Iron County, Utah: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cedar City, Enoch and Parowan
Iron County is where a large share of Utah's next power plants are planned. Construction employs 3,263, up 114.0% since 2019, and construction is 2.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 25,889 jobs in 2025, up 31.3% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 29 Utah counties). Iron County is home to Cedar City, Enoch, Parowan and Paragonah. 1,013 MW of new generation is planned here across 6 units, led by BrightNight Power (battery storage), the 2nd largest pipeline among Utah's counties. 297 MW of it is already under construction or built. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Iron County is making new rules while data center development is paused”.
Cities and towns in Iron County
Iron County is home to Cedar City, Enoch, Parowan and Paragonah.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Beryl Junction, Modena, Newcastle, Summit.
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 Iron County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Utah |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 57,703 | 67,141 | ▲ 16.4% | 8th of 29 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 19,712 | 25,889 | ▲ 31.3% | 2nd of 29 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,955 | $49,908 | ▲ 42.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,525 | 3,263 | ▲ 114.0% | 3rd of 20 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.7% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 620 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,013 MW | 92% of today's fleet | 2nd of 6 by size |
620 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 1,097 MW of capacity, 78% of it solar, the 4th largest fleet in Utah. 67,141 people live here, up 16.4% since 2020, 8th of 29 Utah counties by population. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 228, at an average $50,092 a year. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Iron County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.52¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.39¢ median for Utah utilities.
Who powers Iron County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +620 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Iron County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 947,246 | 12.52¢ | 42% |
| Dixie Escalante R E A, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 26,906 | 8.92¢ | 33% |
| Garkane Energy Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,653 | 11.45¢ | 41% |
| Town of Paragonah - (UT) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Parowan City Corporation | — | — | — | — | — |
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 21
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 857 MW | 78% |
| Battery storage | 240 MW | 22% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appaloosa Solar I | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Solar | 200 MW | 2024 |
| Cove Mountain Solar 2 | Cove Mountain Solar 2 LLC | Solar | 122 MW | 2020 |
| Granite Mountain BESS East | Granite Mountain BESS East LLC | Battery storage | 80 MW | 2026 |
| Three Peaks Power | Onward Energy | Solar | 80 MW | 2016 |
| Iron Springs Solar, LLC | Clearway Renewable Operation & Maintenance LLC | Solar | 80 MW | 2016 |
| Iron Springs BESS | Iron Springs BESS, LLC | Battery storage | 80 MW | 2026 |
Planned generation 6
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Butte Solar and Storage | Solar Photovoltaic | 300 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | BrightNight Power |
| Red Butte Solar and Storage | Batteries | 300 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | BrightNight Power |
| Fremont Solar | Batteries | 198 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Fremont Solar, LLC |
| Fremont Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 99 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Fremont Solar, LLC |
| Parowan Solar | Batteries | 58 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Leeward Asset Management, LLC |
| Parowan Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 58 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Leeward Asset Management, LLC |
The Iron County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 25,889 | $49,908 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,263 | $61,947 | 2.38 |
| Electrical contractors | 228 | $50,092 | 1.22 |
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 Iron County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron County is making new rules while data center development is paused | Paused | 2026-09 |
Iron County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Iron County, Beaver 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron County | 67,141 | ▲ 31.3% | 1,097 MW | 1,013 MW | — | 1 |
| Beaver County | 7,301 | ▲ 10.5% | 831 MW | 441 MW | — | — |
| Garfield County | 5,256 | ▲ 6.3% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Kane County | 8,597 | ▲ 16.2% | — | 95 MW | — | — |
| Lincoln County NV | 4,320 | ▲ 6.1% | 285 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 213,670 | ▲ 28.6% | 154 MW | — | 4 | — |
More of Utah
Iron County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Iron County, Utah?
5 utilities have service territory in Iron County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Dixie Escalante R E A, Inc, Garkane Energy Coop, Inc, Town of Paragonah - (UT). The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 12.52¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Cedar City, UT in?
Cedar City is in Iron County, Utah. About 41,871 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Iron County?
21 operating plants with 1,097 MW of capacity. The largest is Appaloosa Solar I (200 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Iron County?
1,013 MW across 6 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 297 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is BrightNight Power.
Are there data centers in Iron County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Iron County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Beaver County.
Is Iron County adding jobs?
Employers counted 25,889 jobs in 2025 against 19,712 in 2019 (+31.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,525 to 3,263.
Does Iron County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Iron County, 0 in force.