Kit Carson County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Burlington
New generation is lining up in Kit Carson County. Kit Carson County is home to Burlington, Stratton and Flagler. 753 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Public Service Co of Colorado (wind), the 4th largest pipeline among Colorado's counties. 603 MW of it is already under construction or built. 1,106 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Its power plants have 1,436 MW of capacity, 91% of it wind, the 6th largest fleet in Colorado. Employers here counted 3,051 jobs in 2025, up 6.4% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Kit Carson County
Kit Carson County is home to Burlington, Stratton and Flagler.
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 Kit Carson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,062 | 7,069 | ▲ 0.1% | 43rd of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,868 | 3,051 | ▲ 6.4% | 21st of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,791 | $50,457 | ▲ 33.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 96 | 94 | ▼ 2.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 1.9% | 2.8% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,106 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 753 MW | 52% of today's fleet | 4th of 18 by size |
Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 1.9% in 2019. K C Electric Association is the largest utility serving Kit Carson County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.15¢ median for Colorado utilities. 7,069 people live here, up 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Kit Carson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1,106 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Kit Carson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K C Electric Association | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,404 | 13.09¢ | 51% |
| City of Burlington - (CO) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 1,307 MW | 91% |
| Petroleum | 129 MW | 9% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dusty Rose Wind | Dusty Rose Wind, LLC | Wind | 502 MW | 2026 |
| Bronco Plains Wind, LLC | Bronco Plains Wind, LLC | Wind | 300 MW | 2020 |
| Bronco Plains Wind II, LLC | Bronco Plains Wind II, LLC | Wind | 200 MW | 2023 |
| Carousel Wind Farm LLC | Carousel Wind Farm, LLC | Wind | 150 MW | 2015 |
| Burlington (CO) | Tri-State G & T Assn, Inc | Petroleum | 129 MW | 1977 |
| Crossing Trails Wind Power Project LLC. | EDP Renewables North America LLC | Wind | 104 MW | 2021 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singing Grass Wind | Onshore Wind Turbine | 603 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Public Service Co of Colorado |
| Carousel Energy Storage, LLC | Batteries | 150 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Carousel Energy Storage, LLC |
The Kit Carson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,051 | $50,457 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 94 | $54,655 | 0.58 |
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 Kit Carson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Kit Carson County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Kit Carson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Kit Carson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kit Carson County | 7,069 | ▲ 6.4% | 1,436 MW | 753 MW | — | — |
| Cheyenne County | 1,713 | ▲ 2.1% | 498 MW | 688 MW | — | — |
| Cheyenne County KS | 2,604 | ▼ 1.6% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 5,645 | ▼ 1.1% | 1,007 MW | — | — | — |
| Sherman County KS | 5,763 | ▼ 3.5% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
| Wallace County KS | 1,441 | ▼ 1.5% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 4,732 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Yuma County | 9,896 | ▼ 5.1% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Kit Carson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kit Carson County, Colorado?
2 utilities have service territory in Kit Carson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: K C Electric Association, City of Burlington - (CO). The largest, K C Electric Association, charged residential customers 13.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Kit Carson County?
7 operating plants with 1,436 MW of capacity. The largest is Dusty Rose Wind (502 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Kit Carson County?
753 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 603 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Public Service Co of Colorado.
Are there data centers in Kit Carson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Kit Carson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cheyenne County.
Is Kit Carson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,051 jobs in 2025 against 2,868 in 2019 (+6.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 96 to 94.
Does Kit Carson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Kit Carson County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.