Talbot County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Box Springs
No data center or power plant project is on record in Talbot County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 270, up 32.4% since 2019, and construction is 5.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Talbot County is home to Talbotton. Employers here counted 984 jobs in 2025, up 24.1% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 159 Georgia counties). 262 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Oglethorpe Power Corporation (natural gas), the 5th largest pipeline among Georgia's counties. Next door, Muscogee County has 3 data centers.
Cities and towns in Talbot County
Talbot County is home to Talbotton.
- Manchester also extends into Meriwether County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Box Springs.
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 Talbot County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,729 | 5,709 | ▼ 0.3% | 148th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 793 | 984 | ▲ 24.1% | 9th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,787 | $51,045 | ▲ 46.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 204 | 270 | ▲ 32.4% | 49th of 97 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 4.1% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 65 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 262 MW | 33% of today's fleet | 5th of 18 by size |
Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019. Its power plants have 791 MW of capacity, 92% of it natural gas. 65 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Talbot 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. 5,709 people live here, down 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers Talbot County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +65 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Talbot 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% |
| Flint Electric Membership Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 83,739 | 13.57¢ | 26% |
| Upson 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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 726 MW | 92% |
| Battery storage | 65 MW | 8% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talbot County Energy | Oglethorpe Power Corporation | Natural gas | 726 MW | 2002 |
| Mossy Branch Battery Facility | Georgia Power Co | Battery storage | 65 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talbot County Energy | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 262 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Oglethorpe Power Corporation |
The Talbot County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 984 | $51,045 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 270 | $59,737 | 5.18 |
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 Talbot County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Talbot County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Meriwether County.
Talbot County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Talbot County, Upson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talbot County | 5,709 | ▲ 24.1% | 791 MW | 262 MW | — | — |
| Chattahoochee County | 8,465 | ▼ 12.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Harris County | 37,280 | ▲ 26.6% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Marion County | 7,676 | ▲ 17.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Meriwether County | 21,516 | ▲ 14.0% | 6 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Muscogee County | 202,171 | ▼ 5.6% | 91 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Taylor County | 7,818 | ▼ 13.6% | 414 MW | — | — | — |
| Upson County | 28,500 | ▲ 7.9% | 705 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Georgia
Talbot County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Talbot County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Talbot County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Flint Electric Membership Corp, Upson Elec Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Talbot County?
2 operating plants with 791 MW of capacity. The largest is Talbot County Energy (726 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Talbot County?
262 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Oglethorpe Power Corporation.
Are there data centers in Talbot County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Talbot County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Muscogee County.
Is Talbot County adding jobs?
Employers counted 984 jobs in 2025 against 793 in 2019 (+24.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 204 to 270.
Does Talbot County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Talbot County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.