Columbia County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Grovetown and Harlem, and the communities of Evans
Columbia County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in Columbia County. Columbia County is home to Grovetown and Harlem, plus the unincorporated community of Evans. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed local moratorium on data centers”. Electrical contractors employ 620, up 57.0% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $57,662 a year. Construction employs 3,061, up 21.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy.
Cities and towns in Columbia County
Columbia County is home to Grovetown and Harlem, plus the unincorporated community of Evans.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Evans, Appling, Martinez.
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 Columbia County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 156,860 | 169,189 | ▲ 7.9% | 15th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 36,432 | 42,806 | ▲ 17.5% | 27th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,677 | $50,778 | ▲ 28.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,517 | 3,061 | ▲ 21.6% | 63rd of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 395 | 620 | ▲ 57.0% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 24 | 32 | ▲ 33.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 3.3% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 42,806 jobs in 2025, up 17.5% from 2019. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 21 MW of capacity, 84% of it hydro. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Columbia County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.49¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. 169,189 people live here, up 7.9% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019.
Who powers Columbia County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Columbia 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% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 18 MW | 84% |
| Solar | 3 MW | 16% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stevens Creek | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc | Hydro | 18 MW | 1914 |
| Columbia Substation | Westbound Solar LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2020 |
| Columbia Bryson | Westbound Solar LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2018 |
The Columbia County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 42,806 | $50,778 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,061 | $66,462 | 1.35 |
| Electrical contractors | 620 | $57,662 | 2.01 |
| Data processing and hosting | 32 | $97,209 | 0.24 |
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 Columbia County
5 data centers in Columbia County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed local moratorium on data centers | Proposed | 2026-08 |
Columbia County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Columbia County, McDuffie 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | 169,189 | ▲ 17.5% | 21 MW | — | 5 | 1 |
| Edgefield County SC | 29,808 | ▲ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 8,112 | ▲ 15.9% | — | — | — | 1 |
| McCormick County SC | 10,215 | ▲ 18.2% | 362 MW | — | — | 1 |
| McDuffie County | 21,640 | ▲ 3.7% | — | 250 MW | 1 | — |
| Richmond County | 206,559 | ▼ 0.5% | 128 MW | — | 4 | 1 |
More of Georgia
Columbia County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Columbia County, Georgia?
2 utilities have service territory in Columbia County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Jefferson Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Grovetown, GA in?
Grovetown is in Columbia County, Georgia. About 17,939 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Columbia County?
3 operating plants with 21 MW of capacity. The largest is Stevens Creek (18 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Columbia County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in Columbia County.
Is Columbia County adding jobs?
Employers counted 42,806 jobs in 2025 against 36,432 in 2019 (+17.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,517 to 3,061.
Does Columbia County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Columbia County, 0 in force.