Franklin County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lavonia, Royston and Franklin Springs
Franklin County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Electrical contractors employ 117, up 207.9% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $71,444 a year. Construction employs 303, up 81.4% since 2019. Franklin County is home to Lavonia, most of Royston (2,010 of its 2,693 residents), Franklin Springs and Carnesville. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through December 31, 2028”. 61 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly other technologies.
Cities and towns in Franklin County
Franklin County is home to Lavonia, most of Royston (2,010 of its 2,693 residents), Franklin Springs and Carnesville.
- Royston also extends into Hart County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Gumlog.
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 Franklin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 23,476 | 25,948 | ▲ 10.5% | 77th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,981 | 8,226 | ▲ 3.1% | 96th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,406 | $47,943 | ▲ 28.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 167 | 303 | ▲ 81.4% | 12th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 38 | 117 | ▲ 207.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 3.7% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 61 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
25,948 people live here, up 10.5% since 2020. Its power plants have 61 MW of capacity, 95% of it other technologies. Employers here counted 8,226 jobs in 2025, up 3.1% from 2019. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Franklin 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 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019.
Who powers Franklin County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +61 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Franklin 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% |
| Jackson Electric Member Corp - (GA) | Cooperative | Bundled | 239,558 | 11.38¢ | 28% |
| Hart Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,297 | 13.15¢ | 31% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 58 MW | 95% |
| Solar | 3 MW | 5% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRP Franklin Renewable Energy Facility | GRP Franklin Renewable Energy Facility, LLC | Other technologies | 58 MW | 2019 |
| Franklin Milliken | Safari Energy, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2020 |
The Franklin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,226 | $47,943 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 303 | $58,479 | 0.70 |
| Electrical contractors | 117 | $71,444 | 1.97 |
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 Franklin County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through December 31, 2028 | In force | 2026-09 |
Franklin County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Franklin County, Oconee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 25,948 | ▲ 3.1% | 61 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Banks County | 21,273 | ▲ 9.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Hart County | 28,639 | ▲ 24.2% | 780 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Madison County | 32,919 | ▲ 22.3% | 60 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Oconee County SC | 83,775 | ▲ 6.7% | 4,360 MW | — | — | — |
| Stephens County | 27,854 | ▼ 9.0% | 22 MW | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Franklin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Franklin County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Franklin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Jackson Electric Member Corp - (GA), Hart Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Franklin County?
2 operating plants with 61 MW of capacity. The largest is GRP Franklin Renewable Energy Facility (58 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Franklin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Franklin County.
Is Franklin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,226 jobs in 2025 against 7,981 in 2019 (+3.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 167 to 303.
Does Franklin County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Franklin County, 1 in force.