Columbia County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lake City
No data center or power plant project is on record in Columbia County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Columbia County is home to Lake City and Fort White. Unemployment was 5.5% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Next door, Alachua County has 1 data center. 403 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 403 MW of capacity, 93% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Columbia County
Columbia County is home to Lake City and Fort White.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Five Points, Watertown.
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 Columbia County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 69,758 | 74,094 | ▲ 6.2% | 41st of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 24,771 | 24,847 | ▲ 0.3% | 63rd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,137 | $53,224 | ▲ 36.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 5.5% | ▲ 2.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 403 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Columbia County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 24,847 jobs in 2025, up 0.3% from 2019. 74,094 people live here, up 6.2% since 2020.
Who powers Columbia County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +403 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Columbia County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 5,236,277 | 13.71¢ | 41% |
| Duke Energy Florida, LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,793,067 | 16.63¢ | 38% |
| Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc - (FL) | Cooperative | Bundled | 171,179 | 13.09¢ | 20% |
| Suwannee Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 25,934 | 15.00¢ | 21% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 373 MW | 93% |
| Battery storage | 30 MW | 7% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunshine Gateway Solar Energy Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 104 MW | 2019 |
| Columbia Solar Power Plant | Duke Energy Florida, LLC | Solar | 75 MW | 2020 |
| Santa Fe Solar Power Plant | Duke Energy Florida, LLC | Solar | 75 MW | 2021 |
| Columbia County Solar | FRP Columbia County Solar, LLC | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
| Price Creek | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2026 |
The Columbia County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 24,847 | $53,224 | 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 Columbia County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Columbia County. Florida has 45 local measures on record statewide.
Columbia County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Columbia County, Alachua 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | 74,094 | ▲ 0.3% | 403 MW | — | — | — |
| Alachua County | 290,028 | ▲ 5.0% | 957 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Baker County | 29,737 | ▼ 1.5% | 298 MW | 74 MW | — | — |
| Clinch County GA | 6,847 | ▲ 5.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Echols County GA | 3,685 | ▼ 6.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Gilchrist County | 20,488 | ▲ 7.6% | 235 MW | — | — | — |
| Hamilton County | 14,180 | ▲ 2.8% | 174 MW | — | — | — |
| Suwannee County | 48,149 | ▲ 3.1% | 466 MW | — | — | — |
| Union County | 16,250 | ▲ 4.9% | 74 MW | — | — | — |
More of Florida
Columbia County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Columbia County, Florida?
4 utilities have service territory in Columbia County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Duke Energy Florida, LLC, Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc - (FL), Suwannee Valley Elec Coop Inc. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Lake City, FL in?
Lake City is in Columbia County, Florida. About 12,788 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Columbia County?
5 operating plants with 403 MW of capacity. The largest is Sunshine Gateway Solar Energy Center (104 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Columbia County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Columbia County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Alachua County.
Is Columbia County adding jobs?
Employers counted 24,847 jobs in 2025 against 24,771 in 2019 (+0.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Columbia County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Columbia County. Florida has 45 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.