Jefferson County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pine Bluff, White Hall and Redfield
Jefferson County is a generation frontier for Arkansas. 1,996 MW of new generation is planned here across 8 units, led by Entergy Arkansas LLC (natural gas), the 2nd largest pipeline among Arkansas's counties. Jefferson County is home to Pine Bluff, White Hall, Redfield and Altheimer. Its power plants have 2,115 MW of capacity, 85% of it coal, the 2nd largest fleet in Arkansas. Employers here counted 24,907 jobs in 2025, down 8.0% from 2019. Construction employs 492, unchanged since 2019.
Cities and towns in Jefferson County
Jefferson County is home to Pine Bluff, White Hall, Redfield and Altheimer.
- Humphrey also extends into Arkansas County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Sulphur Springs, Tucker.
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 Jefferson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 66,825 | 62,987 | ▼ 5.7% | 12th of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 27,065 | 24,907 | ▼ 8.0% | 59th of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,262 | $53,758 | ▲ 27.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 492 | 492 | ● 0.0% | 28th of 35 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 46 | 33 | ▼ 28.3% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 173 | 190 | ▲ 9.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.6% | 5.5% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,996 MW | 94% of today's fleet | 2nd of 14 by size |
Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Jefferson County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.97¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.11¢ median for Arkansas utilities. 62,987 people live here, down 5.7% since 2020. Unemployment was 5.5% in August 2026, against 5.6% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 33, down 28.3% since 2019 against up 29.6% statewide, at an average $43,701 a year.
Who powers Jefferson County
Utilities with service territory in Jefferson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Arkansas LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 608,362 | 12.97¢ | 25% |
| First Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 95,175 | 12.27¢ | 11% |
| C & L Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,000 | 13.26¢ | 27% |
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 | 1,800 MW | 85% |
| Natural gas | 230 MW | 11% |
| Other technologies | 85 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Bluff | Entergy Arkansas LLC | Coal | 1,800 MW | 1980 |
| Pine Bluff Energy Center | Pine Bluff Energy LLC | Natural gas | 230 MW | 2001 |
| Pine Bluff Mill | Suzano Packaging LLC | Other technologies | 85 MW | 1958 |
Planned generation 8
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Cypress Solar Station | Solar Photovoltaic | 600 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Jefferson Power Station | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 478 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Arkansas Cypress Solar Station | Batteries | 350 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Jefferson Power Station | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 342 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Lion Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Lion Solar LLC |
| Colonel Charles D. Maynard Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 9 MW | Approvals pending | 2031 | Maynard Hydroelectric LLC |
| Colonel Charles D. Maynard Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 9 MW | Approvals pending | 2031 | Maynard Hydroelectric LLC |
| Colonel Charles D. Maynard Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 9 MW | Approvals pending | 2031 | Maynard Hydroelectric LLC |
The Jefferson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 24,907 | $53,758 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 492 | $54,029 | 0.37 |
| Electrical contractors | 33 | $43,701 | 0.18 |
| Electric utilities | 190 | $151,886 | 2.82 |
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 Jefferson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jefferson County. Arkansas has 13 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Pulaski County.
Jefferson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Jefferson County, Pulaski 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 62,987 | ▼ 8.0% | 2,115 MW | 1,996 MW | — | — |
| Arkansas County | 15,836 | ▼ 11.7% | 81 MW | 155 MW | — | — |
| Cleveland County | 7,224 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 18,756 | ▲ 8.6% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 12,764 | ▼ 11.1% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Lonoke County | 76,664 | ▲ 14.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Pulaski County | 404,611 | ▲ 4.3% | 664 MW | 5 MW | 2 | 2 |
More of Arkansas
Jefferson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jefferson County, Arkansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Jefferson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, First Electric Coop Corp, C & L Electric Coop Corp. The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Pine Bluff, AR in?
Pine Bluff is in Jefferson County, Arkansas. About 38,213 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jefferson County?
3 operating plants with 2,115 MW of capacity. The largest is White Bluff (1,800 MW, coal).
How much new power is planned in Jefferson County?
1,996 MW across 8 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Entergy Arkansas LLC.
Are there data centers in Jefferson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jefferson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pulaski County.
Is Jefferson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 24,907 jobs in 2025 against 27,065 in 2019 (-8.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 492 to 492.
Does Jefferson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jefferson County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.