Grand County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Granby, Fraser and Kremmling
No data center or power plant project is on record in Grand County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Grand County is home to Granby, Fraser, Kremmling and Winter Park. Construction employs 805, up 11.3% since 2019, and construction is 1.9 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Larimer County has 225 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 2.1% in 2019. 1 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Grand County
Grand County is home to Granby, Fraser, Kremmling and Winter Park.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Parshall, Tabernash.
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 Grand County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,748 | 16,496 | ▲ 4.7% | 32nd of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,735 | 8,194 | ▲ 5.9% | 25th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,099 | $54,786 | ▲ 43.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 723 | 805 | ▲ 11.3% | 18th of 38 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.1% | 3.4% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 8,194 jobs in 2025, up 5.9% from 2019. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 82% of it hydro. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Grand County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 16,496 people live here, up 4.7% since 2020.
Who powers Grand County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Grand 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% |
| Yampa Valley Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,253 | 16.76¢ | 23% |
| Mountain Parks Electric, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,183 | 15.98¢ | 38% |
| 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 5 MW | 82% |
| Solar | 1 MW | 18% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Fork Hydro Plant | Denver City & County of - (CO) | Hydro | 4 MW | 1959 |
| Granby Hydro | Northern Water Hydropower Enterprise | Hydro | 1 MW | 2016 |
| Tom Sifers Solar | Mountain Parks Services, Inc. | Solar | 1 MW | 2019 |
The Grand County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,194 | $54,786 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 805 | $74,115 | 1.85 |
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 Grand County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Grand County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Boulder County, Larimer County.
Grand County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Grand County, Larimer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand County | 16,496 | ▲ 5.9% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Boulder County | 328,560 | ▲ 1.6% | 266 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Clear Creek County | 8,994 | ▲ 5.6% | 301 MW | — | — | — |
| Eagle County | 54,291 | ▲ 4.9% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
| Gilpin County | 6,073 | ▲ 2.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 1,211 | ▼ 4.1% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Larimer County | 377,292 | ▲ 3.3% | 1,055 MW | 225 MW | — | 1 |
| Routt County | 25,329 | ▲ 4.8% | 465 MW | — | — | — |
| Summit County | 31,517 | ▲ 1.2% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Grand County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Grand County, Colorado?
4 utilities have service territory in Grand County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, Yampa Valley Electric Assn Inc, Mountain Parks Electric, 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 Grand County?
3 operating plants with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is Williams Fork Hydro Plant (4 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Grand County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Grand County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Larimer County.
Is Grand County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,194 jobs in 2025 against 7,735 in 2019 (+5.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 723 to 805.
Does Grand County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Grand County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.