Mobile County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Mobile, Prichard and Saraland
Mobile County hosts some of the generating capacity Alabama runs on. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Mobile County, 3% of Alabama's total. Mobile County is home to Mobile, Prichard, Saraland and Satsuma. Electrical contractors employ 2,716, up 59.7% since 2019 against up 28.7% statewide, at an average $81,439 a year. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Edged data center (Telegraph Road). Its power plants have 4,003 MW of capacity, 70% of it natural gas, the largest fleet in Alabama.
Cities and towns in Mobile County
Mobile County is home to Mobile, Prichard, Saraland and Satsuma.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Axis, Belle Fontaine, Bucks, Calvert, Chunchula, Grand Bay, Gulfcrest, Movico, Theodore, Tillmans Corner.
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 Mobile County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 414,414 | 411,658 | ▼ 0.7% | 3rd of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 171,826 | 175,010 | ▲ 1.9% | 33rd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,620 | $63,774 | ▲ 31.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,452 | 12,825 | ▲ 22.7% | 18th of 41 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,701 | 2,716 | ▲ 59.7% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 354 | 348 | ▼ 1.7% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 94 | 192 | ▲ 104.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 4.4% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 824 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 100 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 8 MW | 0% of today's fleet | 10th of 11 by size |
Construction employs 12,825, up 22.7% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 8 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by SR Lott, LLC (solar), the 10th largest pipeline among Alabama's counties. 824 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Next door, Washington County has 438 MW of planned generation. 100 MW has retired here since 2019, including Mobile Energy Services LLC (other technologies, 97 MW, 2019). Employers here counted 175,010 jobs in 2025, up 1.9% from 2019. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Mobile County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.24¢ median for Alabama utilities. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019. 411,658 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020, 3rd of 67 Alabama counties by population.
Who powers Mobile County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +724 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Mobile County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,332,911 | 16.77¢ | 26% |
| Singing River Elec Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 336 | 13.34¢ | 12% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,810 MW | 70% |
| Coal | 1,192 MW | 30% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry | Alabama Power Co | Natural gas | 3,344 MW | 1954 |
| Theodore Cogen Facility | Alabama Power Co | Natural gas | 317 MW | 2000 |
| Hog Bayou Energy Center | Mobile Energy LLC | Natural gas | 280 MW | 2001 |
| Kimberly Clark Mobile - CHP Plant | Kimberly Clark - Mobile Alabama | Natural gas | 50 MW | 2019 |
| W&T Onshore Treating Facility (OTF) | W&T Offshore Inc | Natural gas | 12 MW | 1993 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR Lott | Solar Photovoltaic | 8 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | SR Lott, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Energy Services LLC | Other technologies | 97 MW | 2019 |
| Yellowhammer Gas Plant | Natural gas | 3 MW | 2021 |
The Mobile County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 175,010 | $63,774 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 12,825 | $77,831 | 1.38 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,716 | $81,439 | 2.15 |
| Power and communication line construction | 348 | $125,004 | 1.23 |
| Data processing and hosting | 192 | $94,339 | 0.35 |
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 Mobile County
1 data center in Mobile County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edged data center (Telegraph Road) | approved amid opposition | — |
Mobile County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Mobile County, Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile County | 411,658 | ▲ 1.9% | 4,003 MW | 8 MW | 1 | — |
| Baldwin County | 267,761 | ▲ 15.1% | — | 80 MW | — | — |
| George County MS | 26,331 | ▲ 8.8% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Greene County MS | 13,707 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County MS | 147,666 | ▲ 3.8% | 2,400 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 14,822 | ▲ 49.0% | 1,531 MW | 438 MW | — | — |
More of Alabama
Mobile County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mobile County, Alabama?
2 utilities have service territory in Mobile County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Singing River Elec Cooperative. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Mobile, AL in?
Mobile is in Mobile County, Alabama. About 200,824 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Prichard, AL in?
Prichard is in Mobile County, Alabama. About 18,825 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Saraland, AL in?
Saraland is in Mobile County, Alabama. About 16,652 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Mobile County?
5 operating plants with 4,003 MW of capacity. The largest is Barry (3,344 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Mobile County?
8 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is SR Lott, LLC.
Are there data centers in Mobile County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Mobile County.
Is Mobile County adding jobs?
Employers counted 175,010 jobs in 2025 against 171,826 in 2019 (+1.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 10,452 to 12,825.
Does Mobile County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Mobile County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.