Carson City, Nevada: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Carson City, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Carson City is an independent city: it is its own county-equivalent and is not part of any county. Next door, Lyon County has 1,400 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 32,571 jobs in 2025, up 6.1% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 17 Nevada counties). Owners plan to retire 6 MW more by 2035, led by Brunswick in 2028. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Carson City
Carson City is an independent city: it is its own county-equivalent and is not part of any county.
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 Carson City
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nevada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 58,688 | 58,571 | ▼ 0.2% | 4th of 17 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 30,684 | 32,571 | ▲ 6.1% | 9th of 17 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $52,226 | $72,522 | ▲ 38.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.4% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 618, at an average $116,368 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Sierra Pacific Power Co is the largest utility serving Carson City. Its residential customers paid an average 14.52¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.69¢ median for Nevada utilities. 58,571 people live here, down 0.2% since 2020, 4th of 17 Nevada counties by population.
Who powers Carson City
Utilities with service territory in Carson City
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Pacific Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 330,891 | 14.52¢ | 42% |
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 | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick | Sierra Pacific Power Co | Petroleum | 6 MW | 1960 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick | Petroleum | 6 MW | 2028 |
The Carson City labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 32,571 | $72,522 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 618 | $116,368 | 2.63 |
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 Carson City
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Carson City. Nevada has 11 local measures on record statewide.
Carson City and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Carson City, Lyon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson City | 58,571 | ▲ 6.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Douglas County | 50,111 | ▲ 9.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Lyon County | 65,088 | ▲ 8.1% | 282 MW | 1,400 MW | — | — |
| Placer County CA | 442,081 | ▲ 9.1% | 773 MW | 1,023 MW | 1 | — |
| Storey County | 4,260 | ▲ 19.3% | 1,168 MW | 1 MW | 10 | — |
| Washoe County | 509,386 | ▲ 7.4% | 668 MW | — | 17 | — |
More of Nevada
Carson City, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Carson City, Nevada?
1 utility has service territory in Carson City in the EIA-861 2024 report: Sierra Pacific Power Co. The largest, Sierra Pacific Power Co, charged residential customers 14.52¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Carson City, NV in?
Carson City is in Carson City, Nevada. About 58,571 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Carson City?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is Brunswick (6 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Carson City?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Carson City. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lyon County.
Is Carson City adding jobs?
Employers counted 32,571 jobs in 2025 against 30,684 in 2019 (+6.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Carson City have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Carson City. Nevada has 11 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.