Lander County, Nevada: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Austin and Battle Mountain
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lander County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Lander County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Austin, Battle Mountain, Kingston, are unincorporated and governed by the county. 14 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Ormat Nevada Inc (solar), the 6th largest pipeline among Nevada's counties. 14 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Churchill County has 400 MW of planned generation. 33 MW has retired here since 2019, including Beowawe (other technologies, 21 MW, 2024). 76 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly other technologies.
Cities and towns in Lander County
Lander County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Austin, Battle Mountain, Kingston, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Austin, Battle Mountain, Kingston.
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 Lander County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nevada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,723 | 5,872 | ▲ 2.6% | 12th of 17 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,552 | 3,698 | ▲ 4.1% | 12th of 17 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $82,472 | $103,558 | ▲ 25.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 76 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 33 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 14 MW | 6% of today's fleet | 6th of 7 by size |
Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Its power plants have 238 MW of capacity, 98% of it other technologies, the 10th largest fleet in Nevada. Employers here counted 3,698 jobs in 2025, up 4.1% from 2019. Sierra Pacific Power Co is the largest utility serving Lander County. Its residential customers paid an average 14.52¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.69¢ median for Nevada utilities. 5,872 people live here, up 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Lander County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +43 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lander 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% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 232 MW | 98% |
| Solar | 6 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McGinness Hills | Ormat Nevada Inc | Other technologies | 104 MW | 2012 |
| McGinness Hills 3 | Ormat Nevada Inc | Other technologies | 99 MW | 2018 |
| Beowawe | Ormat Nevada Inc | Other technologies | 35 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McGinness Hills 3 | Solar Photovoltaic | 14 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Ormat Nevada Inc |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beowawe | Other technologies | 21 MW | 2024 |
| McGinness Hills | Other technologies | 12 MW | 2023 |
The Lander County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,698 | $103,558 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 26 | $92,882 | 0.13 |
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 Lander County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lander County. Nevada has 11 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Humboldt County, Nye County.
Lander County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lander County, Churchill 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lander County | 5,872 | ▲ 4.1% | 238 MW | 14 MW | — | — |
| Churchill County | 25,851 | ▲ 8.3% | 778 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Elko County | 54,815 | ● 0.0% | 32 MW | — | — | — |
| Eureka County | 1,867 | ▼ 0.9% | 442 MW | — | — | — |
| Humboldt County | 17,267 | ▲ 2.5% | 738 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Nye County | 57,336 | ▲ 9.7% | 242 MW | — | — | 2 |
| Pershing County | 6,421 | ▲ 10.3% | 45 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nevada
Lander County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lander County, Nevada?
1 utility has service territory in Lander County 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 power plants are in Lander County?
3 operating plants with 238 MW of capacity. The largest is McGinness Hills (104 MW, other technologies).
How much new power is planned in Lander County?
14 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 14 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Ormat Nevada Inc.
Are there data centers in Lander County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lander County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Churchill County.
Is Lander County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,698 jobs in 2025 against 3,552 in 2019 (+4.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Lander County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lander County. Nevada has 11 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.