Tehama County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Red Bluff and Corning
No data center or power plant project is on record in Tehama County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Tehama County is home to Red Bluff and Corning. Construction employs 1,067, up 30.3% since 2019. Next door, Mendocino County has 2 data centers. 8 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 19,664 jobs in 2025, up 4.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Tehama County
Tehama County is home to Red Bluff and Corning.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bend, Dales, Flournoy, Gerber, Lake California, Las Flores, Los Molinos, Manton, Mineral, Paskenta, Paynes Creek, Proberta, Rancho Tehama Reserve, Richfield, Vina.
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 Tehama County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 65,760 | 64,665 | ▼ 1.7% | 42nd of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 18,897 | 19,664 | ▲ 4.1% | 24th of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,764 | $60,130 | ▲ 34.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 819 | 1,067 | ▲ 30.3% | 2nd of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 6.2% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 8 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 6.2% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019. Its power plants have 77 MW of capacity, 60% of it natural gas. Electrical contractors employ 94, at an average $54,592 a year. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving Tehama 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. 64,665 people live here, down 1.7% since 2020.
Who powers Tehama County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +8 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Tehama 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% |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 48% |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 46 MW | 60% |
| Hydro | 22 MW | 28% |
| Solar | 8 MW | 11% |
| Wind | 1 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Bluff | California Power Holdings LLC | Natural gas | 46 MW | 2001 |
| Sierra Pacific Industries (2042-RD) | Sierra Pacific Industries | Solar | 8 MW | 2020 |
| Inskip | Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | Hydro | 8 MW | 1979 |
| South | Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | Hydro | 7 MW | 1979 |
| Black Butte | City of Santa Clara - (CA) | Hydro | 6 MW | 1988 |
| Ponderosa Bailey Creek | Snow Mountain Hydro LLC | Hydro | 1 MW | 1990 |
The Tehama County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 19,664 | $60,130 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,067 | $118,014 | 1.02 |
| Electrical contractors | 94 | $54,592 | 0.66 |
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 Tehama County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Tehama County. California has 48 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Mendocino County.
Tehama County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Tehama County, Shasta 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tehama County | 64,665 | ▲ 4.1% | 77 MW | — | — | — |
| Butte County | 209,211 | ▼ 4.2% | 1,176 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Glenn County | 28,141 | ▲ 2.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Mendocino County | 88,122 | ▼ 1.4% | 23 MW | 1 MW | 2 | 1 |
| Plumas County | 18,583 | ▲ 1.0% | 610 MW | — | — | — |
| Shasta County | 181,648 | ▲ 6.1% | 2,427 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Trinity County | 15,720 | ▲ 4.3% | 153 MW | — | — | — |
More of California
Tehama County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Tehama County, California?
2 utilities have service territory in Tehama County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pacific Gas & Electric Co., WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., charged residential customers 39.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Red Bluff, CA in?
Red Bluff is in Tehama County, California. About 14,404 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Tehama County?
7 operating plants with 77 MW of capacity. The largest is Red Bluff (46 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Tehama County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Tehama County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Mendocino County.
Is Tehama County adding jobs?
Employers counted 19,664 jobs in 2025 against 18,897 in 2019 (+4.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 819 to 1,067.
Does Tehama County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Tehama County. California has 48 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.