Lowndes County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Valdosta, Hahira and Lake Park
The data center boom is not abstract in Lowndes County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Lowndes County. Lowndes County is home to Valdosta, Hahira, Lake Park and Remerton. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through October 25, 2026”. 106 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 193 MW of capacity, 40% of it other technologies.
Cities and towns in Lowndes County
Lowndes County is home to Valdosta, Hahira, Lake Park and Remerton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bemiss, Clyattville, Moody AFB, Naylor.
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 Lowndes County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 118,436 | 122,867 | ▲ 3.7% | 23rd of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 49,583 | 49,349 | ▼ 0.5% | 114th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,583 | $50,032 | ▲ 29.7% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 941 | 746 | ▼ 20.7% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13 | 26 | ▲ 100.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 3.8% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 106 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Lowndes 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. Employers here counted 49,349 jobs in 2025, down 0.5% from 2019. 122,867 people live here, up 3.7% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 746, down 20.7% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $72,770 a year.
Who powers Lowndes County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +106 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lowndes 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% |
| Colquitt Electric Membership Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 65,743 | 13.20¢ | 6% |
| Slash Pine Elec Member Corp | — | — | — | — | — |
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 10
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 76 MW | 40% |
| Solar | 58 MW | 30% |
| Battery storage | 50 MW | 26% |
| Petroleum | 9 MW | 5% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moody Air Force Base Solar | Georgia Power Co | Solar | 99 MW | 2020 |
| PCA-Valdosta Mill | PCA-Valdosta Mill | Other technologies | 70 MW | 1954 |
| Pecan Row Landfill To Electric Facility | Energy Developments, Inc d/b/a EDL | Other technologies | 6 MW | 1977 |
| South Georgia Medical Center Inc | Lowndes County Hospital Authority | Petroleum | 6 MW | 2001 |
| Valdosta Water Treatment Plant | City of Valdosta - (GA) | Petroleum | 3 MW | 1993 |
| Lowndes Cowart | Madison Energy Investments LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2023 |
The Lowndes County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 49,349 | $50,032 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 746 | $72,770 | 2.10 |
| Power and communication line construction | 26 | $52,203 | 0.33 |
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 Lowndes County
1 data center in Lowndes County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through October 25, 2026 | In force | 2026-01 |
Lowndes County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Lowndes County, Madison 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowndes County | 122,867 | ▼ 0.5% | 193 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Berrien County | 18,932 | ▲ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Brooks County | 16,101 | ● 0.0% | 300 MW | — | — | — |
| Cook County | 18,232 | ▲ 1.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Echols County | 3,685 | ▼ 6.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Hamilton County FL | 14,180 | ▲ 2.8% | 174 MW | — | — | — |
| Lanier County | 10,623 | ▼ 3.2% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County FL | 18,759 | ▲ 10.1% | 224 MW | 74 MW | — | 1 |
More of Georgia
Lowndes County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lowndes County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Lowndes County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Colquitt Electric Membership Corp, Slash Pine Elec Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Valdosta, GA in?
Valdosta is in Lowndes County, Georgia. About 56,186 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Lowndes County?
10 operating plants with 193 MW of capacity. The largest is Moody Air Force Base Solar (99 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Lowndes County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Lowndes County.
Is Lowndes County adding jobs?
Employers counted 49,349 jobs in 2025 against 49,583 in 2019 (-0.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Lowndes County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Lowndes County, 1 in force.