Humboldt County, Nevada: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Winnemucca
Humboldt County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Humboldt County is home to Winnemucca. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Local moratorium on data centers through July 13, 2027”. Construction employs 329, down 19.8% since 2019. 126 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 738 MW of capacity, 77% of it natural gas, the 4th largest fleet in Nevada.
Cities and towns in Humboldt County
Humboldt County is home to Winnemucca.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Denio, Fort McDermitt, Golconda, McDermitt, Orovada, Paradise Valley, Valmy.
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 Humboldt County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nevada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,270 | 17,267 | ● 0.0% | 9th of 17 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,770 | 7,963 | ▲ 2.5% | 13th of 17 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $58,820 | $75,996 | ▲ 29.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 410 | 329 | ▼ 19.8% | 7th of 7 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 2.8% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 126 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 7,963 jobs in 2025, up 2.5% from 2019. Sierra Pacific Power Co is the largest utility serving Humboldt County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.52¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.69¢ median for Nevada utilities. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. 17,267 people live here, down 0.0% since 2020, 9th of 17 Nevada counties by population.
Who powers Humboldt County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +126 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Humboldt County
| 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% |
| Harney Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 567 MW | 77% |
| Solar | 101 MW | 14% |
| Other technologies | 45 MW | 6% |
| Battery storage | 25 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Valmy | Sierra Pacific Power Co | Natural gas | 567 MW | 1981 |
| Battle Mountain Solar Project | RWE Clean Energy | Battery storage | 126 MW | 2021 |
| NGP Blue Mountain I LLC | NGP Blue Mountain I LLC | Other technologies | 45 MW | 2009 |
The Humboldt County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,963 | $75,996 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 329 | $88,298 | 0.78 |
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 Humboldt County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local moratorium on data centers through July 13, 2027 | In force | 2026-07 |
Humboldt County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Humboldt County, Washoe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humboldt County | 17,267 | ▲ 2.5% | 738 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Elko County | 54,815 | ● 0.0% | 32 MW | — | — | — |
| Harney County OR | 7,380 | ▲ 3.1% | 40 MW | — | — | — |
| Lander County | 5,872 | ▲ 4.1% | 238 MW | 14 MW | — | — |
| Malheur County OR | 32,261 | ▲ 4.7% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Owyhee County ID | 12,661 | ▲ 8.5% | 269 MW | — | — | — |
| Pershing County | 6,421 | ▲ 10.3% | 45 MW | — | — | — |
| Washoe County | 509,386 | ▲ 7.4% | 668 MW | — | 17 | — |
More of Nevada
Humboldt County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Humboldt County, Nevada?
2 utilities have service territory in Humboldt County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Sierra Pacific Power Co, Harney Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Sierra Pacific Power Co, charged residential customers 14.52¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Humboldt County?
3 operating plants with 738 MW of capacity. The largest is North Valmy (567 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Humboldt County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Humboldt County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Washoe County.
Is Humboldt County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,963 jobs in 2025 against 7,770 in 2019 (+2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 410 to 329.
Does Humboldt County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Humboldt County, 1 in force.