Mendocino County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ukiah and Fort Bragg, and the communities of Manchester
Mendocino County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Mendocino County. Mendocino County is home to Ukiah, Fort Bragg and Willits, plus the unincorporated community of Manchester. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “45-day urgency moratorium on data centers”. 1 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Form Energy Inc. (battery storage). Construction employs 1,564, up 11.7% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Mendocino County
Mendocino County is home to Ukiah, Fort Bragg and Willits, plus the unincorporated community of Manchester.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Manchester, Albion, Anchor Bay, Boonville, Brooktrails, Calpella, Caspar, Cleone, Comptche, Covelo, Hopland, Laytonville, Leggett, Little River, Mendocino, Philo, Potter Valley, Redwood Valley, Talmage.
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 Mendocino County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 91,348 | 88,122 | ▼ 3.5% | 39th of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 32,450 | 31,998 | ▼ 1.4% | 52nd of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,573 | $55,431 | ▲ 33.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,400 | 1,564 | ▲ 11.7% | 17th of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 5.6% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 10 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1 MW | 4% of today's fleet | 30th of 30 by size |
Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. 10 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 23 MW of capacity, 56% of it hydro. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving Mendocino 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 31,998 jobs in 2025, down 1.4% from 2019. 88,122 people live here, down 3.5% since 2020.
Who powers Mendocino County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +10 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Mendocino 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% |
| City of Ukiah - (CA) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 13 MW | 56% |
| Solar | 6 MW | 24% |
| Battery storage | 4 MW | 19% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potter Valley | Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | Hydro | 9 MW | 1910 |
| Redemeyer Road Solar | RPCA Solar 10, LLC | Battery storage | 8 MW | 2026 |
| Lake Mendocino | City of Ukiah - (CA) | Hydro | 4 MW | 1987 |
| Kama 1 LLC | Standard Solar | Solar | 2 MW | 2026 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Road Storage Project | Batteries | 1 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Form Energy Inc. |
The Mendocino County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 31,998 | $55,431 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,564 | $74,764 | 0.92 |
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 Mendocino County
2 data centers in Mendocino County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45-day urgency moratorium on data centers | In force | 2026-09 |
Mendocino County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Mendocino County, Sonoma 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mendocino County | 88,122 | ▼ 1.4% | 23 MW | 1 MW | 2 | 1 |
| Glenn County | 28,141 | ▲ 2.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Humboldt County | 131,647 | ▲ 2.5% | 234 MW | — | — | 2 |
| Lake County | 67,772 | ▲ 6.1% | 353 MW | — | — | — |
| Sonoma County | 486,444 | ▼ 2.3% | 1,521 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Tehama County | 64,665 | ▲ 4.1% | 77 MW | — | — | — |
| Trinity County | 15,720 | ▲ 4.3% | 153 MW | — | — | — |
More of California
Mendocino County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mendocino County, California?
2 utilities have service territory in Mendocino County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pacific Gas & Electric Co., City of Ukiah - (CA). The largest, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., charged residential customers 39.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Ukiah, CA in?
Ukiah is in Mendocino County, California. About 16,068 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Mendocino County?
4 operating plants with 23 MW of capacity. The largest is Potter Valley (9 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Mendocino County?
1 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Form Energy Inc..
Are there data centers in Mendocino County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Mendocino County.
Is Mendocino County adding jobs?
Employers counted 31,998 jobs in 2025 against 32,450 in 2019 (-1.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,400 to 1,564.
Does Mendocino County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Mendocino County, 1 in force.