Bleckley County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cochran
Bleckley 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. Bleckley County is home to Cochran. Employers here counted 3,278 jobs in 2025, up 23.9% from 2019 (the 10th fastest growth of 159 Georgia counties). Next door, Twiggs County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019. 4 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Bleckley County
Bleckley County is home to Cochran.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Empire.
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 Bleckley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,515 | 12,866 | ▲ 2.8% | 113th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,645 | 3,278 | ▲ 23.9% | 10th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,745 | $48,008 | ▲ 51.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 3.4% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Bleckley County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.49¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. 12,866 people live here, up 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Bleckley County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +4 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Bleckley County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 2,452,488 | 15.49¢ | 39% |
| Oconee Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,743 | 15.71¢ | 15% |
| Ocmulgee Electric Member Corp | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 4 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coody Cochran | Westbound Solar LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2019 |
| Arnold Cochran | Westbound Solar LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2020 |
The Bleckley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,278 | $48,008 | 1.00 |
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 Bleckley County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bleckley County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide.
Bleckley County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Bleckley County, Laurens 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bleckley County | 12,866 | ▲ 23.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Dodge County | 19,663 | ▼ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Houston County | 178,214 | ▲ 4.0% | 577 MW | — | — | — |
| Laurens County | 51,041 | ▲ 8.6% | 86 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Pulaski County | 10,172 | ▲ 3.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Twiggs County | 7,597 | ▼ 41.7% | 227 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Wilkinson County | 8,650 | ▼ 23.6% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Bleckley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bleckley County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Bleckley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Oconee Electric Member Corp, Ocmulgee Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Bleckley County?
2 operating plants with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Coody Cochran (3 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Bleckley County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bleckley County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Twiggs County.
Is Bleckley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,278 jobs in 2025 against 2,645 in 2019 (+23.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Bleckley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bleckley County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.