Yolo County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Davis, Woodland and West Sacramento
Yolo County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Yolo County. Yolo County is home to Davis, Woodland, West Sacramento and Winters. 26 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Emeren US, LLC (solar). Electrical contractors employ 481, up 34.4% since 2019 against up 8.5% statewide, at an average $102,314 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Yolo County
Yolo County is home to Davis, Woodland, West Sacramento and Winters.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brooks, Clarksburg, Dunnigan, El Macero, Esparto, Guinda, Knights Landing, Madison, Monument Hills, Rumsey, Tancred, University of California-Davis, Yolo.
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 Yolo County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 217,760 | 224,410 | ▲ 3.1% | 27th of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 106,907 | 109,634 | ▲ 2.6% | 31st of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $62,115 | $79,708 | ▲ 28.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,374 | 4,901 | ▲ 12.0% | 16th of 51 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 358 | 481 | ▲ 34.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 5.7% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 26 MW | 42% of today's fleet | 23rd of 30 by size |
Construction employs 4,901, up 12.0% since 2019. 6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 61 MW of capacity, 51% of it other technologies. Employers here counted 109,634 jobs in 2025, up 2.6% from 2019. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving Yolo 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. 224,410 people live here, up 3.1% since 2020.
Who powers Yolo County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Yolo 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 13
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 32 MW | 51% |
| Solar | 29 MW | 47% |
| Wind | 1 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland Biomass Power Ltd | DTE Energy Services-Woodland | Other technologies | 28 MW | 1989 |
| UC Davis South Campus | Solar Star California XXXII, LLC | Solar | 13 MW | 2015 |
| MM Yolo Power | Yolo County Community Services Department | Other technologies | 4 MW | 1990 |
| Putah Creek Solar Farm North | Putah Creek Solar Farms LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2022 |
| Target Woodland Solar Project | MN8 Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2018 |
| Grassland 1&2 Solar Project | Yolo County of - (CA) | Solar | 2 MW | 2013 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gibson Solar Project - Hybrid | Solar Photovoltaic | 13 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Emeren US, LLC |
| Gibson Solar Project - Hybrid | Batteries | 13 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Emeren US, LLC |
The Yolo County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 109,634 | $79,708 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 4,901 | $104,584 | 0.84 |
| Electrical contractors | 481 | $102,314 | 0.61 |
| Electric utilities | 84 | $133,104 | 0.28 |
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 Yolo County
3 data centers in Yolo County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Yolo County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Yolo County, Sacramento 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yolo County | 224,410 | ▲ 2.6% | 61 MW | 26 MW | 3 | — |
| Colusa County | 21,836 | ▼ 0.9% | 749 MW | — | — | — |
| Lake County | 67,772 | ▲ 6.1% | 353 MW | — | — | — |
| Napa County | 132,949 | ▼ 0.8% | 31 MW | 26 MW | 3 | — |
| Sacramento County | 1,618,460 | ▲ 7.9% | 1,750 MW | 660 MW | 21 | — |
| Solano County | 455,376 | ▲ 0.6% | 1,461 MW | 60 MW | 3 | — |
| Sutter County | 98,787 | ▲ 3.0% | 904 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
More of California
Yolo County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Yolo County, California?
2 utilities have service territory in Yolo 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 Davis, CA in?
Davis is in Yolo County, California. About 66,110 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Woodland, CA in?
Woodland is in Yolo County, California. About 62,513 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is West Sacramento, CA in?
West Sacramento is in Yolo County, California. About 56,216 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Yolo County?
13 operating plants with 61 MW of capacity. The largest is Woodland Biomass Power Ltd (28 MW, other technologies).
How much new power is planned in Yolo County?
26 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Emeren US, LLC.
Are there data centers in Yolo County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Yolo County.
Is Yolo County adding jobs?
Employers counted 109,634 jobs in 2025 against 106,907 in 2019 (+2.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,374 to 4,901.
Does Yolo County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Yolo County. California has 48 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.