |
| Blue Summit Wind LLC | Blue Summit Wind LLC | Wind | 135 MW | 2012 |
| Blue Summit II Wind | Blue Summit II Wind, LLC | Wind | 99 MW | 2019 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Creek Solar Project | Solar Photovoltaic | 250 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Adams Creek Solar Project, LLC |
| Hutcherson Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 123 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2030 | Greenalia Solar Power Hutcherson, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklaunion | Coal | 720 MW | 2020 |
The Wilbarger County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,027 | $49,248 | 1.00 |
| Electric utilities | 32 | $112,037 | 1.96 |
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 Wilbarger County
1 data center in Wilbarger County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Wilbarger County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Wilbarger County, Hardeman 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilbarger County | 12,481 | ▲ 2.4% | 1,195 MW | 373 MW | 1 | — |
| Archer County | 9,129 | ▲ 8.5% | 229 MW | 600 MW | — | — |
| Baylor County | 3,472 | ▲ 12.4% | 381 MW | — | — | — |
| Foard County | 1,044 | ▲ 3.5% | 555 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Hardeman County | 3,292 | ▲ 4.5% | 200 MW | 1,000 MW | — | — |
| Jackson County OK | 24,764 | ▲ 0.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Tillman County OK | 6,780 | ▼ 14.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Wichita County | 129,555 | ▼ 3.7% | 86 MW | 606 MW | 3 | — |
More of Texas
Wilbarger County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wilbarger County, Texas?
5 utilities have service territory in Wilbarger County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, Southwestern Public Service Co, AEP Texas North Company, Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (TX).
What power plants are in Wilbarger County?
7 operating plants with 1,195 MW of capacity. The largest is Western Trail Wind, LLC (367 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Wilbarger County?
373 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Adams Creek Solar Project, LLC.
Are there data centers in Wilbarger County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Wilbarger County.
Is Wilbarger County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,027 jobs in 2025 against 5,887 in 2019 (+2.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Wilbarger County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wilbarger County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.