Dolores County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Dolores County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Dolores County is home to Dove Creek. Unemployment was 5.4% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. 110 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 526 jobs in 2025, down 3.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 110 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Dolores County
Dolores County is home to Dove Creek.
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 Dolores County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,331 | 2,466 | ▲ 5.8% | 57th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 546 | 526 | ▼ 3.7% | 59th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,315 | $41,308 | ▲ 17.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13 | 15 | ▲ 15.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 5.4% | ▲ 2.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 110 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Dolores County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 2,466 people live here, up 5.8% since 2020.
Who powers Dolores County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +110 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Dolores 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% |
| Empire Electric Assn, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,899 | 15.31¢ | 25% |
| San Miguel Power Assn, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,154 | 16.32¢ | 45% |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 72% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 110 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolores Canyon Solar | Tri-State G & T Assn, Inc | Solar | 110 MW | 2025 |
The Dolores County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 526 | $41,308 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 15 | $46,748 | 0.54 |
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 Dolores County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Dolores County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Dolores County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Dolores County, Montezuma 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolores County | 2,466 | ▼ 3.7% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| La Plata County | 56,898 | ▲ 4.5% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Montezuma County | 26,678 | ▲ 1.1% | 22 MW | 140 MW | — | — |
| San Juan County | 813 | ▲ 28.2% | — | — | — | — |
| San Juan County UT | 14,542 | ▲ 9.8% | 134 MW | — | — | — |
| San Miguel County | 7,753 | ▲ 6.6% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Dolores County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dolores County, Colorado?
4 utilities have service territory in Dolores County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, Empire Electric Assn, Inc, San Miguel Power Assn, Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Dolores County?
1 operating plant with 110 MW of capacity. The largest is Dolores Canyon Solar (110 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Dolores County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Dolores County.
Is Dolores County adding jobs?
Employers counted 526 jobs in 2025 against 546 in 2019 (-3.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 13 to 15.
Does Dolores County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Dolores County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.