Putnam County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Palatka, Crescent City and Interlachen
Putnam County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Putnam County is home to Palatka, Crescent City, Interlachen and Pomona Park. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through September 8, 2027”. 1,556 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. 715 MW has retired here since 2019, including Seminole (FL) (coal, 715 MW, 2024). Its power plants have 2,500 MW of capacity, 47% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Putnam County
Putnam County is home to Palatka, Crescent City, Interlachen and Pomona Park.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): East Palatka.
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 Putnam County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 73,383 | 77,734 | ▲ 5.9% | 40th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,382 | 17,617 | ▲ 7.5% | 43rd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,365 | $53,849 | ▲ 36.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 5.6% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,556 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 715 MW | — |
Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. Employers here counted 17,617 jobs in 2025, up 7.5% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 126, at an average $60,169 a year. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Putnam County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024. 77,734 people live here, up 5.9% since 2020.
Who powers Putnam County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +841 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Putnam 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% |
| Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc - (FL) | Cooperative | Bundled | 171,179 | 13.09¢ | 20% |
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 9
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,183 MW | 47% |
| Coal | 715 MW | 29% |
| Solar | 522 MW | 21% |
| Other technologies | 80 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seminole (FL) | Seminole Electric Cooperative Inc | Natural gas | 1,898 MW | 1984 |
| Georgia-Pacific Palatka Operations | Georgia-Pacific Consr Ops LLC-Palatka | Other technologies | 80 MW | 1965 |
| Rice Creek | Origis Energy USA, Inc | Solar | 75 MW | 2024 |
| Coral Farms Solar Energy Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2018 |
| FPL Etonia Creek | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2023 |
| Georges Lake | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminole (FL) | Coal | 715 MW | 2024 |
The Putnam County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,617 | $53,849 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 126 | $60,169 | 0.99 |
| Power and communication line construction | 10 | $58,937 | 0.35 |
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 Putnam County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through September 8, 2027 | In force | 2026-09 |
Putnam County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Putnam County, Volusia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | 77,734 | ▲ 7.5% | 2,500 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Alachua County | 290,028 | ▲ 5.0% | 957 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Bradford County | 28,307 | ▲ 51.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 239,593 | ▲ 7.6% | 224 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Flagler County | 140,360 | ▲ 18.5% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Marion County | 442,660 | ▲ 15.2% | 1 MW | — | — | 1 |
| St. Johns County | 346,328 | ▲ 27.4% | 74 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Volusia County | 606,573 | ▲ 7.7% | 3,324 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
More of Florida
Putnam County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Putnam County, Florida?
2 utilities have service territory in Putnam County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc - (FL). The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Palatka, FL in?
Palatka is in Putnam County, Florida. About 10,872 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Putnam County?
9 operating plants with 2,500 MW of capacity. The largest is Seminole (FL) (1,898 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Putnam County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Putnam County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Alachua County.
Is Putnam County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,617 jobs in 2025 against 16,382 in 2019 (+7.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Putnam County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Putnam County, 1 in force.