Okeechobee County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Okeechobee
Okeechobee County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. 2,245 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Okeechobee County is home to Okeechobee. Construction employs 940, up 28.9% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 149 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Florida Power & Light Co (solar), the 6th largest pipeline among Florida's counties. 149 MW of it is already under construction or built. Its power plants have 2,245 MW of capacity, 77% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Okeechobee County
Okeechobee County is home to Okeechobee.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cypress Quarters, Taylor Creek.
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 Okeechobee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 39,662 | 42,608 | ▲ 7.4% | 47th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,509 | 12,437 | ▲ 8.1% | 36th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,225 | $50,053 | ▲ 34.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 729 | 940 | ▲ 28.9% | 15th of 59 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 93 | 101 | ▲ 8.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 5.3% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2,245 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 149 MW | 7% of today's fleet | 6th of 18 by size |
Next door, Palm Beach County has 8 data centers. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 12,437 jobs in 2025, up 8.1% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 101, up 8.6% since 2019 against up 16.3% statewide, at an average $55,038 a year. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Okeechobee County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024. 42,608 people live here, up 7.4% since 2020.
Who powers Okeechobee County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2,245 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Okeechobee 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% |
| 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 8
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,723 MW | 77% |
| Solar | 522 MW | 23% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okeechobee Clean Energy Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Natural gas | 1,723 MW | 2019 |
| Big Water | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2025 |
| FPL Cavendish Solar Energy Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2023 |
| Fort Drum Energy Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2021 |
| Honeybell | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
| Lakeside Solar Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tangelo | Solar Photovoltaic | 74 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Florida Power & Light Co |
| Catfish | Solar Photovoltaic | 74 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Florida Power & Light Co |
The Okeechobee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,437 | $50,053 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 940 | $56,512 | 1.43 |
| Electrical contractors | 101 | $55,038 | 1.13 |
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 Okeechobee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Okeechobee County. Florida has 45 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Hendry County, Martin County, Palm Beach County.
Okeechobee County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Okeechobee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okeechobee County | 42,608 | ▲ 8.1% | 2,245 MW | 149 MW | — | — |
| Glades County | 13,270 | ▲ 11.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Hendry County | 48,276 | ▲ 7.6% | 720 MW | 149 MW | — | 1 |
| Highlands County | 111,122 | ▲ 4.3% | 62 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Indian River County | 172,799 | ▲ 7.6% | 372 MW | 74 MW | — | — |
| Martin County | 166,272 | ▲ 11.9% | 2,746 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Osceola County | 481,718 | ▲ 18.3% | 2,720 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Palm Beach County | 1,575,726 | ▲ 8.9% | 6,242 MW | — | 8 | 1 |
| Polk County | 874,790 | ▲ 16.1% | 6,676 MW | 112 MW | 5 | — |
| St. Lucie County | 402,449 | ▲ 15.2% | 3,465 MW | 74 MW | — | — |
More of Florida
Okeechobee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Okeechobee County, Florida?
2 utilities have service territory in Okeechobee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Glades Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Okeechobee County?
8 operating plants with 2,245 MW of capacity. The largest is Okeechobee Clean Energy Center (1,723 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Okeechobee 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 Okeechobee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Okeechobee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Palm Beach County.
Is Okeechobee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,437 jobs in 2025 against 11,509 in 2019 (+8.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 729 to 940.
Does Okeechobee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Okeechobee County. Florida has 45 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.