Cheyenne County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sidney
Cheyenne County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Cheyenne County is home to Sidney. 5 MW has retired here since 2019, including Sidney (NE) (natural gas, 4 MW, 2025). 4 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 3,963 jobs in 2025, down 4.9% from 2019. Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Cheyenne County
Cheyenne County is home to Sidney.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lorenzo, Sunol.
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 Cheyenne County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,488 | 9,528 | ▲ 0.4% | 29th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,166 | 3,963 | ▼ 4.9% | 75th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,543 | $48,967 | ▲ 20.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 86 | 68 | ▼ 20.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 2.7% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — |
Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. High West Energy, Inc is the largest utility serving Cheyenne County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.68¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 9,528 people live here, up 0.4% since 2020.
Who powers Cheyenne County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Cheyenne County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High West Energy, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,752 | 14.68¢ | 7% |
| City of Lodgepole - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Sidney - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wheat Belt Public Power Dist | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 98% |
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 | 4 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney Solar | SE Municipal Nebraska, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2025 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney (NE) | Natural gas | 4 MW | 2025 |
| Sidney (NE) | Petroleum | 1 MW | 2025 |
The Cheyenne County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,963 | $48,967 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 68 | $50,891 | 0.32 |
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 Cheyenne County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cheyenne County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Logan County.
Cheyenne County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Cheyenne County, Logan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne County | 9,528 | ▼ 4.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Banner County | 686 | ▲ 20.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Deuel County | 1,862 | ▲ 6.3% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Garden County | 1,804 | ▼ 2.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Kimball County | 3,391 | ▲ 9.3% | 38 MW | — | — | — |
| Logan County CO | 20,654 | ▼ 1.8% | 1,016 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Morrill County | 4,404 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Sedgwick County CO | 2,247 | ▼ 13.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Cheyenne County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cheyenne County, Nebraska?
5 utilities have service territory in Cheyenne County in the EIA-861 2024 report: High West Energy, Inc, City of Lodgepole - (NE), City of Sidney - (NE), Wheat Belt Public Power Dist. The largest, High West Energy, Inc, charged residential customers 14.68¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Cheyenne County?
1 operating plant with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Sidney Solar (4 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Cheyenne County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cheyenne County.
Is Cheyenne County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,963 jobs in 2025 against 4,166 in 2019 (-4.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 86 to 68.
Does Cheyenne County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cheyenne County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.