San Luis Obispo County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to San Luis Obispo, El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) and Atascadero
San Luis Obispo County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in San Luis Obispo County. San Luis Obispo County is home to San Luis Obispo, El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), Atascadero and Arroyo Grande. 600 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Premium Energy Holdings (other technologies). Its power plants have 3,563 MW of capacity, 65% of it nuclear, the 9th largest fleet in California. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo County is home to San Luis Obispo, El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), Atascadero and Arroyo Grande.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Avila Beach, Blacklake, California Polytechnic State University, Callender, Cambria, Cayucos, Creston, Edna, Garden Farms, Lake Nacimiento, Los Berros, Los Osos, Los Ranchos, Nipomo, Oak Shores, Oceano, San Miguel, San Simeon, Santa Margarita, Shandon, Templeton, Whitley Gardens, Woodlands.
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 San Luis Obispo County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 282,257 | 282,367 | ● 0.0% | 24th of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 119,806 | 121,634 | ▲ 1.5% | 36th of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $51,011 | $64,561 | ▲ 26.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,147 | 8,656 | ▲ 6.2% | 24th of 51 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 763 | 807 | ▲ 5.8% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 586 | 564 | ▼ 3.8% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 94 | 41 | ▼ 56.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 4.7% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 260 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 600 MW | 17% of today's fleet | 12th of 30 by size |
Construction employs 8,656, up 6.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 260 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. 6 MW has retired here since 2019, including Santa Maria EPG (other technologies, 6 MW, 2022). Electrical contractors employ 807, up 5.8% since 2019 against up 8.5% statewide, at an average $83,167 a year. Employers here counted 121,634 jobs in 2025, up 1.5% from 2019. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving San Luis Obispo 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. 282,367 people live here, up 0.0% since 2020.
Who powers San Luis Obispo County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +254 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in San Luis Obispo 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% |
| Central Coast Community Energy | — | Bundled | 383,835 | — | — |
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 18
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 2,323 MW | 65% |
| Solar | 1,133 MW | 32% |
| Battery storage | 100 MW | 3% |
| Hydro | 4 MW | 0% |
| Other technologies | 2 MW | 0% |
| Natural gas | 1 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diablo Canyon | Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | Nuclear | 2,323 MW | 1985 |
| Topaz Solar Farm | Topaz Solar Farms LLC | Solar | 586 MW | 2013 |
| California Valley Solar Ranch | Clearway Energy Operating LLC | Solar | 250 MW | 2012 |
| CA Flats Solar 150, LLC | Arevon Energy, Inc. | Solar | 150 MW | 2019 |
| CA Flats Solar 130, LLC | California Flats Solar 130, LLC | Solar | 130 MW | 2017 |
| Caballero | Caballero CA Storage LLC | Battery storage | 100 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whale Rock Pumped Storage Hydro Project | Hydroelectric Pumped Storage | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Premium Energy Holdings |
| Whale Rock Pumped Storage Hydro Project | Hydroelectric Pumped Storage | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Premium Energy Holdings |
| Whale Rock Pumped Storage Hydro Project | Hydroelectric Pumped Storage | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Premium Energy Holdings |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria EPG | Other technologies | 6 MW | 2022 |
The San Luis Obispo County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 121,634 | $64,561 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 8,656 | $84,477 | 1.34 |
| Electrical contractors | 807 | $83,167 | 0.92 |
| Power and communication line construction | 564 | $116,467 | 2.87 |
| Data processing and hosting | 41 | $104,085 | 0.11 |
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 San Luis Obispo County
5 data centers in San Luis Obispo County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
San Luis Obispo County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border San Luis Obispo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo County | 282,367 | ▲ 1.5% | 3,563 MW | 600 MW | 5 | — |
| Kern County | 927,068 | ▲ 4.6% | 18,776 MW | 3,420 MW | 3 | — |
| Kings County | 154,327 | ▲ 6.5% | 2,820 MW | 612 MW | — | — |
| Monterey County | 433,729 | ▲ 0.2% | 2,391 MW | 6 MW | — | — |
| Santa Barbara County | 442,065 | ▲ 5.1% | 363 MW | 10 MW | 4 | — |
More of California
San Luis Obispo County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in San Luis Obispo County, California?
2 utilities have service territory in San Luis Obispo County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Central Coast Community Energy. The largest, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., charged residential customers 39.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is San Luis Obispo, CA in?
San Luis Obispo is in San Luis Obispo County, California. About 50,636 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA in?
El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) is in San Luis Obispo County, California. About 31,626 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Atascadero, CA in?
Atascadero is in San Luis Obispo County, California. About 29,464 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in San Luis Obispo County?
18 operating plants with 3,563 MW of capacity. The largest is Diablo Canyon (2,323 MW, nuclear).
How much new power is planned in San Luis Obispo County?
600 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Premium Energy Holdings.
Are there data centers in San Luis Obispo County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in San Luis Obispo County.
Is San Luis Obispo County adding jobs?
Employers counted 121,634 jobs in 2025 against 119,806 in 2019 (+1.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 8,147 to 8,656.
Does San Luis Obispo County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for San Luis Obispo County. California has 48 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.