Owyhee County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Homedale and Marsing
No data center or power plant project is on record in Owyhee County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 215, up 52.5% since 2019. Owyhee County is home to Homedale and Marsing. Next door, Ada County has 13 data centers and 400 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 3,425 jobs in 2025, up 8.5% from 2019. 166 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage.
Cities and towns in Owyhee County
Owyhee County is home to Homedale and Marsing.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bruneau, Murphy.
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 Owyhee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,993 | 12,661 | ▲ 5.6% | 28th of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,156 | 3,425 | ▲ 8.5% | 27th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,285 | $49,652 | ▲ 40.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 141 | 215 | ▲ 52.5% | 13th of 33 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 3.1% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 166 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 269 MW of capacity, 62% of it battery storage, the 10th largest fleet in Idaho. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Owyhee County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.76¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities. 12,661 people live here, up 5.6% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019.
Who powers Owyhee County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +166 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Owyhee County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 525,751 | 11.76¢ | 27% |
| Raft Rural Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,391 | 9.18¢ | 30% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 166 MW | 62% |
| Hydro | 83 MW | 31% |
| Solar | 20 MW | 7% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hemmingway BESS | Idaho Power Co | Battery storage | 166 MW | 2025 |
| C J Strike | Idaho Power Co | Hydro | 83 MW | 1952 |
| Murphy Flat Solar | Murphy Flat Power, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2017 |
The Owyhee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,425 | $49,652 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 215 | $54,513 | 1.18 |
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 Owyhee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Owyhee County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Humboldt County.
Owyhee County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Owyhee County, Ada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owyhee County | 12,661 | ▲ 8.5% | 269 MW | — | — | — |
| Ada County | 546,141 | ▲ 16.7% | 828 MW | 400 MW | 13 | — |
| Canyon County | 275,123 | ▲ 26.0% | 93 MW | — | — | — |
| Elko County NV | 54,815 | ● 0.0% | 32 MW | — | — | — |
| Elmore County | 29,465 | ▲ 5.2% | 928 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Humboldt County NV | 17,267 | ▲ 2.5% | 738 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Malheur County OR | 32,261 | ▲ 4.7% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Twin Falls County | 97,539 | ▲ 6.9% | 598 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Owyhee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Owyhee County, Idaho?
2 utilities have service territory in Owyhee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Idaho Power Co, Raft Rural Elec Coop Inc. The largest, Idaho Power Co, charged residential customers 11.76¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Owyhee County?
3 operating plants with 269 MW of capacity. The largest is Hemmingway BESS (166 MW, battery storage).
Are there data centers in Owyhee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Owyhee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Ada County.
Is Owyhee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,425 jobs in 2025 against 3,156 in 2019 (+8.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 141 to 215.
Does Owyhee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Owyhee County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.