Burke County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Waynesboro
Burke County hosts some of the generating capacity Georgia runs on. Employers here counted 7,322 jobs in 2025, down 46.9% from 2019. 2,342 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly nuclear. Its power plants have 5,166 MW of capacity, 90% of it nuclear, the largest fleet in Georgia. Burke County is home to Waynesboro and Sardis. 76 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Cabokenze Energy Storage, LLC (battery storage).
Cities and towns in Burke County
Burke County is home to Waynesboro and Sardis.
- Blythe also extends into Richmond County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Gough.
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 Burke County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 24,632 | 24,408 | ▼ 0.9% | 79th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13,797 | 7,322 | ▼ 46.9% | 159th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $90,891 | $81,056 | ▼ 10.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 4.7% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2,342 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 76 MW | 1% of today's fleet | 15th of 18 by size |
Next door, Richmond County has 4 data centers. Electrical contractors employ 47, at an average $60,062 a year. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Burke 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. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019. 24,408 people live here, down 0.9% since 2020.
Who powers Burke County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2,342 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Burke 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% |
| Jefferson Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 34,490 | 13.27¢ | 12% |
| Planters Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,385 | 14.53¢ | 13% |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 4,658 MW | 90% |
| Petroleum | 318 MW | 6% |
| Solar | 191 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vogtle | Georgia Power Co | Nuclear | 4,658 MW | 1987 |
| Wilson | Georgia Power Co | Petroleum | 318 MW | 1972 |
| White Oak Solar, LLC | White Oak Solar, LLC | Solar | 76 MW | 2016 |
| Hobnail Solar | Hobnail Solar, LLC | Solar | 70 MW | 2023 |
| Bird Dog Solar | Bird Dog Solar, LLC | Solar | 40 MW | 2023 |
| Waynesboro Community Solar | Georgia Power Co | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabokenze Energy Storage | Batteries | 76 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Cabokenze Energy Storage, LLC |
The Burke County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,322 | $81,056 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 214 | $72,090 | 0.55 |
| Electrical contractors | 47 | $60,062 | 0.89 |
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 Burke County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Burke County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Richmond County.
Burke County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Burke County, Aiken 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County | 24,408 | ▼ 46.9% | 5,166 MW | 76 MW | — | — |
| Aiken County SC | 181,515 | ▲ 8.7% | 855 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Allendale County SC | 7,355 | ▼ 8.0% | 121 MW | 50 MW | 1 | — |
| Barnwell County SC | 20,653 | ▼ 12.1% | 41 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Emanuel County | 23,147 | ▲ 9.6% | 3 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 15,011 | ▲ 2.6% | 261 MW | — | — | — |
| Jenkins County | 8,843 | ▲ 26.0% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Richmond County | 206,559 | ▼ 0.5% | 128 MW | — | 4 | 1 |
| Screven County | 14,408 | ▼ 7.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Burke County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Burke County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Burke County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Jefferson Electric Member Corp, Planters Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Burke County?
7 operating plants with 5,166 MW of capacity. The largest is Vogtle (4,658 MW, nuclear).
How much new power is planned in Burke County?
76 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Cabokenze Energy Storage, LLC.
Are there data centers in Burke County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Burke County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Richmond County.
Is Burke County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,322 jobs in 2025 against 13,797 in 2019 (-46.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Burke County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Burke County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.