Highlands County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sebring, Avon Park and Lake Placid
New generation is lining up in Highlands County. Highlands County is home to Sebring, Avon Park and Lake Placid. 150 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Placid Solar, LLC (solar), the 4th largest pipeline among Florida's counties. 75 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 6.8% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019. Construction employs 1,680, up 16.7% since 2019. 67 MW has retired here since 2019, including Avon Park (natural gas, 34 MW, 2020).
Cities and towns in Highlands County
Highlands County is home to Sebring, Avon Park and Lake Placid.
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 Highlands County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 101,341 | 111,122 | ▲ 9.7% | 36th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 27,515 | 28,704 | ▲ 4.3% | 55th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,661 | $50,263 | ▲ 40.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,439 | 1,680 | ▲ 16.7% | 32nd of 59 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 6.8% | ▲ 2.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 62 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 67 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 150 MW | 240% of today's fleet | 4th of 18 by size |
62 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 28,704 jobs in 2025, up 4.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 62 MW of capacity, 72% of it solar. 111,122 people live here, up 9.7% since 2020. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Highlands County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Highlands County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −5 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Highlands 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% |
| Peace River Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 57,589 | 12.35¢ | 31% |
| Glades Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,456 | 16.59¢ | 12% |
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 | 45 MW | 72% |
| Battery storage | 17 MW | 28% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Placid Solar Power Plant | Duke Energy Florida, LLC | Battery storage | 62 MW | 2019 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Solar South | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Placid Solar, LLC |
| Highland Solar North | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Placid Solar II, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avon Park | Natural gas | 34 MW | 2020 |
| Avon Park | Petroleum | 34 MW | 2020 |
The Highlands County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 28,704 | $50,263 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,680 | $54,839 | 1.10 |
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 Highlands County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Highlands County. Florida has 45 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: DeSoto County.
Highlands County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Highlands County, Polk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands County | 111,122 | ▲ 4.3% | 62 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Charlotte County | 217,212 | ▲ 17.4% | 236 MW | — | — | — |
| DeSoto County | 37,078 | ▲ 6.1% | 625 MW | 149 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Glades County | 13,270 | ▲ 11.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Hardee County | 25,932 | ▲ 6.3% | 2,201 MW | — | — | — |
| Okeechobee County | 42,608 | ▲ 8.1% | 2,245 MW | 149 MW | — | — |
| Osceola County | 481,718 | ▲ 18.3% | 2,720 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Polk County | 874,790 | ▲ 16.1% | 6,676 MW | 112 MW | 5 | — |
More of Florida
Highlands County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Highlands County, Florida?
4 utilities have service territory in Highlands County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Duke Energy Florida, LLC, Peace River Electric Coop, Inc, Glades Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Sebring, FL in?
Sebring is in Highlands County, Florida. About 12,059 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Avon Park, FL in?
Avon Park is in Highlands County, Florida. About 10,514 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Highlands County?
1 operating plant with 62 MW of capacity. The largest is Lake Placid Solar Power Plant (62 MW, battery storage).
How much new power is planned in Highlands County?
150 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 75 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Placid Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Highlands County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Highlands County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Polk County.
Is Highlands County adding jobs?
Employers counted 28,704 jobs in 2025 against 27,515 in 2019 (+4.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,439 to 1,680.
Does Highlands County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Highlands County. Florida has 45 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.