Richmond County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Augusta and Hephzibah
Richmond County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Richmond County. Richmond County and the city of Augusta share the same boundaries; Hephzibah, Blythe also lie inside it. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through September 19, 2026”. Construction employs 3,201, down 4.9% since 2019. 6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Richmond County
Richmond County and the city of Augusta share the same boundaries; Hephzibah, Blythe also lie inside it.
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 Richmond County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 206,581 | 206,559 | ● 0.0% | 11th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 104,762 | 104,220 | ▼ 0.5% | 115th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,501 | $60,399 | ▲ 27.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,365 | 3,201 | ▼ 4.9% | 86th of 97 by growth |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 85 | 92 | ▲ 8.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 4.6% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 128 MW of capacity, 36% of it other technologies. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Richmond 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. Employers here counted 104,220 jobs in 2025, down 0.5% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019. 206,559 people live here, down 0.0% since 2020.
Who powers Richmond County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Richmond 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% |
| Planters Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,385 | 14.53¢ | 13% |
| City of Sylvania - (GA) | Municipal | Bundled | 1,913 | 12.88¢ | 37% |
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 8
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 46 MW | 36% |
| Natural gas | 39 MW | 30% |
| Solar | 38 MW | 30% |
| Hydro | 6 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearwater Paper Corporation - Augusta | Clearwater Paper Corporation - Augusta | Other technologies | 85 MW | 1960 |
| Fort Gordon Solar Facility | Georgia Power Co | Solar | 30 MW | 2016 |
| Richmond County GA S2 LLC | SolRiver Capital LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2023 |
| Apalachicola | Westbound Solar LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
| Richmond Hayes Solar | Westbound Solar LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2018 |
| King Mill | Augusta Canal Authority | Hydro | 2 MW | 1944 |
The Richmond County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 104,220 | $60,399 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,201 | $68,794 | 0.58 |
| Power and communication line construction | 92 | $81,019 | 0.55 |
| Data processing and hosting | 112 | $75,872 | 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 Richmond County
4 data centers in Richmond County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through September 19, 2026 | In force | 2026-01 |
Richmond County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Richmond 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond County | 206,559 | ▼ 0.5% | 128 MW | — | 4 | 1 |
| Aiken County SC | 181,515 | ▲ 8.7% | 855 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Burke County | 24,408 | ▼ 46.9% | 5,166 MW | 76 MW | — | — |
| Columbia County | 169,189 | ▲ 17.5% | 21 MW | — | 5 | 1 |
| Edgefield County SC | 29,808 | ▲ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 15,011 | ▲ 2.6% | 261 MW | — | — | — |
| McDuffie County | 21,640 | ▲ 3.7% | — | 250 MW | 1 | — |
More of Georgia
Richmond County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Richmond County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in Richmond County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Jefferson Electric Member Corp, Planters Electric Member Corp, City of Sylvania - (GA). The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Augusta, GA in?
Augusta is in Richmond County, Georgia. About 201,999 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Richmond County?
8 operating plants with 128 MW of capacity. The largest is Clearwater Paper Corporation - Augusta (85 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Richmond County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Richmond County.
Is Richmond County adding jobs?
Employers counted 104,220 jobs in 2025 against 104,762 in 2019 (-0.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,365 to 3,201.
Does Richmond County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Richmond County, 1 in force.