Platte County, Wyoming: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Wheatland and Guernsey
Platte County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Platte County, 5% of Wyoming's total. Platte County is home to Wheatland and Guernsey. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Site Layer 4 energy and data center campus. Its power plants have 1,907 MW of capacity, 98% of it coal, the 3rd largest fleet in Wyoming. Employers here counted 3,337 jobs in 2025, down 6.3% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Platte County
Platte County is home to Wheatland and Guernsey.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Chugcreek, El Rancho, Lakeview North, Slater, Westview Circle, Whiting, Y-O Ranch.
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 Platte County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wyoming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,632 | 8,634 | ● 0.0% | 18th of 23 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,563 | 3,337 | ▼ 6.3% | 19th of 23 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,769 | $55,088 | ▲ 15.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 17, at an average $82,676 a year. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Platte County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.44¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.98¢ median for Wyoming utilities. 8,634 people live here, up 0.0% since 2020.
Who powers Platte County
Utilities with service territory in Platte County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 118,130 | 13.44¢ | 16% |
| Town of Guernsey - (WY) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Niobrara Electric Assn, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wheatland Rural Elec Assn, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Town of Wheatland - (WY) | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,863 MW | 98% |
| Hydro | 44 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laramie River Station | Basin Electric Power Coop | Coal | 1,863 MW | 1981 |
| Glendo | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 38 MW | 1958 |
| Guernsey | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 6 MW | 1927 |
The Platte County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,337 | $55,088 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 17 | $82,676 | 0.71 |
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 Platte County
2 data centers in Platte County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site Layer 4 energy and data center campus | approved amid opposition | — |
Platte County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Platte County, Laramie 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platte County | 8,634 | ▼ 6.3% | 1,907 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Albany County | 38,558 | ▲ 9.2% | 487 MW | 504 MW | — | — |
| Converse County | 13,824 | ▼ 12.3% | 2,400 MW | 998 MW | 1 | — |
| Goshen County | 12,640 | ▼ 1.1% | — | 163 MW | — | — |
| Laramie County | 102,938 | ▲ 4.9% | 746 MW | 1,485 MW | 28 | — |
| Niobrara County | 2,341 | ▼ 9.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Wyoming
Platte County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Platte County, Wyoming?
7 utilities have service territory in Platte County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Town of Guernsey - (WY), Niobrara Electric Assn, Inc, Wheatland Rural Elec Assn, Inc. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 13.44¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Platte County?
3 operating plants with 1,907 MW of capacity. The largest is Laramie River Station (1,863 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Platte County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Platte County.
Is Platte County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,337 jobs in 2025 against 3,563 in 2019 (-6.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Platte County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Platte County. Wyoming has 2 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.