Harney County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Burns and Hines
No data center or power plant project is on record in Harney County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Harney County is home to Burns and Hines. Next door, Washoe County, Nevada, has 17 data centers. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. 40 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 40 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Harney County
Harney County is home to Burns and Hines.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Crane.
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 Harney County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,507 | 7,380 | ▼ 1.7% | 32nd of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,546 | 2,625 | ▲ 3.1% | 13th of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,076 | $53,293 | ▲ 40.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 4.3% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 40 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 2,625 jobs in 2025, up 3.1% from 2019. Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Harney County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.08¢/kWh in 2024, below the 11.02¢ median for Oregon utilities. 7,380 people live here, down 1.7% since 2020.
Who powers Harney County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +40 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Harney County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 25,997 | 10.08¢ | 28% |
| Idaho Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 14,098 | 11.29¢ | 23% |
| 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 | 40 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riley | Riley Solar I LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2020 |
| Suntex Solar, LLC | SC Oregon 2 Lessor Parent, LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2020 |
| West Hines Solar I, LLC | SC Oregon 2 Lessor Parent, LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2020 |
| Starvation | Starvation Solar I, LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2019 |
The Harney County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,625 | $53,293 | 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 Harney County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Harney County. Oregon has 7 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Humboldt County.
Harney County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Harney County, Washoe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harney County | 7,380 | ▲ 3.1% | 40 MW | — | — | — |
| 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 | — | — | — |
| Humboldt County NV | 17,267 | ▲ 2.5% | 738 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Lake County | 8,187 | ▼ 4.5% | 125 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Malheur County | 32,261 | ▲ 4.7% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Washoe County NV | 509,386 | ▲ 7.4% | 668 MW | — | 17 | — |
More of Oregon
Harney County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Harney County, Oregon?
3 utilities have service territory in Harney County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc, Idaho Power Co, Harney Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc, charged residential customers 10.08¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Harney County?
4 operating plants with 40 MW of capacity. The largest is Riley (10 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Harney County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Harney County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Washoe County.
Is Harney County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,625 jobs in 2025 against 2,546 in 2019 (+3.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Harney County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Harney County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.