Zavala County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Crystal City
New generation is lining up in Zavala County. Zavala County is home to Crystal City. 425 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Mission Clean Energy Devco LLC (battery storage). Employers here counted 2,268 jobs in 2025, down 5.8% from 2019. AEP Texas Central Company is the largest utility serving Zavala County, one of 3 with territory here. It delivers power that customers buy from competing retail providers. 9,037 people live here, down 6.5% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Zavala County
Zavala County is home to Crystal City.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Amaya, Batesville, Chula Vista, La Pryor, Loma Grande.
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 Zavala County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,668 | 9,037 | ▼ 6.5% | 173rd of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,408 | 2,268 | ▼ 5.8% | 208th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,689 | $50,925 | ▲ 28.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.1% | 6.2% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 425 MW | no fleet today | 65th of 149 by size |
Unemployment was 6.2% in August 2026, against 6.1% in 2019.
Who powers Zavala County
Utilities with service territory in Zavala 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.
No operating power plant is located in Zavala County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bramble Energy Center | Batteries | 225 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Mission Clean Energy Devco LLC |
| SunShiner ESS | Batteries | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | SunShiner ESS LLC |
The Zavala County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,268 | $50,925 | 1.00 |
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 Zavala County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Zavala County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Zavala County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Zavala County, Uvalde 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zavala County | 9,037 | ▼ 5.8% | — | 425 MW | — | — |
| Dimmit County | 8,024 | ▼ 16.2% | 220 MW | — | — | — |
| Frio County | 18,823 | ▼ 16.7% | 744 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Kinney County | 3,128 | ▼ 3.9% | 340 MW | 467 MW | — | — |
| Maverick County | 58,823 | ▲ 5.5% | 143 MW | 186 MW | 1 | — |
| Medina County | 56,881 | ▲ 12.3% | — | 180 MW | 3 | — |
| Uvalde County | 24,963 | ▼ 0.7% | 304 MW | 480 MW | — | — |
More of Texas
Zavala County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Zavala County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Zavala County in the EIA-861 2024 report: AEP Texas Central Company, Medina Electric Coop, Inc, Rio Grande Electric Coop, Inc.
How much new power is planned in Zavala County?
425 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Mission Clean Energy Devco LLC.
Are there data centers in Zavala County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Zavala County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Uvalde County.
Is Zavala County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,268 jobs in 2025 against 2,408 in 2019 (-5.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Zavala County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Zavala County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.