Phillips County, Arkansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Helena-West Helena
Phillips County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Phillips County is home to Helena-West Helena and Marvell. Employers here counted 4,333 jobs in 2025, down 18.8% from 2019. 5 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by SR West Helena, LLC (solar). Next door, Lee County has 400 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 7.2% in August 2026, against 6.1% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Phillips County
Phillips County is home to Helena-West Helena and Marvell.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Mellwood, Oneida, Poplar Grove.
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 Phillips County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arkansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,383 | 14,255 | ▼ 13.0% | 51st of 75 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,337 | 4,333 | ▼ 18.8% | 73rd of 75 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,975 | $42,761 | ▲ 25.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.1% | 7.2% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 200 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 5 MW | 2% of today's fleet | 14th of 14 by size |
200 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. 14,255 people live here, down 13.0% since 2020. Its power plants have 200 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Entergy Arkansas LLC is the largest utility serving Phillips County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.97¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.11¢ median for Arkansas utilities.
Who powers Phillips County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +200 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Phillips 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% |
| Woodruff Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,125 | 11.40¢ | 34% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 200 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Lake Solar, LLC | Long Lake Solar, LLC | Solar | 200 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR West Helena | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | SR West Helena, LLC |
The Phillips County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,333 | $42,761 | 1.00 |
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 Phillips County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Phillips County. Arkansas has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Phillips County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Phillips 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips County | 14,255 | ▼ 18.8% | 200 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Arkansas County | 15,836 | ▼ 11.7% | 81 MW | 155 MW | — | — |
| Bolivar County MS | 28,262 | ▼ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Coahoma County MS | 19,849 | ▼ 20.0% | 546 MW | — | — | — |
| Desha County | 9,984 | ▼ 15.2% | 135 MW | — | — | — |
| Lee County | 8,029 | ▼ 15.7% | 100 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Monroe County | 6,244 | ▼ 14.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Tunica County MS | 8,819 | ▼ 26.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Arkansas
Phillips County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Phillips County, Arkansas?
2 utilities have service territory in Phillips County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Arkansas LLC, Woodruff Electric Coop Corp. The largest, Entergy Arkansas LLC, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Phillips County?
1 operating plant with 200 MW of capacity. The largest is Long Lake Solar, LLC (200 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Phillips County?
5 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is SR West Helena, LLC.
Are there data centers in Phillips County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Phillips County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lee County.
Is Phillips County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,333 jobs in 2025 against 5,337 in 2019 (-18.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Phillips County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Phillips County. Arkansas has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.