Washoe County, Nevada: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Reno and Sparks
The data center boom is not abstract in Washoe County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 17 data centers in Washoe County, 28% of Nevada's total. Washoe County is home to Reno and Sparks. Construction employs 22,196, up 28.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.7 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 2,548, up 53.1% since 2019 against up 26.2% statewide, at an average $104,904 a year. 533 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Washoe County
Washoe County is home to Reno and Sparks.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cold Springs, Crystal Bay, Empire, Gerlach, Golden Valley, Incline Village, Lemmon Valley, Mogul, Nixon, Spanish Springs, Sun Valley, Sutcliffe, Verdi, Wadsworth, Washoe Valley.
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 Washoe County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nevada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 487,728 | 509,386 | ▲ 4.4% | 2nd of 17 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 226,476 | 243,154 | ▲ 7.4% | 8th of 17 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $52,420 | $73,201 | ▲ 39.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,311 | 22,196 | ▲ 28.2% | 2nd of 7 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,664 | 2,548 | ▲ 53.1% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 602 | 739 | ▲ 22.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.4% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 533 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 22 MW | — |
22 MW has retired here since 2019, including Steamboat Hills LP (other technologies, 22 MW, 2020). Employers here counted 243,154 jobs in 2025, up 7.4% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 17 Nevada counties). Its power plants have 668 MW of capacity, 59% of it solar, the 5th largest fleet in Nevada. Sierra Pacific Power Co is the largest utility serving Washoe County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.52¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.69¢ median for Nevada utilities. 509,386 people live here, up 4.4% since 2020, 2nd of 17 Nevada counties by population. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Who powers Washoe County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +511 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Washoe 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% |
| Surprise Valley Electrification | Cooperative | Bundled | 6 | 13.82¢ | 46% |
| Plumas-Sierra Rural Elec Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 16
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 395 MW | 59% |
| Other technologies | 190 MW | 29% |
| Battery storage | 75 MW | 11% |
| Hydro | 8 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge Flat | Dodge Flat Solar, LLC | Battery storage | 250 MW | 2022 |
| Fish Springs | Fish Springs Ranch Solar, LLC | Solar | 125 MW | 2022 |
| Turquoise Nevada, LLC | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Solar | 60 MW | 2020 |
| Steamboat Hills LP | Ormat Nevada Inc | Other technologies | 37 MW | 2020 |
| North Valley | North Valley | Solar | 37 MW | 2023 |
| Galena 3 Geothermal Power Plant | Ormat Nevada Inc | Other technologies | 32 MW | 2018 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steamboat Hills LP | Other technologies | 22 MW | 2020 |
The Washoe County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 243,154 | $73,201 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 22,196 | $84,016 | 1.72 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,548 | $104,904 | 1.45 |
| Electric utilities | 282 | $147,578 | 0.43 |
| Data processing and hosting | 739 | $227,715 | 0.98 |
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 Washoe County
17 data centers in Washoe County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Washoe County and its neighbors
Of the 13 counties that border Washoe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washoe County | 509,386 | ▲ 7.4% | 668 MW | — | 17 | — |
| Carson City | 58,571 | ▲ 6.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Churchill County | 25,851 | ▲ 8.3% | 778 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Harney County OR | 7,380 | ▲ 3.1% | 40 MW | — | — | — |
| Humboldt County | 17,267 | ▲ 2.5% | 738 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Lake County OR | 8,187 | ▼ 4.5% | 125 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Lassen County CA | 28,117 | ▼ 10.6% | 92 MW | — | — | — |
| Lyon County | 65,088 | ▲ 8.1% | 282 MW | 1,400 MW | — | — |
| Modoc County CA | 8,426 | ▲ 3.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Nevada County CA | 101,911 | ▲ 7.3% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Pershing County | 6,421 | ▲ 10.3% | 45 MW | — | — | — |
| Placer County CA | 442,081 | ▲ 9.1% | 773 MW | 1,023 MW | 1 | — |
| Sierra County CA | 3,098 | ▲ 12.7% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Storey County | 4,260 | ▲ 19.3% | 1,168 MW | 1 MW | 10 | — |
More of Nevada
Washoe County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Washoe County, Nevada?
3 utilities have service territory in Washoe County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Sierra Pacific Power Co, Surprise Valley Electrification, Plumas-Sierra Rural Elec Coop. The largest, Sierra Pacific Power Co, charged residential customers 14.52¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Reno, NV in?
Reno is in Washoe County, Nevada. About 283,621 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Sparks, NV in?
Sparks is in Washoe County, Nevada. About 111,902 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Washoe County?
16 operating plants with 668 MW of capacity. The largest is Dodge Flat (250 MW, battery storage).
Are there data centers in Washoe County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 17 data centers in Washoe County.
Is Washoe County adding jobs?
Employers counted 243,154 jobs in 2025 against 226,476 in 2019 (+7.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 17,311 to 22,196.
Does Washoe County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Washoe County. Nevada has 11 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.