Stanislaus County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Modesto, Turlock and Ceres
The data center boom is not abstract in Stanislaus County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Stanislaus County. Stanislaus County is home to Modesto, Turlock, Ceres and Patterson. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “45-day urgency moratorium on data centers”. 100 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Vesper Energy Development LLC (battery storage). Electrical contractors employ 1,423, up 26.9% since 2019 against up 8.5% statewide, at an average $81,429 a year.
Cities and towns in Stanislaus County
Stanislaus County is home to Modesto, Turlock, Ceres and Patterson.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Airport, Bret Harte, Bystrom, Cowan, Crows Landing, Del Rio, Denair, Diablo Grande, East Oakdale, Empire, Grayson, Hickman, Keyes, Knights Ferry, La Grange, Monterey Park Tract, Orange Blossom, Parklawn, Riverdale Park, Rouse, Salida, Valley Home, West Modesto, Westley.
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 Stanislaus County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 553,702 | 557,719 | ▲ 0.7% | 16th of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 193,280 | 199,343 | ▲ 3.1% | 29th of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,579 | $64,812 | ▲ 30.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,447 | 11,085 | ▲ 6.1% | 25th of 51 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,121 | 1,423 | ▲ 26.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.1% | 7.0% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 522 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 24 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 100 MW | 7% of today's fleet | 19th of 30 by size |
522 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 1,505 MW of capacity, 62% of it natural gas. Construction employs 11,085, up 6.1% since 2019. 24 MW has retired here since 2019, including Covanta Stanislaus Energy (other technologies, 24 MW, 2024). Unemployment was 7.0% in August 2026, against 6.1% in 2019. Employers here counted 199,343 jobs in 2025, up 3.1% from 2019. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving Stanislaus 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. 557,719 people live here, up 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Stanislaus County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +498 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Stanislaus 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% |
| Modesto Irrigation District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 103,650 | 21.78¢ | 32% |
| Turlock Irrigation District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 80,575 | 16.34¢ | 24% |
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 20
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 939 MW | 62% |
| Solar | 299 MW | 20% |
| Battery storage | 177 MW | 12% |
| Petroleum | 71 MW | 5% |
| Hydro | 17 MW | 1% |
| Other technologies | 2 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proxima | Proxima Solar, LLC | Battery storage | 352 MW | 2024 |
| Walnut Energy Center | Turlock Irrigation District | Natural gas | 301 MW | 2006 |
| Almond Power Plant | Turlock Irrigation District | Natural gas | 224 MW | 1996 |
| Woodland | Modesto Irrigation District | Natural gas | 199 MW | 1993 |
| McClure | Modesto Irrigation District | Petroleum | 142 MW | 1980 |
| Walnut | Turlock Irrigation District | Natural gas | 50 MW | 1986 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Renewable Energy (Hybrid) | Batteries | 50 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
| Aurora Renewable Energy (Hybrid) | Solar Photovoltaic | 50 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covanta Stanislaus Energy | Other technologies | 24 MW | 2024 |
The Stanislaus County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 199,343 | $64,812 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 11,085 | $78,596 | 1.05 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,423 | $81,429 | 0.99 |
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 Stanislaus County
6 data centers in Stanislaus 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 |
Stanislaus County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Stanislaus County, Santa Clara 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanislaus County | 557,719 | ▲ 3.1% | 1,505 MW | 100 MW | 6 | 1 |
| Alameda County | 1,636,630 | ▼ 1.3% | 1,348 MW | 477 MW | 30 | — |
| Calaveras County | 46,605 | ▲ 3.6% | 285 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Mariposa County | 16,918 | ▲ 8.5% | 104 MW | — | — | — |
| Merced County | 297,260 | ▲ 6.0% | 849 MW | 424 MW | — | — |
| San Joaquin County | 823,815 | ▲ 12.5% | 1,609 MW | 360 MW | 6 | 1 |
| Santa Clara County | 1,914,391 | ● 0.0% | 1,887 MW | 50 MW | 197 | — |
| Tuolumne County | 53,160 | ▲ 3.9% | 1,166 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of California
Stanislaus County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stanislaus County, California?
3 utilities have service territory in Stanislaus County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Modesto Irrigation District, Turlock Irrigation District. The largest, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., charged residential customers 39.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Modesto, CA in?
Modesto is in Stanislaus County, California. About 219,652 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Turlock, CA in?
Turlock is in Stanislaus County, California. About 72,864 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Ceres, CA in?
Ceres is in Stanislaus County, California. About 48,982 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Stanislaus County?
20 operating plants with 1,505 MW of capacity. The largest is Proxima (352 MW, battery storage).
How much new power is planned in Stanislaus County?
100 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Vesper Energy Development LLC.
Are there data centers in Stanislaus County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Stanislaus County.
Is Stanislaus County adding jobs?
Employers counted 199,343 jobs in 2025 against 193,280 in 2019 (+3.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 10,447 to 11,085.
Does Stanislaus County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Stanislaus County, 1 in force.