Huerfano County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Walsenburg
No data center or power plant project is on record in Huerfano County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Huerfano County is home to Walsenburg and La Veta. Next door, Pueblo County has 1,418 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 1,850 jobs in 2025, up 9.5% from 2019. Unemployment was 7.0% in August 2026, against 5.8% in 2019. 59 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Huerfano County
Huerfano County is home to Walsenburg and La Veta.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Gardner.
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 Huerfano County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,824 | 7,011 | ▲ 2.7% | 44th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,690 | 1,850 | ▲ 9.5% | 13th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,044 | $47,603 | ▲ 35.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 38 | 55 | ▲ 44.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.8% | 7.0% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 59 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 157 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Huerfano County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 7,011 people live here, up 2.7% since 2020.
Who powers Huerfano County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +59 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Huerfano 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 Isabel Electric Assn, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,289 | 17.78¢ | 21% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 157 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak View Wind Farm | Black Hills Colorado Electric, LLC | Wind | 61 MW | 2016 |
| Busch Ranch II Wind Farm | Black Hills Electric Generation LLC | Wind | 59 MW | 2019 |
| Busch Ranch Wind Energy | Black Hills Colorado Electric, LLC | Wind | 29 MW | 2012 |
| Huerfano River Wind | Huerfano River Wind, LLC | Wind | 8 MW | 2013 |
The Huerfano County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,850 | $47,603 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 55 | $57,140 | 0.56 |
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 Huerfano County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Huerfano County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Huerfano County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Huerfano County, Pueblo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huerfano County | 7,011 | ▲ 9.5% | 157 MW | — | — | — |
| Alamosa County | 16,688 | ▼ 2.1% | 203 MW | — | — | — |
| Costilla County | 3,679 | ▼ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Custer County | 5,590 | ▲ 28.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Las Animas County | 14,391 | ▼ 7.6% | 179 MW | 202 MW | — | — |
| Pueblo County | 169,277 | ▼ 1.1% | 3,613 MW | 1,418 MW | — | — |
| Saguache County | 6,732 | ▼ 0.5% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Huerfano County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Huerfano County, Colorado?
2 utilities have service territory in Huerfano County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, San Isabel Electric Assn, Inc. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Huerfano County?
4 operating plants with 157 MW of capacity. The largest is Peak View Wind Farm (61 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Huerfano County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Huerfano County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pueblo County.
Is Huerfano County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,850 jobs in 2025 against 1,690 in 2019 (+9.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 38 to 55.
Does Huerfano County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Huerfano County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.