Storey County, Nevada: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Virginia City
Storey County sits inside the data center build-out. Construction employs 1,263, up 65.1% since 2019. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 10 data centers in Storey County, 16% of Nevada's total. Storey County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Virginia City, are unincorporated and governed by the county. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Tract Northern Nevada Land Portfolio (Storey County/Reno area). Employers here counted 21,463 jobs in 2025, up 19.3% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 17 Nevada counties).
Cities and towns in Storey County
Storey County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Virginia City, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Virginia City.
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 Storey County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nevada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,108 | 4,260 | ▲ 3.7% | 15th of 17 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,997 | 21,463 | ▲ 19.3% | 1st of 17 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $59,125 | $90,499 | ▲ 53.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 765 | 1,263 | ▲ 65.1% | 1st of 7 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 4.7% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 17 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1 MW | 0% of today's fleet | 7th of 7 by size |
1 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Tesla Inc. (solar), the 7th largest pipeline among Nevada's counties. 1 MW of it is already under construction or built. Its power plants have 1,168 MW of capacity, 98% of it natural gas, the 2nd largest fleet in Nevada. 17 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Sierra Pacific Power Co is the largest utility serving Storey County. Its residential customers paid an average 14.52¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.69¢ median for Nevada utilities. 4,260 people live here, up 3.7% since 2020. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019.
Who powers Storey County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +17 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Storey 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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,150 MW | 98% |
| Battery storage | 10 MW | 1% |
| Solar | 8 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tracy | Sierra Pacific Power Co | Natural gas | 1,033 MW | 1974 |
| Western 102 Power Plant | Nevada Gold Mines | Natural gas | 119 MW | 2005 |
| Chukar Battery Energy Storage System | Nevada Power Co | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2021 |
| Tesla Reno GigaFactory | Tesla Inc. | Solar | 7 MW | 2019 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Reno GigaFactory | Solar Photovoltaic | 1 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Tesla Inc. |
The Storey County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 21,463 | $90,499 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,263 | $121,506 | 1.11 |
| Data processing and hosting | 205 | $150,797 | 3.07 |
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 Storey County
10 data centers in Storey County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tract Northern Nevada Land Portfolio (Storey County/Reno area) | litigation active | — |
Storey County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Storey County, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storey County | 4,260 | ▲ 19.3% | 1,168 MW | 1 MW | 10 | — |
| Carson City | 58,571 | ▲ 6.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Lyon County | 65,088 | ▲ 8.1% | 282 MW | 1,400 MW | — | — |
| Washoe County | 509,386 | ▲ 7.4% | 668 MW | — | 17 | — |
More of Nevada
Storey County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Storey County, Nevada?
1 utility has service territory in Storey 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 Storey County?
4 operating plants with 1,168 MW of capacity. The largest is Tracy (1,033 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Storey County?
1 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 1 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Tesla Inc..
Are there data centers in Storey County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 10 data centers in Storey County.
Is Storey County adding jobs?
Employers counted 21,463 jobs in 2025 against 17,997 in 2019 (+19.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 765 to 1,263.
Does Storey County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Storey County. Nevada has 11 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.