Bernalillo County, New Mexico: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Albuquerque and Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, and the communities of Kirtland AFB
The data center boom is not abstract in Bernalillo County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 14 data centers in Bernalillo County, 52% of New Mexico's total. Bernalillo County is home to Albuquerque and Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, plus the unincorporated community of Kirtland AFB. 250 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Corazon Energy Storage, LLC (battery storage), the 3rd largest pipeline among New Mexico's counties. 875 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Construction employs 22,313, up 9.7% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Bernalillo County
Bernalillo County is home to Albuquerque and Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, plus the unincorporated community of Kirtland AFB.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Kirtland AFB, Barton, Carnuel, Cedar Crest, Cedro, Chilili, Edith Endave, Isleta, Manzano Springs, North Valley, Paa-Ko, Pajarito Mesa, Paradise Hills, Ponderosa Pine, San Antonito, Sandia Heights, Sandia Knolls, Sandia Park, Sedillo, South 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 Bernalillo County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 676,867 | 667,601 | ▼ 1.4% | 1st of 33 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 334,472 | 347,718 | ▲ 4.0% | 10th of 33 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,149 | $65,813 | ▲ 33.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,338 | 22,313 | ▲ 9.7% | 11th of 22 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,279 | 3,954 | ▲ 20.6% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 550 | 701 | ▲ 27.5% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 554 | 652 | ▲ 17.7% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 156 | 361 | ▲ 131.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 4.7% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 875 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 250 MW | 20% of today's fleet | 3rd of 14 by size |
Electrical contractors employ 3,954, up 20.6% since 2019 against up 18.1% statewide, at an average $75,750 a year. Its power plants have 1,247 MW of capacity, 37% of it battery storage, the 5th largest fleet in New Mexico. Employers here counted 347,718 jobs in 2025, up 4.0% from 2019 (the 10th fastest growth of 33 New Mexico counties). Public Service Co of NM is the largest utility serving Bernalillo County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.57¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. 667,601 people live here, down 1.4% since 2020, 1st of 33 New Mexico counties by population.
Who powers Bernalillo County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +875 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Bernalillo County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Co of NM | Investor Owned | Bundled | 492,945 | 15.57¢ | 39% |
| Continental Divide El Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,415 | 16.02¢ | 21% |
| Central New Mexico El Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,126 | 17.16¢ | 20% |
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 19
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 461 MW | 37% |
| Solar | 461 MW | 37% |
| Natural gas | 321 MW | 26% |
| Other technologies | 4 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atrisco Solar LLC | Atrisco Solar LLC | Solar | 300 MW | 2024 |
| Atrisco Energy Storage | Atrisco Energy Storage LLC | Battery storage | 300 MW | 2024 |
| Quail Ranch Solar and BESS | Quail Ranch Solar and Battery Energy Storage System | Battery storage | 200 MW | 2025 |
| Reeves | Public Service Co of NM | Natural gas | 154 MW | 1960 |
| Rio Bravo | Public Service Co of NM | Natural gas | 150 MW | 2000 |
| Sandia Energy Center | PNM Resources | Battery storage | 60 MW | 2026 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corazon Energy Storage | Batteries | 150 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Corazon Energy Storage, LLC |
| Oso Negro | Batteries | 100 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | Oso Negro, LLC |
The Bernalillo County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 347,718 | $65,813 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 22,313 | $71,900 | 1.21 |
| Electrical contractors | 3,954 | $75,750 | 1.58 |
| Power and communication line construction | 701 | $85,170 | 1.25 |
| Electric utilities | 652 | $131,824 | 0.69 |
| Data processing and hosting | 361 | $106,760 | 0.33 |
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 Bernalillo County
14 data centers in Bernalillo County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Bernalillo County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Bernalillo County, Valencia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo County | 667,601 | ▲ 4.0% | 1,247 MW | 250 MW | 14 | — |
| Cibola County | 26,807 | ▼ 4.8% | 114 MW | — | — | — |
| Sandoval County | 159,565 | ▲ 13.4% | 467 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Santa Fe County | 156,907 | ▼ 1.1% | 14 MW | — | 1 | 2 |
| Torrance County | 16,100 | ▼ 2.5% | 2,170 MW | — | — | — |
| Valencia County | 82,013 | ▲ 17.0% | 621 MW | 203 MW | 6 | — |
More of New Mexico
Bernalillo County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bernalillo County, New Mexico?
3 utilities have service territory in Bernalillo County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of NM, Continental Divide El Coop Inc, Central New Mexico El Coop, Inc. The largest, Public Service Co of NM, charged residential customers 15.57¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Albuquerque, NM in?
Albuquerque is in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. About 556,588 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Bernalillo County?
19 operating plants with 1,247 MW of capacity. The largest is Atrisco Solar LLC (300 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Bernalillo County?
250 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Corazon Energy Storage, LLC.
Are there data centers in Bernalillo County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 14 data centers in Bernalillo County.
Is Bernalillo County adding jobs?
Employers counted 347,718 jobs in 2025 against 334,472 in 2019 (+4.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 20,338 to 22,313.
Does Bernalillo County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bernalillo County. New Mexico has 12 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.