White County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Carmi Township, Carmi and Indian Creek Township
White County is where a large share of Illinois's next power plants are planned. White County is home to Carmi Township, Carmi, Indian Creek Township and Enfield Township. 303 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Vesper Energy Development LLC (solar), the 8th largest pipeline among Illinois's counties. 299 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. 3 MW has retired here since 2019, including Carmi (petroleum, 3 MW, 2019). Its power plants have 312 MW of capacity, 96% of it solar.
Cities and towns in White County
White County is home to Carmi Township, Carmi, Indian Creek Township and Enfield Township.
- Grayville also extends into Edwards 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 White County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 13,807 | 13,250 | ▼ 4.0% | 78th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,245 | 4,075 | ▼ 4.0% | 72nd of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,929 | $49,505 | ▲ 30.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 3.9% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 299 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 303 MW | 97% of today's fleet | 8th of 57 by size |
Employers here counted 4,075 jobs in 2025, down 4.0% from 2019. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving White County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 13,250 people live here, down 4.0% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019.
Who powers White County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +296 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in White 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% |
| Wayne-White Counties Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,957 | 16.58¢ | 21% |
| City of Carmi - (IL) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 299 MW | 96% |
| Petroleum | 13 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boomtown Renewable Energy Center | Union Electric Co - (MO) | Solar | 150 MW | 2024 |
| Big River Solar | Big River Solar, LLC | Solar | 149 MW | 2022 |
| Carmi | City of Carmi - (IL) | Petroleum | 13 MW | 1948 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadow Springs Renewable Energy (Hybrid) | Batteries | 150 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
| Meadow Springs Renewable Energy (Hybrid) | Solar Photovoltaic | 150 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
| Norris City 2 | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Navisun LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmi | Petroleum | 3 MW | 2019 |
The White County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,075 | $49,505 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 136 | $75,678 | 0.63 |
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 White County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in White County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
White County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border White County, Gibson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White County | 13,250 | ▼ 4.0% | 312 MW | 303 MW | — | — |
| Edwards County | 5,898 | ▼ 27.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Gallatin County | 4,616 | ▼ 22.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Gibson County IN | 33,091 | ▲ 2.1% | 3,540 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Hamilton County | 7,859 | ▲ 3.0% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Posey County IN | 24,988 | ▼ 2.5% | 946 MW | 250 MW | — | — |
| Wabash County | 10,907 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 15,882 | ▲ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Illinois
White County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in White County, Illinois?
4 utilities have service territory in White County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Southeastern IL Elec Coop, Inc, Wayne-White Counties Elec Coop, City of Carmi - (IL). The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in White County?
3 operating plants with 312 MW of capacity. The largest is Boomtown Renewable Energy Center (150 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in White County?
303 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Vesper Energy Development LLC.
Are there data centers in White County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in White County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Posey County.
Is White County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,075 jobs in 2025 against 4,245 in 2019 (-4.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does White County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for White County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.