Shelby County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Shelbyville and Simpsonville
Shelby County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Shelby County, 3% of Kentucky's total. Construction employs 825, up 53.1% since 2019. Shelby County is home to Shelbyville and Simpsonville. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through December 31, 2026”. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Shelby County
Shelby County is home to Shelbyville and Simpsonville.
- Pleasureville also extends into Henry 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 Shelby County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 48,245 | 51,243 | ▲ 6.2% | 20th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,428 | 16,522 | ▲ 0.6% | 83rd of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,854 | $59,195 | ▲ 41.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 539 | 825 | ▲ 53.1% | 10th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 3.7% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Shelby County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. Employers here counted 16,522 jobs in 2025, up 0.6% from 2019. 51,243 people live here, up 6.2% since 2020.
Who powers Shelby County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Shelby 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% |
| Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 60,641 | 12.32¢ | 14% |
| Salt River Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 53,479 | 10.88¢ | 23% |
| Shelby Energy Coop, Inc - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,437 | 13.21¢ | 18% |
| City of Frankfort - (KY) | Municipal | Bundled | 17,200 | 11.23¢ | 42% |
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 | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LGE-KU Solar Share Facility Simpsonville | Kentucky Utilities Co | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
The Shelby County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,522 | $59,195 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 825 | $70,836 | 0.94 |
| Data processing and hosting | 27 | $49,932 | 0.53 |
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 Shelby County
2 data centers in Shelby County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through December 31, 2026 | In force | 2026-07 |
Shelby County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Shelby 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | 51,243 | ▲ 0.6% | 2 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
| Anderson County | 25,225 | ▲ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 52,649 | ▲ 10.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Henry County | 16,447 | ▲ 9.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 795,222 | ▲ 2.0% | 2,489 MW | 740 MW | 18 | 1 |
| Oldham County | 70,986 | ▲ 4.1% | 581 MW | — | 2 | 2 |
| Spencer County | 20,998 | ▲ 10.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Shelby County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Shelby County, Kentucky?
6 utilities have service territory in Shelby County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Louisville Gas & Electric Co, Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp, Salt River Electric Coop Corp. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Shelbyville, KY in?
Shelbyville is in Shelby County, Kentucky. About 18,453 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Shelby County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is LGE-KU Solar Share Facility Simpsonville (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Shelby County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Shelby County.
Is Shelby County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,522 jobs in 2025 against 16,428 in 2019 (+0.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 539 to 825.
Does Shelby County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Shelby County, 1 in force.