Emanuel County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Swainsboro and Twin City
New generation is lining up in Emanuel County. Construction employs 198, up 54.7% since 2019. Emanuel County is home to Swainsboro, Twin City and Oak Park. Electrical contractors employ 18, up 50.0% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $51,020 a year. 150 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Samsung C&T Renewables, LLC (solar), the 9th largest pipeline among Georgia's counties. Employers here counted 7,229 jobs in 2025, up 9.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Emanuel County
Emanuel County is home to Swainsboro, Twin City and Oak Park.
- Adrian also extends into Johnson County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Canoochee, Norristown.
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 Emanuel County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 22,876 | 23,147 | ▲ 1.2% | 82nd of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,595 | 7,229 | ▲ 9.6% | 55th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,050 | $46,845 | ▲ 33.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 128 | 198 | ▲ 54.7% | 24th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12 | 18 | ▲ 50.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 3.7% | ▼ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 150 MW | 5172% of today's fleet | 9th of 18 by size |
Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Its power plants have 3 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Emanuel County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.49¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. 23,147 people live here, up 1.2% since 2020.
Who powers Emanuel County
Utilities with service territory in Emanuel 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% |
| Canoochee Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,180 | 13.98¢ | 20% |
| Excelsior Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,422 | 13.61¢ | 34% |
| Altamaha Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,628 | 16.04¢ | 58% |
| Planters Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,385 | 14.53¢ | 13% |
| Washington Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,200 | 14.68¢ | 15% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 3 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Power at Swainsboro | Luminace Solar Georgia 2, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2017 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conez Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 150 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Samsung C&T Renewables, LLC |
The Emanuel County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,229 | $46,845 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 198 | $49,923 | 0.52 |
| Electrical contractors | 18 | $51,020 | 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 Emanuel County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Emanuel County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Bulloch County, Candler County.
Emanuel County and its neighbors
Of the 11 counties that border Emanuel County, Burke 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emanuel County | 23,147 | ▲ 9.6% | 3 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Bulloch County | 86,949 | ▲ 11.1% | 15 MW | — | 2 | 2 |
| Burke County | 24,408 | ▼ 46.9% | 5,166 MW | 76 MW | — | — |
| Candler County | 11,275 | ▼ 2.9% | 51 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Jefferson County | 15,011 | ▲ 2.6% | 261 MW | — | — | — |
| Jenkins County | 8,843 | ▲ 26.0% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Johnson County | 9,310 | ▼ 8.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Laurens County | 51,041 | ▲ 8.6% | 86 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 8,635 | ▼ 3.6% | 330 MW | — | — | — |
| Tattnall County | 24,376 | ▼ 3.4% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Toombs County | 27,545 | ▲ 0.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Treutlen County | 6,466 | ▲ 6.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Emanuel County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Emanuel County, Georgia?
7 utilities have service territory in Emanuel County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Jefferson Electric Member Corp, Canoochee Electric Member Corp, Excelsior Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Emanuel County?
1 operating plant with 3 MW of capacity. The largest is Georgia Power at Swainsboro (3 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Emanuel County?
150 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Samsung C&T Renewables, LLC.
Are there data centers in Emanuel County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Emanuel County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Bulloch County.
Is Emanuel County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,229 jobs in 2025 against 6,595 in 2019 (+9.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 128 to 198.
Does Emanuel County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Emanuel County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.