Benton County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Kennewick, Richland and West Richland
Benton County is a generation frontier for Washington. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Benton County. Benton County is home to Kennewick, Richland, West Richland and Prosser. 1,200 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by HOHI bn, LLC (solar), the largest pipeline among Washington's counties. Construction employs 8,202, up 8.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 5.7% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Benton County
Benton County is home to Kennewick, Richland, West Richland and Prosser.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Finley.
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 Benton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 207,408 | 221,722 | ▲ 6.9% | 10th of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 91,743 | 99,920 | ▲ 8.9% | 5th of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $57,194 | $74,052 | ▲ 29.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,541 | 8,202 | ▲ 8.8% | 14th of 33 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 56 | 28 | ▼ 50.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.7% | 4.4% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,200 MW | 91% of today's fleet | 1st of 11 by size |
Its power plants have 1,322 MW of capacity, 91% of it nuclear, the 9th largest fleet in Washington. Employers here counted 99,920 jobs in 2025, up 8.9% from 2019 (the 5th fastest growth of 39 Washington counties). 4 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Benton County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.08¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. 221,722 people live here, up 6.9% since 2020, 10th of 39 Washington counties by population.
Who powers Benton County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +4 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Benton County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 114,453 | 11.08¢ | 38% |
| PUD No 1 of Benton County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 50,072 | 8.81¢ | 31% |
| City of Richland - (WA) | Municipal | Bundled | 25,687 | 9.82¢ | 43% |
| Benton Rural Electric Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,422 | 9.27¢ | 28% |
| PUD No 1 of Klickitat County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 11,917 | 12.05¢ | 29% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 56% |
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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 1,200 MW | 91% |
| Wind | 96 MW | 7% |
| Hydro | 22 MW | 2% |
| Solar | 3 MW | 0% |
| Battery storage | 1 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Generating Station | Energy Northwest- Columbia | Nuclear | 1,200 MW | 1984 |
| Nine Canyon | Energy Northwest | Wind | 96 MW | 2002 |
| Chandler | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 12 MW | 1956 |
| McNary Dam Fish Attraction Project | Northern Wasco County PUD - (OR) | Hydro | 10 MW | 1997 |
| Horn Rapids Solar, Storage and Training | Energy Northwest | Battery storage | 4 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hop Hill Solar Generation and BESS | Solar Photovoltaic | 500 MW | Approvals pending | 2031 | HOHI bn, LLC |
| Hop Hill Solar Generation and BESS | Batteries | 500 MW | Approvals pending | 2031 | HOHI bn, LLC |
| Hop Hill Solar Generation and BESS | Onshore Wind Turbine | 200 MW | Approvals pending | 2031 | HOHI bn, LLC |
The Benton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 99,920 | $74,052 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 8,202 | $91,142 | 1.55 |
| Power and communication line construction | 75 | $72,188 | 0.46 |
| Data processing and hosting | 28 | $111,397 | 0.09 |
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 Benton County
1 data center in Benton County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Benton County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Benton County, Morrow 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 221,722 | ▲ 8.9% | 1,322 MW | 1,200 MW | 1 | — |
| Franklin County | 102,612 | ▲ 8.6% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 105,727 | ▲ 5.8% | 9,098 MW | 650 MW | 27 | — |
| Klickitat County | 24,331 | ▼ 4.3% | 1,708 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Morrow County OR | 12,602 | ▲ 8.6% | 1,943 MW | 2,765 MW | 15 | — |
| Umatilla County OR | 81,119 | ▲ 4.6% | 2,719 MW | 604 MW | 13 | — |
| Walla Walla County | 62,361 | ▲ 1.6% | 1,592 MW | — | — | — |
| Yakima County | 259,185 | ▼ 0.4% | 194 MW | 80 MW | 1 | 1 |
More of Washington
Benton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Benton County, Washington?
6 utilities have service territory in Benton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, PUD No 1 of Benton County, City of Richland - (WA), Benton Rural Electric Assn. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 11.08¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Kennewick, WA in?
Kennewick is in Benton County, Washington. About 88,366 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Richland, WA in?
Richland is in Benton County, Washington. About 65,258 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is West Richland, WA in?
West Richland is in Benton County, Washington. About 19,257 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Benton County?
5 operating plants with 1,322 MW of capacity. The largest is Columbia Generating Station (1,200 MW, nuclear).
How much new power is planned in Benton County?
1,200 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is HOHI bn, LLC.
Are there data centers in Benton County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Benton County.
Is Benton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 99,920 jobs in 2025 against 91,743 in 2019 (+8.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,541 to 8,202.
Does Benton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Benton County. Washington has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.