Kings County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hanford, Lemoore and Corcoran
The build-out shows up in Kings County as work for the electrical trades. Electrical contractors employ 255, up 140.6% since 2019 against up 8.5% statewide, at an average $75,037 a year. Kings County is home to Hanford, Lemoore, Corcoran and Avenal. 2,162 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. 612 MW of new generation is planned here across 5 units, led by Westlands Cherry, LLC (solar). Construction employs 1,232, up 26.7% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Kings County
Kings County is home to Hanford, Lemoore, Corcoran and Avenal.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Armona, Grangeville, Hardwick, Home Garden, Kettleman City, Lemoore Station, Stratford.
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 Kings County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 152,813 | 154,327 | ▲ 1.0% | 33rd of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 48,859 | 52,040 | ▲ 6.5% | 16th of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,272 | $57,329 | ▲ 26.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 972 | 1,232 | ▲ 26.7% | 6th of 51 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 106 | 255 | ▲ 140.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 8.3% | 8.5% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2,162 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 612 MW | 22% of today's fleet | 11th of 30 by size |
Its power plants have 2,820 MW of capacity, 63% of it solar, the 10th largest fleet in California. Next door, Fresno County has 4 data centers and 3,546 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 52,040 jobs in 2025, up 6.5% from 2019. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving Kings 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. Unemployment was 8.5% in August 2026, against 8.3% in 2019. 154,327 people live here, up 1.0% since 2020.
Who powers Kings County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2,162 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Kings 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% |
| Southern California Edison Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 4,594,415 | 32.43¢ | 56% |
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 52
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 1,770 MW | 63% |
| Battery storage | 856 MW | 30% |
| Natural gas | 190 MW | 7% |
| Other technologies | 4 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Blue | Westlands Solar Blue | Battery storage | 475 MW | 2023 |
| Slate Hybrid | MN8 Energy LLC | Solar | 440 MW | 2021 |
| Chestnut | Chestnut Westside LLC | Battery storage | 286 MW | 2023 |
| Aquamarine | Aqua | Solar | 250 MW | 2021 |
| RE Mustang LLC | MN8 Energy LLC | Battery storage | 175 MW | 2016 |
| Mustang Two | RE Mustang Two LLC | Solar | 150 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 5
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry | Solar Photovoltaic | 250 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Westlands Cherry, LLC |
| Grape | Solar Photovoltaic | 246 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Westlands Grape, LLC |
| Cherry | Batteries | 110 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Westlands Cherry, LLC |
| Gardenia 1 | Batteries | 3 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | ZGlobal Inc |
| Gardenia 1 | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | ZGlobal Inc |
The Kings County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 52,040 | $57,329 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,232 | $71,904 | 0.45 |
| Electrical contractors | 255 | $75,037 | 0.68 |
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 Kings County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Kings County. California has 48 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Tulare County.
Kings County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Kings County, Kern 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kings County | 154,327 | ▲ 6.5% | 2,820 MW | 612 MW | — | — |
| Fresno County | 1,035,456 | ▲ 7.2% | 5,884 MW | 3,546 MW | 4 | — |
| Kern County | 927,068 | ▲ 4.6% | 18,776 MW | 3,420 MW | 3 | — |
| Monterey County | 433,729 | ▲ 0.2% | 2,391 MW | 6 MW | — | — |
| San Luis Obispo County | 282,367 | ▲ 1.5% | 3,563 MW | 600 MW | 5 | — |
| Tulare County | 485,146 | ▲ 5.6% | 1,415 MW | 625 MW | — | 1 |
More of California
Kings County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kings County, California?
2 utilities have service territory in Kings County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Southern California Edison Co. The largest, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., charged residential customers 39.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Hanford, CA in?
Hanford is in Kings County, California. About 62,229 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Lemoore, CA in?
Lemoore is in Kings County, California. About 27,291 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Corcoran, CA in?
Corcoran is in Kings County, California. About 22,358 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Kings County?
52 operating plants with 2,820 MW of capacity. The largest is Solar Blue (475 MW, battery storage).
How much new power is planned in Kings County?
612 MW across 5 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Westlands Cherry, LLC.
Are there data centers in Kings County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Kings County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Fresno County.
Is Kings County adding jobs?
Employers counted 52,040 jobs in 2025 against 48,859 in 2019 (+6.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 972 to 1,232.
Does Kings County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Kings County. California has 48 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.