Luna County, New Mexico: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Deming and Columbus
Luna County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. Electrical contractors employ 64, up 204.8% since 2019 against up 18.1% statewide, at an average $105,596 a year. Construction employs 589, up 95.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Luna County is home to Deming and Columbus. 8 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by USS Gold Solar LLC (solar). 8 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 11.4% in August 2026, against 13.1% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Luna County
Luna County is home to Deming and Columbus.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): City of the Sun, Keeler Farm, La Hacienda, Mountain View, Old Town, Pecan Park, Pulpotio Bareas, Sunshine, Ventura.
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 Luna County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,452 | 25,407 | ▼ 0.2% | 18th of 33 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,697 | 8,099 | ▲ 5.2% | 9th of 33 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,326 | $51,983 | ▲ 43.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 302 | 589 | ▲ 95.0% | 1st of 22 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 21 | 64 | ▲ 204.8% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 55 | 64 | ▲ 16.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 13.1% | 11.4% | ▼ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 264 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 8 MW | 1% of today's fleet | 11th of 14 by size |
Next door, Doña Ana County has 5 data centers. 264 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 1,058 MW of capacity, 61% of it natural gas, the 7th largest fleet in New Mexico. Employers here counted 8,099 jobs in 2025, up 5.2% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 33 New Mexico counties). Public Service Co of NM is the largest utility serving Luna County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.57¢/kWh in 2024. 25,407 people live here, down 0.2% since 2020.
Who powers Luna County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +264 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Luna 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% |
| El Paso Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 94,760 | 10.16¢ | 49% |
| Columbus Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sierra 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 9
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 650 MW | 61% |
| Solar | 228 MW | 22% |
| Battery storage | 130 MW | 12% |
| Wind | 50 MW | 5% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luna Energy Facility | Public Service Co of NM | Natural gas | 650 MW | 2006 |
| Carne Energy Storage, LLC | Carne Energy Storage, LLC | Battery storage | 130 MW | 2026 |
| Solar PV Development NM 18 II LLC | Solar PV Development NM 18 II LLC | Solar | 130 MW | 2026 |
| Macho Springs | Southern Power Co | Solar | 55 MW | 2014 |
| Macho Springs Power I | Capital Power Corporation | Wind | 50 MW | 2011 |
| Alta Luna | TPE Alta Luna, LLC | Solar | 28 MW | 2017 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USS Gold Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 4 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | USS Gold Solar LLC |
| USS Hermanas Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | USS Hermanas Solar LLC |
The Luna County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,099 | $51,983 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 589 | $103,351 | 1.37 |
| Electrical contractors | 64 | $105,596 | 1.10 |
| Electric utilities | 64 | $98,209 | 2.92 |
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 Luna County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Luna County. New Mexico has 12 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Grant County, Sierra County.
Luna County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Luna County, Doña Ana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luna County | 25,407 | ▲ 5.2% | 1,058 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
| Doña Ana County | 229,091 | ▲ 11.5% | 1,085 MW | 155 MW | 5 | — |
| Grant County | 27,252 | ▲ 2.0% | 55 MW | 5 MW | — | 1 |
| Hidalgo County | 3,929 | ▼ 21.9% | 297 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Sierra County | 11,395 | ▲ 8.3% | 31 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of New Mexico
Luna County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Luna County, New Mexico?
4 utilities have service territory in Luna County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of NM, El Paso Electric Co, Columbus Electric Coop, Inc, Sierra Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Public Service Co of NM, charged residential customers 15.57¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Deming, NM in?
Deming is in Luna County, New Mexico. About 14,944 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Luna County?
9 operating plants with 1,058 MW of capacity. The largest is Luna Energy Facility (650 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Luna County?
8 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 8 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is USS Gold Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Luna County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Luna County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Doña Ana County.
Is Luna County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,099 jobs in 2025 against 7,697 in 2019 (+5.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 302 to 589.
Does Luna County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Luna County. New Mexico has 12 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.