Sierra County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Alleghany and Calpine
No data center or power plant project is on record in Sierra County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Sierra County is home to Loyalton. Next door, Washoe County, Nevada, has 17 data centers. Employers here counted 614 jobs in 2025, up 12.7% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 58 California counties). Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019. 20 MW has retired here since 2019, including Sierra Pacific Loyalton Facility (other technologies, 20 MW, 2020).
Cities and towns in Sierra County
Sierra County is home to Loyalton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alleghany, Calpine, Downieville, Goodyears Bar, Pike, Sattley, Sierra Brooks, Sierra City, Sierraville, Verdi.
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 Sierra County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,226 | 3,098 | ▼ 4.0% | 57th of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 545 | 614 | ▲ 12.7% | 4th of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,883 | $55,541 | ▲ 42.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 4.4% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 20 MW | — |
Its power plants have 14 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving Sierra County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 39.62¢/kWh in 2024, above the 20.66¢ median for California utilities. 3,098 people live here, down 4.0% since 2020.
Who powers Sierra County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −20 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Sierra 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% |
| Liberty Utilities | Investor Owned | Bundled | 43,902 | 25.92¢ | 49% |
| Plumas-Sierra Rural Elec Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 14 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haypress | EIF Haypress LLC | Hydro | 10 MW | 1988 |
| Stampede | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 4 MW | 1988 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Pacific Loyalton Facility | Other technologies | 20 MW | 2020 |
The Sierra County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 614 | $55,541 | 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 Sierra County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sierra County. California has 48 local measures on record statewide.
Sierra County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Sierra County, Washoe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra County | 3,098 | ▲ 12.7% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Lassen County | 28,117 | ▼ 10.6% | 92 MW | — | — | — |
| Nevada County | 101,911 | ▲ 7.3% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Plumas County | 18,583 | ▲ 1.0% | 610 MW | — | — | — |
| Washoe County NV | 509,386 | ▲ 7.4% | 668 MW | — | 17 | — |
| Yuba County | 88,691 | ▲ 13.0% | 367 MW | 4 MW | — | — |
More of California
Sierra County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sierra County, California?
3 utilities have service territory in Sierra County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Liberty Utilities, Plumas-Sierra Rural Elec Coop. The largest, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., charged residential customers 39.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Sierra County?
2 operating plants with 14 MW of capacity. The largest is Haypress (10 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Sierra County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sierra County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Washoe County.
Is Sierra County adding jobs?
Employers counted 614 jobs in 2025 against 545 in 2019 (+12.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Sierra County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sierra County. California has 48 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.