Uintah County, Utah: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Vernal, Naples and Ballard
Uintah County sits inside the data center build-out. Construction employs 1,802, up 129.3% since 2019, and construction is 2.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Uintah County. Uintah County is home to Vernal, Naples and Ballard. Employers here counted 15,608 jobs in 2025, up 20.2% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 29 Utah counties). 12 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Uintah County
Uintah County is home to Vernal, Naples and Ballard.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bonanza, Fort Duchesne, Jensen, Lapoint, Maeser, Randlett, Whiterocks.
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 Uintah County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Utah |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 35,676 | 38,278 | ▲ 7.3% | 12th of 29 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,989 | 15,608 | ▲ 20.2% | 8th of 29 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,300 | $61,961 | ▲ 39.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 786 | 1,802 | ▲ 129.3% | 2nd of 20 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 3.9% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 12 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 512 MW of capacity, 98% of it coal, the 8th largest fleet in Utah. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Uintah County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.52¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.39¢ median for Utah utilities. 38,278 people live here, up 7.3% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019.
Who powers Uintah County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +12 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Uintah County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 947,246 | 12.52¢ | 42% |
| Moon Lake Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,275 | 8.98¢ | 21% |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 94% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 500 MW | 98% |
| Solar | 12 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonanza | Deseret Generation & Tran Coop | Coal | 512 MW | 1986 |
The Uintah County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,608 | $61,961 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,802 | $69,494 | 2.18 |
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 Uintah County
1 data center in Uintah County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Uintah County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Uintah County, Emery 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uintah County | 38,278 | ▲ 20.2% | 512 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Carbon County | 20,680 | ▲ 1.3% | 138 MW | — | — | — |
| Daggett County | 934 | ▲ 11.5% | 152 MW | — | — | — |
| Duchesne County | 20,856 | ▲ 17.1% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Emery County | 10,177 | ▲ 12.4% | 3,728 MW | — | — | — |
| Garfield County CO | 63,474 | ▲ 6.0% | 82 MW | — | — | — |
| Grand County | 9,790 | ▲ 12.6% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Moffat County CO | 13,122 | ▼ 3.1% | 1,577 MW | 200 MW | — | 1 |
| Rio Blanco County CO | 6,683 | ▼ 0.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
More of Utah
Uintah County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Uintah County, Utah?
3 utilities have service territory in Uintah County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Moon Lake Electric Assn Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 12.52¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Vernal, UT in?
Vernal is in Uintah County, Utah. About 10,671 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Uintah County?
1 operating plant with 512 MW of capacity. The largest is Bonanza (512 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Uintah County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Uintah County.
Is Uintah County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,608 jobs in 2025 against 12,989 in 2019 (+20.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 786 to 1,802.
Does Uintah County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Uintah County. Utah has 10 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.