Laramie County, Wyoming: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cheyenne and Pine Bluffs
Laramie County sits inside the data center build-out. Electrical contractors employ 773, up 121.5% since 2019 against up 25.6% statewide, at an average $83,173 a year. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 28 data centers in Laramie County, 68% of Wyoming's total. 1,485 MW of new generation is planned here across 7 units, led by Cowboy Solar I (solar), the 2nd largest pipeline among Wyoming's counties. Laramie County is home to Cheyenne and Pine Bluffs. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Orchard Hills data center.
Cities and towns in Laramie County
Laramie County is home to Cheyenne and Pine Bluffs.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Carpenter, Fox Farm-College, Hillsdale, Ranchettes, South Greeley, Warren AFB.
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 Laramie County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wyoming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 100,727 | 102,938 | ▲ 2.2% | 1st of 23 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 46,846 | 49,124 | ▲ 4.9% | 6th of 23 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,791 | $63,374 | ▲ 29.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,422 | 4,057 | ▲ 18.6% | 5th of 14 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 349 | 773 | ▲ 121.5% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 152 | 106 | ▼ 30.3% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 155 | 158 | ▲ 1.9% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 160 | 102 | ▼ 36.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 2.9% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 534 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,485 MW | 199% of today's fleet | 2nd of 6 by size |
Construction employs 4,057, up 18.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 534 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Its power plants have 746 MW of capacity, 61% of it wind, the 7th largest fleet in Wyoming. Employers here counted 49,124 jobs in 2025, up 4.9% from 2019 (the 6th fastest growth of 23 Wyoming counties). Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. Cheyenne Light Fuel & Power is the largest utility serving Laramie County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.96¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.98¢ median for Wyoming utilities. 102,938 people live here, up 2.2% since 2020, 1st of 23 Wyoming counties by population.
Who powers Laramie County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +534 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Laramie County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne Light Fuel & Power | Investor Owned | Bundled | 39,954 | 16.96¢ | 80% |
| High West Energy, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,579 | 14.37¢ | 55% |
| City of Pine Bluffs - (WY) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wheatland Rural Elec Assn, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wyrulec Company | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 77% |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 456 MW | 61% |
| Solar | 150 MW | 20% |
| Natural gas | 140 MW | 19% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roundhouse Wind Energy Project | Roundhouse Renewable Energy, LLC | Wind | 226 MW | 2020 |
| South Cheyenne Solar | Southern Power Co | Solar | 150 MW | 2024 |
| Cheyenne Prairie Generating Station | Black Hills Service Company LLC | Natural gas | 140 MW | 2014 |
| Roundhouse Renewable Energy II | Roundhouse Renewable Energy II, LLC | Wind | 106 MW | 2023 |
| Corriedale Wind Energy | Black Hills Service Company LLC | Wind | 52 MW | 2020 |
| Silver Sage Windpower | Deriva Energy | Wind | 42 MW | 2009 |
Planned generation 7
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboy Solar I | Solar Photovoltaic | 400 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Cowboy Solar I |
| Cowboy Solar I | Batteries | 400 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Cowboy Solar I |
| Cowboy Solar II | Solar Photovoltaic | 365 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | TGE Wyoming 225, LLC |
| Cowboy Solar II | Batteries | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | TGE Wyoming 225, LLC |
| Cheyenne Prairie Generating Station | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 40 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Black Hills Service Company LLC |
| Cheyenne Prairie Generating Station | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 40 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Black Hills Service Company LLC |
| Cheyenne Prairie Generating Station | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 40 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Black Hills Service Company LLC |
The Laramie County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 49,124 | $63,374 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 4,057 | $77,601 | 1.56 |
| Electrical contractors | 773 | $83,173 | 2.18 |
| Power and communication line construction | 106 | $86,296 | 1.34 |
| Electric utilities | 158 | $110,767 | 1.19 |
| Data processing and hosting | 102 | $156,973 | 0.67 |
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 Laramie County
28 data centers in Laramie County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orchard Hills data center | pending review | — |
Laramie County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Laramie County, Weld 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laramie County | 102,938 | ▲ 4.9% | 746 MW | 1,485 MW | 28 | — |
| Albany County | 38,558 | ▲ 9.2% | 487 MW | 504 MW | — | — |
| Banner County NE | 686 | ▲ 20.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Goshen County | 12,640 | ▼ 1.1% | — | 163 MW | — | — |
| Kimball County NE | 3,391 | ▲ 9.3% | 38 MW | — | — | — |
| Larimer County CO | 377,292 | ▲ 3.3% | 1,055 MW | 225 MW | — | 1 |
| Platte County | 8,634 | ▼ 6.3% | 1,907 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Weld County CO | 378,426 | ▲ 7.9% | 4,151 MW | 914 MW | — | 1 |
More of Wyoming
Laramie County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Laramie County, Wyoming?
6 utilities have service territory in Laramie County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Cheyenne Light Fuel & Power, High West Energy, Inc, City of Pine Bluffs - (WY), Wheatland Rural Elec Assn, Inc. The largest, Cheyenne Light Fuel & Power, charged residential customers 16.96¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Cheyenne, WY in?
Cheyenne is in Laramie County, Wyoming. About 66,507 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Laramie County?
7 operating plants with 746 MW of capacity. The largest is Roundhouse Wind Energy Project (226 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Laramie County?
1,485 MW across 7 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Cowboy Solar I.
Are there data centers in Laramie County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 28 data centers in Laramie County.
Is Laramie County adding jobs?
Employers counted 49,124 jobs in 2025 against 46,846 in 2019 (+4.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,422 to 4,057.
Does Laramie County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Laramie County. Wyoming has 2 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.