Grant County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to John Day
No data center or power plant project is on record in Grant County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Grant County is home to John Day, Prairie City, Canyon City and Mount Vernon. Next door, Morrow County has 15 data centers and 2,765 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 7.1% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,410 jobs in 2025, down 5.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 8 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies.
Cities and towns in Grant County
Grant County is home to John Day, Prairie City, Canyon City and Mount Vernon.
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 Grant County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,240 | 7,075 | ▼ 2.3% | 33rd of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,546 | 2,410 | ▼ 5.3% | 36th of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,746 | $56,016 | ▲ 40.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.1% | 5.6% | ▼ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Central Electric Coop Inc - (OR) is the largest utility serving Grant County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 9.75¢/kWh in 2024, below the 11.02¢ median for Oregon utilities. 7,075 people live here, down 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Grant County
Utilities with service territory in Grant County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Electric Coop Inc - (OR) | Cooperative | Bundled | 34,562 | 9.75¢ | 17% |
| Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 25,997 | 10.08¢ | 28% |
| Idaho Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 14,098 | 11.29¢ | 23% |
| Columbia Power Coop Assn Inc - (OR) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 8 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Co-Gen LLC | Co-Generation Co | Other technologies | 8 MW | 1986 |
The Grant County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,410 | $56,016 | 1.00 |
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 Grant County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Grant County. Oregon has 7 local measures on record statewide.
Grant County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Grant County, Morrow 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County | 7,075 | ▼ 5.3% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Baker County | 16,658 | ▼ 0.2% | 261 MW | — | — | — |
| Crook County | 27,564 | ▲ 20.5% | 210 MW | 74 MW | 8 | — |
| Harney County | 7,380 | ▲ 3.1% | 40 MW | — | — | — |
| Malheur County | 32,261 | ▲ 4.7% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Morrow County | 12,602 | ▲ 8.6% | 1,943 MW | 2,765 MW | 15 | — |
| Umatilla County | 81,119 | ▲ 4.6% | 2,719 MW | 604 MW | 13 | — |
| Union County | 25,900 | ▲ 1.7% | 101 MW | — | — | — |
| Wheeler County | 1,472 | ▲ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Oregon
Grant County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Grant County, Oregon?
4 utilities have service territory in Grant County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Central Electric Coop Inc - (OR), Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc, Idaho Power Co, Columbia Power Coop Assn Inc - (OR). The largest, Central Electric Coop Inc - (OR), charged residential customers 9.75¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Grant County?
1 operating plant with 8 MW of capacity. The largest is Co-Gen LLC (8 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Grant County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Grant County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Morrow County.
Is Grant County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,410 jobs in 2025 against 2,546 in 2019 (-5.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Grant County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Grant County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.