Saline County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Harrisburg Township, Harrisburg and East Eldorado Township
Saline County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Construction employs 528, up 113.8% since 2019. Saline County is home to Harrisburg Township, Harrisburg, East Eldorado Township and Eldorado. 4 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by SV CSG Angelly 1, LLC (solar). 4 MW of it is already under construction or built. 270 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 8,189 jobs in 2025, up 7.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Saline County
Saline County is home to Harrisburg Township, Harrisburg, East Eldorado Township and Eldorado.
- Stonefort also extends into Williamson County.
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 Saline County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 23,741 | 22,772 | ▼ 4.1% | 52nd of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,651 | 8,189 | ▲ 7.0% | 14th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,009 | $49,732 | ▲ 30.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 247 | 528 | ▲ 113.8% | 1st of 56 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 4.0% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 270 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 4 MW | 1% of today's fleet | 49th of 57 by size |
Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019. Its power plants have 270 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 144, at an average $96,135 a year. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Saline County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 22,772 people live here, down 4.1% since 2020.
Who powers Saline County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +270 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Saline County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ameren Illinois Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,060,894 | 15.26¢ | 28% |
| Southeastern IL Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,731 | 14.47¢ | 12% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 270 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eldorado Solar I | Sol Systems | Solar | 150 MW | 2025 |
| Eldorado Solar II | Sol Systems | Solar | 120 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SV CSG Angelly 1 | Solar Photovoltaic | 4 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | SV CSG Angelly 1, LLC |
The Saline County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,189 | $49,732 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 528 | $88,893 | 1.22 |
| Electrical contractors | 144 | $96,135 | 2.44 |
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 Saline County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Saline County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Saline County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Saline County, Williamson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saline County | 22,772 | ▲ 7.0% | 270 MW | 4 MW | — | — |
| Franklin County | 36,916 | ▲ 0.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Gallatin County | 4,616 | ▼ 22.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Hamilton County | 7,859 | ▲ 3.0% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Hardin County | 3,588 | ▲ 21.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Johnson County | 13,363 | ▲ 17.2% | — | 36 MW | — | — |
| Pope County | 3,672 | ▼ 9.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Williamson County | 67,225 | ▲ 4.7% | 266 MW | 12 MW | — | — |
More of Illinois
Saline County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Saline County, Illinois?
2 utilities have service territory in Saline County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Southeastern IL Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Saline County?
2 operating plants with 270 MW of capacity. The largest is Eldorado Solar I (150 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Saline County?
4 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 4 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is SV CSG Angelly 1, LLC.
Are there data centers in Saline County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Saline County.
Is Saline County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,189 jobs in 2025 against 7,651 in 2019 (+7.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 247 to 528.
Does Saline County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Saline County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.