Crook County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Prineville
The data center boom is not abstract in Crook County: it is on the ground here. Construction employs 913, up 158.6% since 2019, and construction is 2.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 8 data centers in Crook County, 7% of Oregon's total. Crook County is home to Prineville. Employers here counted 7,422 jobs in 2025, up 20.5% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 36 Oregon counties). 74 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Invenergy Services LLC (solar), the 9th largest pipeline among Oregon's counties. 18 MW of it is already under construction or built.
Cities and towns in Crook County
Crook County is home to Prineville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Juniper Canyon, Ochoco West, Prineville Lake Acres.
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 Crook County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 24,933 | 27,564 | ▲ 10.6% | 21st of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,160 | 7,422 | ▲ 20.5% | 1st of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,360 | $67,329 | ▲ 45.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 353 | 913 | ▲ 158.6% | 2nd of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 5.6% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 154 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 74 MW | 35% of today's fleet | 9th of 11 by size |
154 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. Its power plants have 210 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. 27,564 people live here, up 10.6% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 212, at an average $110,715 a year. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Crook County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.02¢ median for Oregon utilities.
Who powers Crook County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +154 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Crook County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 547,235 | 14.02¢ | 47% |
| Central Electric Coop Inc - (OR) | Cooperative | Bundled | 34,562 | 9.75¢ | 17% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 100% |
| Harney 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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 210 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Millican Solar Energy LLC | Invenergy Services LLC | Solar | 70 MW | 2021 |
| Solar Star Oregon II | Avangrid Power LLC | Solar | 56 MW | 2017 |
| Cartwright Solar I | Cartwright Solar I LLC | Solar | 44 MW | 2026 |
| Prineville Solar Energy LLC | Invenergy Services LLC | Solar | 40 MW | 2021 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powell Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 56 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Invenergy Services LLC |
| Cartwright Solar II | Solar Photovoltaic | 18 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Cartwright Solar II LLC |
The Crook County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,422 | $67,329 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 913 | $92,798 | 2.32 |
| Electrical contractors | 212 | $110,715 | 3.96 |
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 Crook County
8 data centers in Crook County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Crook County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Crook County, Jefferson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crook County | 27,564 | ▲ 20.5% | 210 MW | 74 MW | 8 | — |
| Deschutes County | 213,072 | ▲ 10.1% | 51 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Grant County | 7,075 | ▼ 5.3% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Harney County | 7,380 | ▲ 3.1% | 40 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 25,740 | ▲ 2.0% | 532 MW | 494 MW | — | — |
| Wheeler County | 1,472 | ▲ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Oregon
Crook County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Crook County, Oregon?
4 utilities have service territory in Crook County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Central Electric Coop Inc - (OR), Bonneville Power Administration, Harney Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 14.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Prineville, OR in?
Prineville is in Crook County, Oregon. About 11,994 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Crook County?
4 operating plants with 210 MW of capacity. The largest is Millican Solar Energy LLC (70 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Crook County?
74 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 18 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Invenergy Services LLC.
Are there data centers in Crook County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 8 data centers in Crook County.
Is Crook County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,422 jobs in 2025 against 6,160 in 2019 (+20.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 353 to 913.
Does Crook County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Crook County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.