La Paz County, Arizona: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Parker and Quartzsite
New generation is lining up in La Paz County. 3,013 MW of new generation is planned here across 14 units, led by EAGL bn, LLC (solar), the 2nd largest pipeline among Arizona's counties. 1,588 MW of it is already under construction or built. La Paz County is home to Parker and Quartzsite. 1,194 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Employers here counted 6,695 jobs in 2025, up 10.8% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 15 Arizona counties). Its power plants have 1,213 MW of capacity, 52% of it battery storage, the 9th largest fleet in Arizona.
Cities and towns in La Paz County
La Paz County is home to Parker and Quartzsite.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alamo Lake, Bluewater, Bouse, Brenda, Cibola, Cienega Springs, Ehrenberg, La Paz Valley, Parker Strip, Poston, Salome, Sunwest, Utting, Vicksburg, Wenden.
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 La Paz County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arizona |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,562 | 16,711 | ▲ 0.9% | 14th of 15 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,045 | 6,695 | ▲ 10.8% | 4th of 15 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,753 | $51,352 | ▲ 32.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 8.1% | 7.1% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,194 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 3,013 MW | 248% of today's fleet | 2nd of 8 by size |
Unemployment was 7.1% in August 2026, against 8.1% in 2019. Colorado River Indian Irr Proj is the largest utility serving La Paz County, one of 4 with territory here. 16,711 people live here, up 0.9% since 2020.
Who powers La Paz County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1,194 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in La Paz County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado River Indian Irr Proj | — | — | — | — | — |
| McMullen Valley Water C&D Dist | — | — | — | — | — |
| Southern California Edison Co | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 27% |
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 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 628 MW | 52% |
| Solar | 566 MW | 47% |
| Hydro | 20 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial Flats | Copia Power | Battery storage | 511 MW | 2026 |
| Atlas VII | Atlas VII LLC | Battery storage | 300 MW | 2025 |
| ATLAS Solar V, LLC | ATLAS Solar V, LLC | Solar | 200 MW | 2026 |
| Atlas IX | Atlas IX LLC | Battery storage | 150 MW | 2025 |
| OE_AZ1 | Onward Energy | Solar | 32 MW | 2020 |
| Headgate Rock | Colorado River Indian Irr Proj | Hydro | 20 MW | 1993 |
Planned generation 14
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Eye Solar and Storage | Solar Photovoltaic | 400 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | EAGL bn, LLC |
| Eagle Eye Solar and Storage | Batteries | 400 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | EAGL bn, LLC |
| Atlas | Solar Photovoltaic | 300 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | 174 Power Global Corp. |
| ATLAS SOLAR IV | Solar Photovoltaic | 300 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | ATLAS SOLAR IV, LLC |
| ATLAS Solar X, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 225 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | ATLAS Solar Manager, LLC |
| Atlas VIII | Batteries | 210 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Atlas VIII LLC |
| ATLAS Solar XI, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | ATLAS Solar Manager, LLC |
| La Paz Solar Tower | Solar Thermal without Energy Storage | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2030 | Enviromission, Inc |
| Atlas VIII | Batteries | 172 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Atlas VIII LLC |
| Centennial Flats | Solar Photovoltaic | 167 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Copia Power |
| Atlas BESS IV LLC | Batteries | 150 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | ATLAS BESS IV, LLC |
| ATLAS Solar VI, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | ATLAS Solar VI, LLC |
| ATLAS II | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | ATLAS Solar II, LLC |
| Centennial Flats | Batteries | 89 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Copia Power |
The La Paz County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,695 | $51,352 | 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 La Paz County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in La Paz County. Arizona has 6 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Imperial County.
La Paz County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border La Paz County, Maricopa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Paz County | 16,711 | ▲ 10.8% | 1,213 MW | 3,013 MW | — | — |
| Imperial County CA | 181,411 | ▲ 7.1% | 4,558 MW | 662 MW | 1 | 3 |
| Maricopa County | 4,689,558 | ▲ 11.0% | 23,852 MW | 3,792 MW | 183 | — |
| Mohave County | 228,102 | ▲ 9.9% | 3,321 MW | 267 MW | — | — |
| Riverside County CA | 2,544,916 | ▲ 11.1% | 11,455 MW | 3,048 MW | 7 | — |
| San Bernardino County CA | 2,224,091 | ▲ 9.7% | 7,081 MW | 1,500 MW | 5 | — |
| Yavapai County | 252,552 | ▲ 9.4% | 67 MW | — | — | — |
| Yuma County | 224,449 | ▲ 4.1% | 2,353 MW | 1,118 MW | — | — |
More of Arizona
La Paz County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in La Paz County, Arizona?
4 utilities have service territory in La Paz County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Colorado River Indian Irr Proj, McMullen Valley Water C&D Dist, Southern California Edison Co, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration.
What power plants are in La Paz County?
6 operating plants with 1,213 MW of capacity. The largest is Centennial Flats (511 MW, battery storage).
How much new power is planned in La Paz County?
3,013 MW across 14 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 1,588 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is EAGL bn, LLC.
Are there data centers in La Paz County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in La Paz County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Maricopa County.
Is La Paz County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,695 jobs in 2025 against 6,045 in 2019 (+10.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does La Paz County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for La Paz County. Arizona has 6 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.