Bonneville County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Idaho Falls, Ammon and Iona
Bonneville County is where a large share of Idaho's next power plants are planned. Construction employs 4,821, up 42.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Bonneville County is home to Idaho Falls, Ammon, Iona and Ucon. 359 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by PacifiCorp (wind), the 2nd largest pipeline among Idaho's counties. Employers here counted 63,586 jobs in 2025, up 18.7% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 44 Idaho counties). 18 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas.
Cities and towns in Bonneville County
Bonneville County is home to Idaho Falls, Ammon, Iona and Ucon.
- Ririe also extends into Jefferson County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lincoln.
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 Bonneville County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 124,730 | 135,771 | ▲ 8.9% | 4th of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 53,580 | 63,586 | ▲ 18.7% | 7th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,756 | $51,060 | ▲ 28.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,385 | 4,821 | ▲ 42.4% | 15th of 33 by growth |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 41 | 59 | ▲ 43.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 3.2% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 18 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 359 MW | 59% of today's fleet | 2nd of 3 by size |
Its power plants have 611 MW of capacity, 60% of it wind, the 4th largest fleet in Idaho. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019. 135,771 people live here, up 8.9% since 2020, 4th of 44 Idaho counties by population. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Bonneville County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities.
Who powers Bonneville County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +18 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Bonneville County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 74,170 | 12.11¢ | 16% |
| City of Idaho Falls - (ID) | Municipal | Bundled | 28,142 | 9.25¢ | 50% |
| Lower Valley Energy Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,636 | 7.23¢ | 6% |
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 11
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 366 MW | 60% |
| Hydro | 227 MW | 37% |
| Natural gas | 18 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palisades Dam | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 176 MW | 1957 |
| Goshen Phase II | Clearlight Energy Holdings LP | Wind | 124 MW | 2010 |
| Meadow Creek Project Company | Ridgeline Energy LLC | Wind | 120 MW | 2012 |
| Wolverine Creek | Invenergy Services LLC | Wind | 64 MW | 2006 |
| Horse Butte Wind I, LLC | Utah Associated Mun Power Sys | Wind | 58 MW | 2012 |
| Gem State | City of Idaho Falls - (ID) | Hydro | 23 MW | 1988 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arco Wind and Solar Project | Onshore Wind Turbine | 206 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | PacifiCorp |
| Arco Wind and Solar Project | Onshore Wind Turbine | 153 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | PacifiCorp |
The Bonneville County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 63,586 | $51,060 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 4,821 | $65,724 | 1.43 |
| Electric utilities | 59 | $101,864 | 0.34 |
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 Bonneville County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bonneville County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Bonneville County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Bonneville County, Lincoln 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonneville County | 135,771 | ▲ 18.7% | 611 MW | 359 MW | — | — |
| Bingham County | 51,153 | ▲ 7.0% | 160 MW | — | — | — |
| Caribou County | 7,252 | ▼ 1.3% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 35,297 | ▲ 18.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County WY | 21,180 | ▲ 12.7% | 864 MW | 500 MW | — | — |
| Madison County | 55,172 | ▲ 12.9% | 6 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Teton County | 13,254 | ▲ 38.4% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Teton County WY | 23,333 | ▲ 11.6% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Bonneville County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bonneville County, Idaho?
3 utilities have service territory in Bonneville County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, City of Idaho Falls - (ID), Lower Valley Energy Inc. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 12.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Idaho Falls, ID in?
Idaho Falls is in Bonneville County, Idaho. About 71,785 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Ammon, ID in?
Ammon is in Bonneville County, Idaho. About 20,119 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Bonneville County?
11 operating plants with 611 MW of capacity. The largest is Palisades Dam (176 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Bonneville County?
359 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is PacifiCorp.
Are there data centers in Bonneville County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bonneville County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lincoln County.
Is Bonneville County adding jobs?
Employers counted 63,586 jobs in 2025 against 53,580 in 2019 (+18.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,385 to 4,821.
Does Bonneville County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bonneville County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.