Prowers County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lamar
No data center or power plant project is on record in Prowers County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Prowers County is home to Lamar and Holly. 5 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Clay Creek Energy, LLC (solar). Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 18, up 28.6% since 2019 against up 9.0% statewide, at an average $44,898 a year. Next door, Kiowa County has 300 MW of planned generation.
Cities and towns in Prowers County
Prowers County is home to Lamar and Holly.
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 Prowers County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,012 | 11,884 | ▼ 1.1% | 36th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,565 | 4,692 | ▲ 2.8% | 39th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,242 | $46,074 | ▲ 30.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 128 | 132 | ▲ 3.1% | 25th of 38 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14 | 18 | ▲ 28.6% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 39 | 85 | ▲ 117.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 4.7% | ▲ 2.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 5 MW | 2% of today's fleet | 17th of 18 by size |
Construction employs 132, up 3.1% since 2019. Its power plants have 248 MW of capacity, 98% of it wind. Employers here counted 4,692 jobs in 2025, up 2.8% from 2019. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Prowers County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 11,884 people live here, down 1.1% since 2020.
Who powers Prowers County
Utilities with service territory in Prowers 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% |
| Wheatland Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 31 | 18.37¢ | 82% |
| Town of Granada - (CO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Town of Holly - (CO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Lamar - (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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 243 MW | 98% |
| Petroleum | 5 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Green Holdings LLC | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 162 MW | 2003 |
| Twin Buttes II Wind | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 75 MW | 2017 |
| Lamar Plant | City of Lamar - (CO) | Petroleum | 8 MW | 1946 |
| Holly | Town of Holly - (CO) | Petroleum | 3 MW | 1993 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Clay Creek Energy, LLC |
The Prowers County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,692 | $46,074 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 132 | $41,259 | 0.53 |
| Electrical contractors | 18 | $44,898 | 0.53 |
| Electric utilities | 85 | $164,921 | 6.69 |
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 Prowers County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Prowers County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Kiowa County.
Prowers County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Prowers County, Kiowa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prowers County | 11,884 | ▲ 2.8% | 248 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Baca County | 3,347 | ▲ 4.7% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Bent County | 5,716 | ▲ 4.5% | 81 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Greeley County KS | 1,182 | ▲ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Hamilton County KS | 2,500 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Kiowa County | 1,412 | ▲ 0.2% | — | 300 MW | — | 1 |
| Stanton County KS | 1,986 | ▼ 19.0% | 26 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Prowers County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Prowers County, Colorado?
6 utilities have service territory in Prowers County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, Southeast Colorado Power Assn, Wheatland Electric Coop, Inc, Town of Granada - (CO). The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Prowers County?
4 operating plants with 248 MW of capacity. The largest is Colorado Green Holdings LLC (162 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Prowers County?
5 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Clay Creek Energy, LLC.
Are there data centers in Prowers County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Prowers County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kiowa County.
Is Prowers County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,692 jobs in 2025 against 4,565 in 2019 (+2.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 128 to 132.
Does Prowers County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Prowers County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.