Estill County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Irvine
No data center or power plant project is on record in Estill County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Estill County is home to Irvine and Ravenna. 3 MW of new generation is planned here across 6 units, led by Lock 11 Hydro Partners, LLC (other technologies). 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly hydro. Employers here counted 2,261 jobs in 2025, down 5.8% from 2019. Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 61% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Estill County
Estill County is home to Irvine and Ravenna.
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 Estill County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,156 | 13,962 | ▼ 1.4% | 78th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,401 | 2,261 | ▼ 5.8% | 107th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,709 | $48,217 | ▲ 38.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 45 | 34 | ▼ 24.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 5.2% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 3 MW | 68% of today's fleet | 17th of 17 by size |
Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Estill County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. Unemployment was 5.2% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019. 13,962 people live here, down 1.4% since 2020.
Who powers Estill County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Estill County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 450,673 | 11.85¢ | 32% |
| Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 60,641 | 12.32¢ | 14% |
| Jackson Energy Coop Corp - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 49,423 | 13.66¢ | 14% |
| Clark Energy Coop Inc - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 26,203 | 13.25¢ | 21% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 2 MW | 61% |
| Other technologies | 2 MW | 39% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matilda Hamilton Fee Hydroelectric Stati | Lock 12 Hydro Partners, LLC | Hydro | 2 MW | 2021 |
| Blue Ridge Generating | North American Biofuels, LLC | Other technologies | 2 MW | 2013 |
Planned generation 6
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KY No. 11 L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Lock 11 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| KY No. 11 L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Lock 11 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| KY No. 11 L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Lock 11 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| KY No. 11 L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Lock 11 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| KY No. 11 L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 0 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Lock 11 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| KY No. 11 L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 0 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Lock 11 Hydro Partners, LLC |
The Estill County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,261 | $48,217 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 34 | $44,525 | 0.28 |
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 Estill County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Estill County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Clark County.
Estill County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Estill County, Clark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estill County | 13,962 | ▼ 5.8% | 4 MW | 3 MW | — | — |
| Clark County | 37,888 | ▼ 7.8% | 947 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Jackson County | 13,325 | ▲ 8.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Lee County | 7,297 | ▲ 4.1% | — | 6 MW | — | — |
| Madison County | 101,696 | ▲ 6.9% | — | 100 MW | — | — |
| Powell County | 12,812 | ▲ 13.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Estill County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Estill County, Kentucky?
4 utilities have service territory in Estill County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp, Jackson Energy Coop Corp - (KY), Clark Energy Coop Inc - (KY). The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Estill County?
2 operating plants with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Matilda Hamilton Fee Hydroelectric Stati (2 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Estill County?
3 MW across 6 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Lock 11 Hydro Partners, LLC.
Are there data centers in Estill County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Estill County.
Is Estill County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,261 jobs in 2025 against 2,401 in 2019 (-5.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 45 to 34.
Does Estill County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Estill County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.