Lee County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Beattyville
Lee 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. Lee County is home to Beattyville. 6 MW of new generation is planned here across 12 units, led by Lock 14 Hydro Partners, LLC (other technologies). 3 MW of it is already under construction or built. Employers here counted 1,721 jobs in 2025, up 4.1% from 2019. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Lee County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Lee County
Lee County is home to Beattyville.
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 Lee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,365 | 7,297 | ▼ 0.9% | 111th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,654 | 1,721 | ▲ 4.1% | 59th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,819 | $45,256 | ▲ 26.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 4.3% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 6 MW | no fleet today | 16th of 17 by size |
7,297 people live here, down 0.9% since 2020.
Who powers Lee County
Utilities with service territory in Lee 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% |
| Jackson Energy Coop Corp - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 49,423 | 13.66¢ | 14% |
| Licking Valley Rural E C C | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,805 | 13.83¢ | 41% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Lee County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 12
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heidelberg Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Lock 14 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| Heidelberg Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Lock 14 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| Heidelberg Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Lock 14 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| Heidelberg Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Lock 14 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| Evelyn Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Lock 13 Hydro Partners |
| Evelyn Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Lock 13 Hydro Partners |
| Evelyn Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Lock 13 Hydro Partners |
| Evelyn Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Lock 13 Hydro Partners |
| Heidelberg Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 0 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Lock 14 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| Heidelberg Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 0 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Lock 14 Hydro Partners, LLC |
| Evelyn Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 0 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Lock 13 Hydro Partners |
| Evelyn Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 0 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Lock 13 Hydro Partners |
The Lee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,721 | $45,256 | 1.00 |
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 Lee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lee County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide.
Lee County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lee County, Estill 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 7,297 | ▲ 4.1% | — | 6 MW | — | — |
| Breathitt County | 12,558 | ▼ 6.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Estill County | 13,962 | ▼ 5.8% | 4 MW | 3 MW | — | — |
| Jackson County | 13,325 | ▲ 8.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Owsley County | 3,932 | ▲ 6.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Powell County | 12,812 | ▲ 13.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Wolfe County | 6,298 | ▲ 28.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Lee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lee County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in Lee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Jackson Energy Coop Corp - (KY), Licking Valley Rural E C C. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Lee County?
6 MW across 12 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 3 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Lock 14 Hydro Partners, LLC.
Are there data centers in Lee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lee County.
Is Lee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,721 jobs in 2025 against 1,654 in 2019 (+4.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Lee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lee County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.