Russell County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Phenix City
No data center or power plant project is on record in Russell County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Russell County is home to most of Phenix City (31,594 of its 38,344 residents). Next door, Muscogee County, Georgia, has 3 data centers. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. Its power plants have 150 MW of capacity, 63% of it other technologies. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Russell 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.
Cities and towns in Russell County
Russell County is home to most of Phenix City (31,594 of its 38,344 residents).
- Phenix City also extends into Lee County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ladonia.
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 Russell County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 59,251 | 58,898 | ▼ 0.6% | 25th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,181 | 13,969 | ▼ 1.5% | 50th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,876 | $49,637 | ▲ 27.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 4.3% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 13,969 jobs in 2025, down 1.5% from 2019. 58,898 people live here, down 0.6% since 2020.
Who powers Russell County
Utilities with service territory in Russell 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% |
| Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,578 | 14.39¢ | 9% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 96 MW | 63% |
| Solar | 30 MW | 20% |
| Natural gas | 25 MW | 17% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mead Coated Board | Mead Coated Board Inc | Other technologies | 120 MW | 1966 |
| Fort Benning Solar Facility | Georgia Power Co | Solar | 30 MW | 2015 |
The Russell County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,969 | $49,637 | 1.00 |
| Data processing and hosting | 26 | $106,278 | 0.60 |
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 Russell County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Russell County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide.
Russell County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Russell County, Lee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell County | 58,898 | ▼ 1.5% | 150 MW | — | — | — |
| Barbour County | 24,607 | ▼ 6.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Bullock County | 9,780 | ▼ 11.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Chattahoochee County GA | 8,465 | ▼ 12.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Lee County | 189,881 | ▲ 13.3% | 2,310 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Macon County | 18,132 | ▲ 6.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Muscogee County GA | 202,171 | ▼ 5.6% | 91 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Stewart County GA | 4,631 | ▲ 21.3% | 101 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Russell County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Russell County, Alabama?
2 utilities have service territory in Russell County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Phenix City, AL in?
Most of Phenix City is in Russell County: 31,594 of its 38,344 residents, or 82%. The rest of the city lies in Lee County.
What power plants are in Russell County?
2 operating plants with 150 MW of capacity. The largest is Mead Coated Board (120 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Russell County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Russell County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Muscogee County.
Is Russell County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,969 jobs in 2025 against 14,181 in 2019 (-1.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Russell County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Russell County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.