Jefferson County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Madras, Culver and Metolius
Jefferson County is a generation frontier for Oregon. Construction employs 190, up 62.4% since 2019. Jefferson County is home to Madras, Culver and Metolius. 494 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by BrightNight Power (solar), the 5th largest pipeline among Oregon's counties. 3 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 532 MW of capacity, 96% of it hydro, the 9th largest fleet in Oregon.
Cities and towns in Jefferson County
Jefferson County is home to Madras, Culver and Metolius.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Camp Sherman, Crooked River Ranch, Warm Springs.
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 Jefferson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 24,582 | 25,740 | ▲ 4.7% | 25th of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,942 | 7,078 | ▲ 2.0% | 16th of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,439 | $58,567 | ▲ 44.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 117 | 190 | ▲ 62.4% | 3rd of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 5.5% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 494 MW | 93% of today's fleet | 5th of 11 by size |
Electrical contractors employ 15, at an average $64,871 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 7,078 jobs in 2025, up 2.0% from 2019. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Jefferson 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. 25,740 people live here, up 4.7% since 2020.
Who powers Jefferson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jefferson 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% |
| Wasco 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 8
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 509 MW | 96% |
| Solar | 23 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round Butte | Portland General Electric Co | Hydro | 372 MW | 1964 |
| Pelton | Portland General Electric Co | Hydro | 110 MW | 1957 |
| Warm Springs Power Enterprises | Warm Springs Power Enterprises | Hydro | 20 MW | 1982 |
| Adams Solar Center | GCL New Energy, Inc. | Solar | 10 MW | 2018 |
| Elbe Solar Center | GCL New Energy, Inc. | Solar | 10 MW | 2018 |
| Opal Springs Hydro | Deschutes Valley Water District | Hydro | 4 MW | 1985 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmonfly Solar and Storage | Solar Photovoltaic | 247 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | BrightNight Power |
| Salmonfly Solar and Storage | Batteries | 247 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | BrightNight Power |
The Jefferson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,078 | $58,567 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 190 | $70,572 | 0.51 |
| Electrical contractors | 15 | $64,871 | 0.29 |
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 Jefferson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jefferson County. Oregon has 7 local measures on record statewide.
Jefferson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Jefferson County, Wasco 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 25,740 | ▲ 2.0% | 532 MW | 494 MW | — | — |
| Crook County | 27,564 | ▲ 20.5% | 210 MW | 74 MW | 8 | — |
| Deschutes County | 213,072 | ▲ 10.1% | 51 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Linn County | 132,843 | ▲ 1.1% | 245 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Marion County | 355,777 | ▲ 10.7% | 177 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Wasco County | 26,310 | ▼ 2.0% | 2,038 MW | 2,103 MW | 4 | — |
| Wheeler County | 1,472 | ▲ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Oregon
Jefferson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jefferson County, Oregon?
4 utilities have service territory in Jefferson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Central Electric Coop Inc - (OR), Bonneville Power Administration, Wasco Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 14.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Jefferson County?
8 operating plants with 532 MW of capacity. The largest is Round Butte (372 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Jefferson County?
494 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is BrightNight Power.
Are there data centers in Jefferson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jefferson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wasco County.
Is Jefferson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,078 jobs in 2025 against 6,942 in 2019 (+2.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 117 to 190.
Does Jefferson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jefferson County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.