Indian River County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sebastian, Vero Beach and Fellsmere
Indian River 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. Indian River County is home to Sebastian, Vero Beach, Fellsmere and Indian River Shores. 74 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Florida Power & Light Co (solar). 74 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 4,982, up 13.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Brevard County has 2 data centers. Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Indian River County
Indian River County is home to Sebastian, Vero Beach, Fellsmere and Indian River Shores.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Florida Ridge, Gifford, Roseland, South Beach, Vero Beach South, Vero Lake Estates, Wabasso, Wabasso Beach, West Vero Corridor, Windsor, Winter Beach.
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 Indian River County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 160,454 | 172,799 | ▲ 7.7% | 31st of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 53,518 | 57,576 | ▲ 7.6% | 40th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,902 | $63,352 | ▲ 44.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,376 | 4,982 | ▲ 13.8% | 38th of 59 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 413 | 466 | ▲ 12.8% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 53 | 164 | ▲ 209.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 5.6% | ▲ 1.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 224 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 74 MW | 20% of today's fleet | 16th of 18 by size |
224 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Electrical contractors employ 466, up 12.8% since 2019 against up 16.3% statewide, at an average $60,402 a year. Employers here counted 57,576 jobs in 2025, up 7.6% from 2019. Its power plants have 372 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Indian River County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024. 172,799 people live here, up 7.7% since 2020.
Who powers Indian River County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +224 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Indian River 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% |
| Peace River Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 57,589 | 12.35¢ | 31% |
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 | 372 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cypress Solar Energy Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2018 |
| Grove | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2022 |
| Indian River Solar Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2018 |
| Orange Blossom Solar Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2021 |
| Turnpike | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambersweet | Solar Photovoltaic | 74 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Florida Power & Light Co |
The Indian River County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 57,576 | $63,352 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 4,982 | $61,140 | 1.63 |
| Electrical contractors | 466 | $60,402 | 1.12 |
| Data processing and hosting | 164 | $113,809 | 0.92 |
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 Indian River County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Indian River County. Florida has 45 local measures on record statewide.
Indian River County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Indian River County, Brevard 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian River County | 172,799 | ▲ 7.6% | 372 MW | 74 MW | — | — |
| Brevard County | 663,982 | ▲ 9.5% | 3,705 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Okeechobee County | 42,608 | ▲ 8.1% | 2,245 MW | 149 MW | — | — |
| Osceola County | 481,718 | ▲ 18.3% | 2,720 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| St. Lucie County | 402,449 | ▲ 15.2% | 3,465 MW | 74 MW | — | — |
More of Florida
Indian River County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Indian River County, Florida?
2 utilities have service territory in Indian River County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Peace River Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Sebastian, FL in?
Sebastian is in Indian River County, Florida. About 27,352 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Vero Beach, FL in?
Vero Beach is in Indian River County, Florida. About 17,603 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Indian River County?
5 operating plants with 372 MW of capacity. The largest is Blue Cypress Solar Energy Center (74 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Indian River County?
74 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 74 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Florida Power & Light Co.
Are there data centers in Indian River County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Indian River County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Brevard County.
Is Indian River County adding jobs?
Employers counted 57,576 jobs in 2025 against 53,518 in 2019 (+7.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,376 to 4,982.
Does Indian River County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Indian River County. Florida has 45 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.