Sherman County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Biggs Junction
Sherman County is where a large share of Oregon's next power plants are planned. Sherman County is home to Wasco, Moro and Rufus. 1,050 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Cedar Island Solar LLC (solar), the 3rd largest pipeline among Oregon's counties. Its power plants have 3,426 MW of capacity, 63% of it hydro, the largest fleet in Oregon. 201 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. 2,051 people live here, up 9.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Sherman County
Sherman County is home to Wasco, Moro and Rufus.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Biggs Junction.
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 Sherman County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,880 | 2,051 | ▲ 9.1% | 34th of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 923 | 908 | ▼ 1.6% | 30th of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,021 | $67,276 | ▲ 40.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.1% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 201 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,050 MW | 31% of today's fleet | 3rd of 11 by size |
Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. Employers here counted 908 jobs in 2025, down 1.6% from 2019. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Sherman 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.
Who powers Sherman County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +201 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Sherman County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 547,235 | 14.02¢ | 47% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 100% |
| Columbia Basin Elec Cooperative, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 10
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 2,160 MW | 63% |
| Wind | 1,256 MW | 37% |
| Solar | 10 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Day | USACE Northwestern Division | Hydro | 2,160 MW | 1968 |
| Biglow Canyon Wind Farm | Portland General Electric Co | Wind | 450 MW | 2007 |
| Klondike Windpower III | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 298 MW | 2007 |
| Golden Hill Wind | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 201 MW | 2022 |
| Hay Canyon Wind Power LLC | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 101 MW | 2009 |
| Star Point Wind Project LLC | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 99 MW | 2010 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Island Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 800 MW | Approvals pending | 2031 | Cedar Island Solar LLC |
| Biglow Solar Generation and BESS | Solar Photovoltaic | 125 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | BIGL bn, LLC |
| Biglow Solar Generation and BESS | Batteries | 125 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | BIGL bn, LLC |
The Sherman County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 908 | $67,276 | 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 Sherman County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sherman County. Oregon has 7 local measures on record statewide.
Sherman County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Sherman 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman County | 2,051 | ▼ 1.6% | 3,426 MW | 1,050 MW | — | — |
| Gilliam County | 1,971 | ▲ 3.0% | 1,884 MW | 82 MW | — | — |
| Klickitat County WA | 24,331 | ▼ 4.3% | 1,708 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Wasco County | 26,310 | ▼ 2.0% | 2,038 MW | 2,103 MW | 4 | — |
More of Oregon
Sherman County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sherman County, Oregon?
4 utilities have service territory in Sherman County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Bonneville Power Administration, Columbia Basin Elec Cooperative, Inc, Wasco Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 14.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Sherman County?
10 operating plants with 3,426 MW of capacity. The largest is John Day (2,160 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Sherman County?
1,050 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Cedar Island Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Sherman County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sherman County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wasco County.
Is Sherman County adding jobs?
Employers counted 908 jobs in 2025 against 923 in 2019 (-1.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Sherman County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sherman County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.