Lee County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Leesburg
Lee County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Construction employs 966, up 29.8% since 2019, and construction is 2.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Lee County is home to Leesburg and Smithville. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Lee County (moratorium extension + dedicated data center zoning district), GA data center moratorium (proposed”. Employers here counted 7,583 jobs in 2025, up 12.9% from 2019. 290 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Lee County
Lee County is home to Leesburg and Smithville.
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 Lee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 33,211 | 34,179 | ▲ 2.9% | 58th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,715 | 7,583 | ▲ 12.9% | 42nd of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,676 | $48,440 | ▲ 32.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 744 | 966 | ▲ 29.8% | 53rd of 97 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 2.9% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 290 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 290 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Lee County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.49¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. 34,179 people live here, up 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Lee County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +290 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lee 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% |
| Albany Utility Board | Municipal | Bundled | 29,517 | 12.87¢ | 59% |
| Mitchell Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,293 | 16.01¢ | 35% |
| Sumter Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,049 | 14.14¢ | 29% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 290 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR DeSoto I, LLC | SR DeSoto I, LLC | Solar | 165 MW | 2022 |
| SR DeSoto II | SR DeSoto II, LLC | Solar | 65 MW | 2023 |
| SR DeSoto III | SR DeSoto III, LLC | Solar | 60 MW | 2023 |
The Lee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,583 | $48,440 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 966 | $59,953 | 2.40 |
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 Lee County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County (moratorium extension + dedicated data center zoning district), GA data center moratorium (proposed) | Proposed | 2026-06 |
Lee County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Lee County, Crisp 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 34,179 | ▲ 12.9% | 290 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Crisp County | 19,237 | ▲ 0.2% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Dougherty County | 82,616 | ▼ 6.4% | 223 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Sumter County | 28,801 | ▼ 12.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Terrell County | 8,656 | ▲ 0.3% | 78 MW | — | — | — |
| Worth County | 20,059 | ▼ 1.6% | 40 MW | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Lee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lee County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in Lee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Albany Utility Board, Mitchell Electric Member Corp, Sumter Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Lee County?
3 operating plants with 290 MW of capacity. The largest is SR DeSoto I, LLC (165 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Lee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Crisp County.
Is Lee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,583 jobs in 2025 against 6,715 in 2019 (+12.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 744 to 966.
Does Lee County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Lee County, 0 in force.