Webster County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Providence, Sebree and Clay
Webster County is living through the turnover of the U.S. power fleet. Webster County is home to Providence, Sebree, Clay and Dixon. Construction employs 492, down 15.2% since 2019, and construction is 3.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 501 MW has retired here since 2019, including HMP&L Station Two Henderson (coal, 405 MW, 2019). Next door, Hopkins County has 1 data center and 225 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 2,855 jobs in 2025, down 7.9% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Webster County
Webster County is home to Providence, Sebree, Clay and Dixon.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Onton, Poole.
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 Webster County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 13,021 | 12,929 | ▼ 0.7% | 83rd of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,101 | 2,855 | ▼ 7.9% | 112th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,606 | $56,024 | ▲ 15.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 580 | 492 | ▼ 15.2% | 53rd of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 411 | 334 | ▼ 18.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 4.1% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 501 MW | — |
Its power plants have 685 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Webster 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 4.1% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. 12,929 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 334, down 18.7% since 2019 against up 22.8% statewide, at an average $84,448 a year.
Who powers Webster County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −501 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Webster 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% |
| Kenergy Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 47,292 | 15.15¢ | 6% |
| City of Providence - (KY) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 685 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R D Green | Big Rivers Electric Corp | Natural gas | 586 MW | 1979 |
| Robert A Reid | Big Rivers Electric Corp | Natural gas | 99 MW | 1976 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMP&L Station Two Henderson | Coal | 405 MW | 2019 |
| Robert A Reid | Coal | 96 MW | 2020 |
The Webster County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,855 | $56,024 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 492 | $78,074 | 3.25 |
| Electrical contractors | 334 | $84,448 | 16.22 |
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 Webster County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Webster County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide.
Webster County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Webster County, Hopkins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webster County | 12,929 | ▼ 7.9% | 685 MW | — | — | — |
| Caldwell County | 12,609 | ▲ 12.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Crittenden County | 8,807 | ▼ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Henderson County | 44,255 | ▼ 3.2% | 560 MW | 51 MW | — | — |
| Hopkins County | 45,127 | ▲ 4.2% | — | 225 MW | 1 | — |
| McLean County | 9,064 | ▼ 14.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Union County | 12,839 | ▲ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Webster County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Webster County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in Webster County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Kenergy Corp, City of Providence - (KY). The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Webster County?
2 operating plants with 685 MW of capacity. The largest is R D Green (586 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Webster County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Webster County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hopkins County.
Is Webster County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,855 jobs in 2025 against 3,101 in 2019 (-7.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 580 to 492.
Does Webster County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Webster County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.