Kiowa County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Brandon and Towner
Kiowa County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Kiowa County is home to Eads. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Six-month data center facility moratorium (Resolution 2026-4)”. 300 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Deep Space Solar LLC (solar), the 7th largest pipeline among Colorado's counties. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 1.8% in 2019. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Kiowa County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Kiowa County
Kiowa County is home to Eads.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brandon, Towner.
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 Kiowa County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,453 | 1,412 | ▼ 2.8% | 60th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 489 | 490 | ▲ 0.2% | 49th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,791 | $45,306 | ▲ 23.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 1.8% | 3.4% | ▲ 1.6pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 300 MW | no fleet today | 7th of 18 by size |
Employers here counted 490 jobs in 2025, up 0.2% from 2019. 1,412 people live here, down 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Kiowa County
Utilities with service territory in Kiowa 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% |
| Southeast Colorado Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 8,148 | 17.22¢ | 55% |
| K C Electric Association | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,404 | 13.09¢ | 51% |
| Wheatland Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 31 | 18.37¢ | 82% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Kiowa County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Space Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 300 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2030 | Deep Space Solar LLC |
The Kiowa County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 490 | $45,306 | 1.00 |
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 Kiowa County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six-month data center facility moratorium (Resolution 2026-4) | In force | 2026-04 |
Kiowa County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Kiowa County, Cheyenne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiowa County | 1,412 | ▲ 0.2% | — | 300 MW | — | 1 |
| Bent County | 5,716 | ▲ 4.5% | 81 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Cheyenne County | 1,713 | ▲ 2.1% | 498 MW | 688 MW | — | — |
| Crowley County | 5,677 | ▲ 3.2% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Greeley County KS | 1,182 | ▲ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 5,645 | ▼ 1.1% | 1,007 MW | — | — | — |
| Otero County | 17,683 | ▼ 2.2% | 12 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Prowers County | 11,884 | ▲ 2.8% | 248 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
More of Colorado
Kiowa County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kiowa County, Colorado?
4 utilities have service territory in Kiowa County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, Southeast Colorado Power Assn, K C Electric Association, Wheatland Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Kiowa County?
300 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Deep Space Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Kiowa County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Kiowa County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cheyenne County.
Is Kiowa County adding jobs?
Employers counted 490 jobs in 2025 against 489 in 2019 (+0.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Kiowa County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Kiowa County, 1 in force.