Conejos County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Capulin and Conejos
No data center or power plant project is on record in Conejos County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 143, up 47.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Conejos County is home to Manassa, Sanford, La Jara and Antonito. Employers here counted 1,647 jobs in 2025, up 7.9% from 2019. Its power plants have 3 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Conejos County
Conejos County is home to Manassa, Sanford, La Jara and Antonito.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Capulin, Conejos.
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 Conejos County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,457 | 7,529 | ▲ 1.0% | 42nd of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,527 | 1,647 | ▲ 7.9% | 18th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,097 | $43,023 | ▲ 34.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 97 | 143 | ▲ 47.4% | 5th of 38 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 4.3% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Conejos County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 7,529 people live here, up 1.0% since 2020.
Who powers Conejos County
Utilities with service territory in Conejos County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Co of Colorado | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,365,053 | 15.05¢ | 44% |
| San Luis Valley R E C, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,115 | 18.38¢ | 26% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 3 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conejos 1 Community Solar Array | MN8 Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2017 |
| San Luis Solar Garden | AES Distributed Energy | Solar | 1 MW | 2017 |
The Conejos County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,647 | $43,023 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 143 | $54,801 | 1.64 |
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 Conejos County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Conejos County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Archuleta County.
Conejos County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Conejos County, Rio Arriba 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conejos County | 7,529 | ▲ 7.9% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Alamosa County | 16,688 | ▼ 2.1% | 203 MW | — | — | — |
| Archuleta County | 14,306 | ▲ 14.4% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Costilla County | 3,679 | ▼ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Rio Arriba County NM | 39,832 | ▼ 2.8% | 338 MW | — | — | — |
| Rio Grande County | 11,087 | ▲ 6.7% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Taos County NM | 34,564 | ▲ 0.8% | 60 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Conejos County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Conejos County, Colorado?
2 utilities have service territory in Conejos County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, San Luis Valley R E C, Inc. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Conejos County?
2 operating plants with 3 MW of capacity. The largest is Conejos 1 Community Solar Array (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Conejos County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Conejos County.
Is Conejos County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,647 jobs in 2025 against 1,527 in 2019 (+7.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 97 to 143.
Does Conejos County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Conejos County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.