Deuel County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Deuel County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Deuel County is home to Chappell. Employers here counted 558 jobs in 2025, up 6.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 1 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Nebraska Public Power District is the largest utility serving Deuel County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.63¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Deuel County
Deuel County is home to Chappell.
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 Deuel County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,833 | 1,862 | ▲ 1.6% | 74th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 525 | 558 | ▲ 6.3% | 18th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,140 | $41,150 | ▲ 24.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.2% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
1,862 people live here, up 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Deuel County
Utilities with service territory in Deuel County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 73,650 | 10.63¢ | 28% |
| Highline Electric Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 752 | 14.15¢ | 11% |
| City of Chappell - (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 1 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chappell | City of Chappell - (NE) | Petroleum | 1 MW | 1982 |
The Deuel County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 558 | $41,150 | 1.00 |
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 Deuel County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Deuel County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide.
Deuel County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Deuel County, Keith 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deuel County | 1,862 | ▲ 6.3% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Cheyenne County | 9,528 | ▼ 4.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Garden County | 1,804 | ▼ 2.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Keith County | 8,100 | ▼ 1.4% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Perkins County | 2,849 | ▼ 0.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Sedgwick County CO | 2,247 | ▼ 13.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Deuel County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Deuel County, Nebraska?
5 utilities have service territory in Deuel County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Nebraska Public Power District, Highline Electric Assn, City of Chappell - (NE), Wheat Belt Public Power Dist. The largest, Nebraska Public Power District, charged residential customers 10.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Deuel County?
1 operating plant with 1 MW of capacity. The largest is Chappell (1 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Deuel County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Deuel County.
Is Deuel County adding jobs?
Employers counted 558 jobs in 2025 against 525 in 2019 (+6.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Deuel County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Deuel County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.