Malheur County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ontario, Nyssa and Vale
No data center or power plant project is on record in Malheur County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Malheur County is home to Ontario, Nyssa and Vale. 12 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 13,510 jobs in 2025, up 4.7% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 36 Oregon counties). Construction employs 273, down 2.5% since 2019. Its power plants have 110 MW of capacity, 56% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Malheur County
Malheur County is home to Ontario, Nyssa and Vale.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Annex, Brogan, Harper, Juntura.
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 Malheur County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 31,650 | 32,261 | ▲ 1.9% | 20th of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,909 | 13,510 | ▲ 4.7% | 9th of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,815 | $51,735 | ▲ 36.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 280 | 273 | ▼ 2.5% | 21st of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 4.0% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 12 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 54, at an average $78,215 a year. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Malheur County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.29¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. 32,261 people live here, up 1.9% since 2020.
Who powers Malheur County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +12 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Malheur County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 14
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 62 MW | 56% |
| Other technologies | 33 MW | 30% |
| Hydro | 16 MW | 14% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neal Hot Springs Geothermal Project | US Geothermal Inc. | Other technologies | 33 MW | 2012 |
| Open Range Solar Center, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 10 MW | 2016 |
| Thunderegg Solar Center, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 10 MW | 2016 |
| Vale Air Solar Center, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 10 MW | 2016 |
| Hyline Solar Center, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 9 MW | 2016 |
| Tunnel 1 Power Project | Owyhee Irrigation District | Hydro | 8 MW | 1993 |
The Malheur County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,510 | $51,735 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 273 | $52,050 | 0.38 |
| Electrical contractors | 54 | $78,215 | 0.55 |
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 Malheur County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Malheur County. Oregon has 7 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Humboldt County.
Malheur County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Malheur County, Humboldt 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malheur County | 32,261 | ▲ 4.7% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Baker County | 16,658 | ▼ 0.2% | 261 MW | — | — | — |
| Canyon County ID | 275,123 | ▲ 26.0% | 93 MW | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 7,075 | ▼ 5.3% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Harney County | 7,380 | ▲ 3.1% | 40 MW | — | — | — |
| Humboldt County NV | 17,267 | ▲ 2.5% | 738 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Owyhee County ID | 12,661 | ▲ 8.5% | 269 MW | — | — | — |
| Payette County ID | 27,824 | ▲ 11.9% | 318 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County ID | 11,583 | ▲ 7.1% | 678 MW | — | — | — |
More of Oregon
Malheur County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Malheur County, Oregon?
2 utilities have service territory in Malheur County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Idaho Power Co, Harney Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Idaho Power Co, charged residential customers 11.29¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Ontario, OR in?
Ontario is in Malheur County, Oregon. About 11,957 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Malheur County?
14 operating plants with 110 MW of capacity. The largest is Neal Hot Springs Geothermal Project (33 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Malheur County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Malheur County.
Is Malheur County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,510 jobs in 2025 against 12,909 in 2019 (+4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 280 to 273.
Does Malheur County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Malheur County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.