Moffat County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Craig
Moffat County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Moffat County is home to Craig. Owners plan to retire 1,428 MW more by 2035, led by Craig (CO) in 2029. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed six- or 12-month data center moratorium”. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Morel Energy Storage LLC (battery storage). Its power plants have 1,577 MW of capacity, 91% of it coal, the 5th largest fleet in Colorado.
Cities and towns in Moffat County
Moffat County is home to Craig.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Maybell.
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 Moffat County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 13,267 | 13,122 | ▼ 1.1% | 35th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,704 | 4,558 | ▼ 3.1% | 58th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $50,536 | $59,524 | ▲ 17.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.9% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 149 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | 13% of today's fleet | 11th of 18 by size |
Unemployment was 4.9% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. 149 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 4,558 jobs in 2025, down 3.1% from 2019. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Moffat County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 13,122 people live here, down 1.1% since 2020.
Who powers Moffat County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +149 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Moffat 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% |
| White River Electric Assn, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 2,633 | 13.78¢ | 5% |
| Moon Lake Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,526 | 9.35¢ | 4% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,428 MW | 91% |
| Solar | 149 MW | 9% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craig (CO) | Tri-State G & T Assn, Inc | Coal | 1,428 MW | 1979 |
| Axial Basin Solar | Tri-State G & T Assn, Inc | Solar | 145 MW | 2025 |
| East Victory Way Solar | East Victory Way Solar LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morel Energy Storage | Batteries | 200 MW | Approvals received | 2030 | Morel Energy Storage LLC |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craig (CO) | Coal | 535 MW | 2029 |
| Craig (CO) | Coal | 446 MW | 2026 |
| Craig (CO) | Coal | 446 MW | 2028 |
The Moffat County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,558 | $59,524 | 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 Moffat County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed six- or 12-month data center moratorium | Proposed | 2026-09 |
Moffat County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Moffat County, Carbon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moffat County | 13,122 | ▼ 3.1% | 1,577 MW | 200 MW | — | 1 |
| Carbon County WY | 14,013 | ▼ 9.6% | 1,847 MW | 3,557 MW | — | — |
| Daggett County UT | 934 | ▲ 11.5% | 152 MW | — | — | — |
| Rio Blanco County | 6,683 | ▼ 0.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Routt County | 25,329 | ▲ 4.8% | 465 MW | — | — | — |
| Sweetwater County WY | 41,267 | ▼ 8.7% | 2,500 MW | — | — | — |
| Uintah County UT | 38,278 | ▲ 20.2% | 512 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Colorado
Moffat County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Moffat County, Colorado?
5 utilities have service territory in Moffat County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, Yampa Valley Electric Assn Inc, White River Electric Assn, Inc, Moon Lake 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 Moffat County?
3 operating plants with 1,577 MW of capacity. The largest is Craig (CO) (1,428 MW, coal).
How much new power is planned in Moffat County?
200 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Morel Energy Storage LLC.
Are there data centers in Moffat County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Moffat County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Carbon County.
Is Moffat County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,558 jobs in 2025 against 4,704 in 2019 (-3.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Moffat County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Moffat County, 0 in force.