Rio Grande County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Monte Vista and Del Norte
No data center or power plant project is on record in Rio Grande County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Electrical contractors employ 23, up 155.6% since 2019 against up 9.0% statewide, at an average $48,696 a year. Construction employs 181, up 90.5% since 2019. Rio Grande County is home to Monte Vista, Del Norte and South Fork. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 4,402 jobs in 2025, up 6.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Rio Grande County
Rio Grande County is home to Monte Vista, Del Norte and South Fork.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alpine, Gerrard.
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 Rio Grande County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,538 | 11,087 | ▼ 3.9% | 37th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,124 | 4,402 | ▲ 6.7% | 19th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,946 | $50,424 | ▲ 26.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 95 | 181 | ▲ 90.5% | 1st of 38 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9 | 23 | ▲ 155.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 5.0% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Rio Grande County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 11,087 people live here, down 3.9% since 2020.
Who powers Rio Grande County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Rio Grande 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 Luis Valley R E C, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,115 | 18.38¢ | 26% |
| City of Center - (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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monte Vista Solar 2 CSG, LLC | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Solar | 2 MW | 2020 |
The Rio Grande County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,402 | $50,424 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 181 | $46,884 | 0.78 |
| Electrical contractors | 23 | $48,696 | 0.72 |
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 Rio Grande County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Rio Grande County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Archuleta County.
Rio Grande County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Rio Grande County, Alamosa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande County | 11,087 | ▲ 6.7% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Alamosa County | 16,688 | ▼ 2.1% | 203 MW | — | — | — |
| Archuleta County | 14,306 | ▲ 14.4% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Conejos County | 7,529 | ▲ 7.9% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Mineral County | 910 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Saguache County | 6,732 | ▼ 0.5% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Rio Grande County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Rio Grande County, Colorado?
3 utilities have service territory in Rio Grande County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, San Luis Valley R E C, Inc, City of Center - (CO). The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Rio Grande County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Monte Vista Solar 2 CSG, LLC (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Rio Grande County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Rio Grande County.
Is Rio Grande County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,402 jobs in 2025 against 4,124 in 2019 (+6.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 95 to 181.
Does Rio Grande County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Rio Grande County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.