Lake County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lakeview
New generation is lining up in Lake County. Lake County is home to Lakeview. 400 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Obsidian Solar Center LLC (solar), the 6th largest pipeline among Oregon's counties. 97 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 2,497 jobs in 2025, down 4.5% from 2019. Its power plants have 125 MW of capacity, 97% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Lake County
Lake County is home to Lakeview.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): New Pine Creek, Plush, Silver Lake.
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 Lake County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,170 | 8,187 | ▲ 0.2% | 30th of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,616 | 2,497 | ▼ 4.5% | 34th of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,457 | $54,182 | ▲ 33.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 5.5% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 97 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 400 MW | 319% of today's fleet | 6th of 11 by size |
PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Lake County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.02¢ median for Oregon utilities. Unemployment was 5.5% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019. 8,187 people live here, up 0.2% since 2020.
Who powers Lake County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +97 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lake County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 547,235 | 14.02¢ | 47% |
| Midstate Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,594 | 10.52¢ | 28% |
| Surprise Valley Electrification | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,211 | 12.77¢ | 14% |
| 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 11
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 122 MW | 97% |
| Other technologies | 4 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airport Solar | Airport Solar LLC | Solar | 47 MW | 2019 |
| Alkali Solar, LLC | SC Oregon 2 Lessor Parent, LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2020 |
| Fort Rock IV | Fort Rock Solar IV LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2020 |
| Garrett Solar | SOLV Energy, LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2019 |
| OR Solar 6, LLC | Heelstone Energy Holdings, LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2017 |
| Rock Garden Solar, LLC | SC Oregon 2 Lessor Parent, LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Solar Center | Solar Photovoltaic | 400 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Obsidian Solar Center LLC |
The Lake County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,497 | $54,182 | 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 Lake County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lake County. Oregon has 7 local measures on record statewide.
Lake County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Lake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 8,187 | ▼ 4.5% | 125 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Deschutes County | 213,072 | ▲ 10.1% | 51 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Harney County | 7,380 | ▲ 3.1% | 40 MW | — | — | — |
| Klamath County | 70,274 | ▲ 2.7% | 762 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Modoc County CA | 8,426 | ▲ 3.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Washoe County NV | 509,386 | ▲ 7.4% | 668 MW | — | 17 | — |
More of Oregon
Lake County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lake County, Oregon?
5 utilities have service territory in Lake County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Midstate Electric Coop, Inc, Surprise Valley Electrification, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 14.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Lake County?
11 operating plants with 125 MW of capacity. The largest is Airport Solar (47 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Lake County?
400 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Obsidian Solar Center LLC.
Are there data centers in Lake County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lake County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Washoe County.
Is Lake County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,497 jobs in 2025 against 2,616 in 2019 (-4.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Lake County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lake County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.