Oldham County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to La Grange, Crestwood and Pewee Valley
Oldham County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Oldham County, 3% of Kentucky's total. Oldham County is home to La Grange, Crestwood, Pewee Valley and Orchard Grass Hills. The Moratorium Tracker holds 2 local measures here (2 in force); the latest is “Oldham County Fiscal Court (moratorium blocking 'Project Lincoln') data center moratorium”. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Project Lincoln: OC Data Center (600 MW). Its power plants have 581 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Oldham County
Oldham County is home to La Grange, Crestwood, Pewee Valley and Orchard Grass Hills.
- Prospect also extends into Jefferson County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Buckner, Westport.
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 Oldham County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 67,705 | 70,986 | ▲ 4.8% | 11th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,320 | 16,995 | ▲ 4.1% | 58th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,316 | $66,912 | ▲ 44.5% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 176 | 156 | ▼ 11.4% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6 | 14 | ▲ 133.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.7% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 16,995 jobs in 2025, up 4.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Oldham 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. 70,986 people live here, up 4.8% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 156, down 11.4% since 2019 against up 22.8% statewide, at an average $60,219 a year.
Who powers Oldham County
Utilities with service territory in Oldham 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% |
| Louisville Gas & Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 384,902 | 12.28¢ | 42% |
| Shelby Energy Coop, Inc - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,437 | 13.21¢ | 18% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 581 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegrass Generating Station | East Kentucky Power Coop, Inc | Natural gas | 581 MW | 2002 |
The Oldham County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,995 | $66,912 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 156 | $60,219 | 1.27 |
| Data processing and hosting | 14 | $204,780 | 0.27 |
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 Oldham County
2 data centers in Oldham County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 2
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oldham County Fiscal Court (moratorium blocking 'Project Lincoln') data center moratorium | In force | 2026-07 | |
| 150-day data center moratorium | In force | 2026 |
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Lincoln: OC Data Center | cancelled | 600 MW |
Oldham County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Oldham County, Jefferson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oldham County | 70,986 | ▲ 4.1% | 581 MW | — | 2 | 2 |
| Clark County IN | 130,451 | ▲ 11.2% | 6 MW | 200 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Henry County | 16,447 | ▲ 9.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 795,222 | ▲ 2.0% | 2,489 MW | 740 MW | 18 | 1 |
| Shelby County | 51,243 | ▲ 0.6% | 2 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
| Trimble County | 8,701 | ▼ 7.5% | 2,594 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Oldham County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Oldham County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in Oldham County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Louisville Gas & Electric Co, Shelby Energy Coop, Inc - (KY). The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is La Grange, KY in?
La Grange is in Oldham County, Kentucky. About 10,669 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Oldham County?
1 operating plant with 581 MW of capacity. The largest is Bluegrass Generating Station (581 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Oldham County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Oldham County.
Is Oldham County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,995 jobs in 2025 against 16,320 in 2019 (+4.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Oldham County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 2 local measures for Oldham County, 2 in force.