Contra Costa County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Concord and Antioch, and the communities of Mountain View and Bay Point
Contra Costa County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Contra Costa County. Contra Costa County is home to Concord, Antioch, Richmond and San Ramon, plus the unincorporated communities of Mountain View and Bay Point. Its power plants have 4,240 MW of capacity, 88% of it natural gas, the 8th largest fleet in California. 8 MW of new generation is planned here across 10 units, led by Pittsburg RV & Boat Storage, LLC (solar). 8 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County is home to Concord, Antioch, Richmond and San Ramon, plus the unincorporated communities of Mountain View and Bay Point.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Mountain View, Bay Point, Acalanes Ridge, Alamo, Alhambra Valley, Bayview, Bethel Island, Blackhawk, Byron, Camino Tassajara, Castle Hill, Clyde, Contra Costa Centre, Crockett, Diablo, Discovery Bay, East Richmond Heights, El Sobrante, Kensington, Knightsen, Montalvin Manor, Norris Canyon, North Gate, North Richmond, Pacheco, Port Costa, Reliez Valley, Rodeo, Rollingwood, San Miguel, Saranap, Shell Ridge, Tara Hills, Vine Hill.
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 Contra Costa County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,166,249 | 1,170,070 | ▲ 0.3% | 9th of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 369,280 | 374,448 | ▲ 1.4% | 38th of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $70,887 | $87,200 | ▲ 23.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 25,970 | 25,930 | ▼ 0.2% | 32nd of 51 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,918 | 2,692 | ▼ 7.7% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 509 | 726 | ▲ 42.6% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 175 | 179 | ▲ 2.3% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 448 | 630 | ▲ 40.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 5.0% | ▲ 2.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 276 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 27 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 8 MW | 0% of today's fleet | 25th of 30 by size |
276 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Construction employs 25,930, down 0.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 27 MW has retired here since 2019, including Phillips 66 Carbon Plant (petroleum, 27 MW, 2023). Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving Contra Costa County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 39.62¢/kWh in 2024, above the 20.66¢ median for California utilities. Employers here counted 374,448 jobs in 2025, up 1.4% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 2,692, down 7.7% since 2019 against up 8.5% statewide, at an average $112,739 a year. 1,170,070 people live here, up 0.3% since 2020, 9th of 58 California counties by population.
Who powers Contra Costa County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +249 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Contra Costa County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 5,047,461 | 39.62¢ | 30% |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 48% |
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 40
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 3,718 MW | 88% |
| Battery storage | 205 MW | 5% |
| Wind | 116 MW | 3% |
| Other technologies | 112 MW | 3% |
| Solar | 89 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Energy Center | Delta Energy Center LLC | Natural gas | 944 MW | 2002 |
| Marsh Landing Generating Station | Marsh Landing LLC | Natural gas | 828 MW | 2013 |
| Los Medanos Energy Center | Los Medanos Energy Center LLC | Natural gas | 678 MW | 2001 |
| Gateway Generating Station | Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | Natural gas | 620 MW | 2009 |
| Crockett Cogen Project | Crockett Cogeneration | Natural gas | 247 MW | 1995 |
| Diablo Energy Storage | Diablo Energy Storage, LLC | Battery storage | 200 MW | 2022 |
Planned generation 10
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburg RV Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Pittsburg RV & Boat Storage, LLC |
| Bishop Ranch - BR 3-GG | Solar Photovoltaic | 1 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Camino Ramon BR 3-GG Solar Project 2020, LLC |
| Bishop Ranch - BR 3-GG | Batteries | 1 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Camino Ramon BR 3-GG Solar Project 2020, LLC |
| Bishop Ranch - BR 3-HH | Batteries | 1 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Camino Ramon BR 3-HH Solar Project 2020, LLC |
| Bishop Ranch - BR 3-HH | Solar Photovoltaic | 1 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Camino Ramon BR 3-HH Solar Project 2020, LLC |
| Bishop Ranch - BR 3-FF | Batteries | 1 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Camino Ramon BR 3-FF Solar Project 2020, LLC |
| Bishop Ranch - BR 3-FF | Solar Photovoltaic | 1 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Camino Ramon BR 3-FF Solar Project 2020, LLC |
| Bishop Ranch - BR 3-GG | Solar Photovoltaic | 0 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Camino Ramon BR 3-GG Solar Project 2020, LLC |
| Bishop Ranch - BR 3-HH | Solar Photovoltaic | 0 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Camino Ramon BR 3-HH Solar Project 2020, LLC |
| Bishop Ranch - BR 3-FF | Solar Photovoltaic | 0 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Camino Ramon BR 3-FF Solar Project 2020, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips 66 Carbon Plant | Petroleum | 27 MW | 2023 |
The Contra Costa County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 374,448 | $87,200 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 25,930 | $103,829 | 1.31 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,692 | $112,739 | 1.00 |
| Power and communication line construction | 726 | $153,198 | 1.20 |
| Electric utilities | 179 | $225,387 | 0.18 |
| Data processing and hosting | 630 | $173,187 | 0.54 |
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 Contra Costa County
6 data centers in Contra Costa County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Contra Costa County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Contra Costa County, Alameda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contra Costa County | 1,170,070 | ▲ 1.4% | 4,240 MW | 8 MW | 6 | — |
| Alameda County | 1,636,630 | ▼ 1.3% | 1,348 MW | 477 MW | 30 | — |
| Sacramento County | 1,618,460 | ▲ 7.9% | 1,750 MW | 660 MW | 21 | — |
| San Joaquin County | 823,815 | ▲ 12.5% | 1,609 MW | 360 MW | 6 | 1 |
| Solano County | 455,376 | ▲ 0.6% | 1,461 MW | 60 MW | 3 | — |
More of California
Contra Costa County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Contra Costa County, California?
2 utilities have service territory in Contra Costa County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pacific Gas & Electric Co., WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., charged residential customers 39.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Concord, CA in?
Concord is in Contra Costa County, California. About 123,261 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Antioch, CA in?
Antioch is in Contra Costa County, California. About 118,958 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Richmond, CA in?
Richmond is in Contra Costa County, California. About 114,861 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Contra Costa County?
40 operating plants with 4,240 MW of capacity. The largest is Delta Energy Center (944 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Contra Costa County?
8 MW across 10 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 8 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Pittsburg RV & Boat Storage, LLC.
Are there data centers in Contra Costa County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Contra Costa County.
Is Contra Costa County adding jobs?
Employers counted 374,448 jobs in 2025 against 369,280 in 2019 (+1.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 25,970 to 25,930.
Does Contra Costa County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Contra Costa County. California has 48 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.