Meade County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Brandenburg and Muldraugh
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Meade County. Construction employs 779, up 91.9% since 2019, and construction is 2.7 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Meade County is home to Brandenburg and Muldraugh. The Moratorium Tracker holds 2 local measures here (2 in force); the latest is “Temporary moratorium (Ordinance 2025-07)”. Employers here counted 5,372 jobs in 2025, up 25.3% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 120 Kentucky counties). 2 projects are on the Delay Watchlist, including Meade County 138-Acre Data Center Rezoning (denied).
Cities and towns in Meade County
Meade County is home to Brandenburg and Muldraugh.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Doe Valley, Fort Knox.
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 Meade County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 30,030 | 30,699 | ▲ 2.2% | 34th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,289 | 5,372 | ▲ 25.3% | 7th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,323 | $61,881 | ▲ 61.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 406 | 779 | ▲ 91.9% | 5th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 4.4% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 200 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
200 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 200 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Louisville Gas & Electric Co is the largest utility serving Meade County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.28¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019. 30,699 people live here, up 2.2% since 2020.
Who powers Meade County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +200 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Meade County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville Gas & Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 384,902 | 12.28¢ | 42% |
| Nolin Rural Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,855 | 13.08¢ | 16% |
| Meade County Rural E C C | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,248 | 14.27¢ | 10% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 200 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green River Solar | Green River Solar, LLC | Solar | 200 MW | 2025 |
The Meade County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,372 | $61,881 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 779 | $72,792 | 2.74 |
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 Meade County
Local measures 2
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary moratorium (Ordinance 2025-07) | In force | 2026-01 | |
| Meade County (moratorium) data center moratorium | In force | 2026-01 |
Delay Watchlist 2
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meade County 138-Acre Data Center Rezoning (denied) | rezoning denied | — | ||
| Thomas A. Hobbs Living Trust (applicant) Meade County | cancelled | — |
Meade County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Meade County, Breckinridge 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meade County | 30,699 | ▲ 25.3% | 200 MW | — | — | 2 |
| Breckinridge County | 21,503 | ▲ 8.8% | — | 300 MW | — | 1 |
| Crawford County IN | 10,509 | ▲ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Hardin County | 113,482 | ▲ 1.5% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Harrison County IN | 40,437 | ▼ 1.7% | 1 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Perry County IN | 19,389 | ▼ 2.5% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Meade County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Meade County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in Meade County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Louisville Gas & Electric Co, Nolin Rural Electric Coop Corp, Meade County Rural E C C. The largest, Louisville Gas & Electric Co, charged residential customers 12.28¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Meade County?
1 operating plant with 200 MW of capacity. The largest is Green River Solar (200 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Meade County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Meade County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Breckinridge County.
Is Meade County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,372 jobs in 2025 against 4,289 in 2019 (+25.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 406 to 779.
Does Meade County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 2 local measures for Meade County, 2 in force.