Hendry County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Clewiston and LaBelle
Hendry County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Construction employs 1,585, up 93.8% since 2019, and construction is 2.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Hendry County is home to Clewiston and LaBelle. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed county moratorium on data centers”. 149 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Florida Power & Light Co (solar), the 8th largest pipeline among Florida's counties. 149 MW of it is already under construction or built. 596 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Hendry County
Hendry County is home to Clewiston and LaBelle.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fort Denaud, Harlem, Montura, Pioneer, Port LaBelle.
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 Hendry County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 39,726 | 48,276 | ▲ 21.5% | 44th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,852 | 12,747 | ▲ 7.6% | 42nd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,935 | $57,393 | ▲ 43.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 818 | 1,585 | ▲ 93.8% | 2nd of 59 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 5.7% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 596 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 149 MW | 21% of today's fleet | 8th of 18 by size |
48,276 people live here, up 21.5% since 2020. Employers here counted 12,747 jobs in 2025, up 7.6% from 2019. Its power plants have 720 MW of capacity, 93% of it solar. Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Hendry County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Hendry County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +596 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hendry 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% |
| Lee County Electric Coop, Inc - (FL) | Cooperative | Bundled | 231,142 | 13.54¢ | 28% |
| Glades Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,456 | 16.59¢ | 12% |
| City of Clewiston | — | — | — | — | — |
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 10
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 670 MW | 93% |
| Other technologies | 49 MW | 7% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beautyberry | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
| Blue Heron Solar | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2020 |
| Caloosahatchee | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
| Ghost Orchid Solar Energy Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2022 |
| Hammock Solar | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2018 |
| Hendry Isles | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hendry | Solar Photovoltaic | 74 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Florida Power & Light Co |
| Cocoplum | Solar Photovoltaic | 74 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Florida Power & Light Co |
The Hendry County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,747 | $57,393 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,585 | $65,710 | 2.35 |
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 Hendry County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed county moratorium on data centers | Proposed | 2026-08 |
Hendry County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Hendry County, Palm Beach 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hendry County | 48,276 | ▲ 7.6% | 720 MW | 149 MW | — | 1 |
| Broward County | 2,013,317 | ▲ 4.8% | 4,094 MW | — | 6 | — |
| Charlotte County | 217,212 | ▲ 17.4% | 236 MW | — | — | — |
| Collier County | 417,131 | ▲ 13.8% | 228 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Glades County | 13,270 | ▲ 11.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Lee County | 875,607 | ▲ 12.3% | 2,740 MW | — | — | — |
| Martin County | 166,272 | ▲ 11.9% | 2,746 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Okeechobee County | 42,608 | ▲ 8.1% | 2,245 MW | 149 MW | — | — |
| Palm Beach County | 1,575,726 | ▲ 8.9% | 6,242 MW | — | 8 | 1 |
More of Florida
Hendry County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hendry County, Florida?
4 utilities have service territory in Hendry County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Lee County Electric Coop, Inc - (FL), Glades Electric Coop, Inc, City of Clewiston. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hendry County?
10 operating plants with 720 MW of capacity. The largest is Beautyberry (74 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Hendry County?
149 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 149 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Florida Power & Light Co.
Are there data centers in Hendry County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hendry County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Palm Beach County.
Is Hendry County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,747 jobs in 2025 against 11,852 in 2019 (+7.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 818 to 1,585.
Does Hendry County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Hendry County, 0 in force.