Covington County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Collins
No data center or power plant project is on record in Covington County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Covington County is home to Collins and Mount Olive. 96 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Origis Energy USA, Inc (solar). Construction employs 385, up 18.5% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 5.3% in 2019. Entergy Mississippi LLC is the largest utility serving Covington County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.21¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities.
Cities and towns in Covington County
Covington County is home to Collins and Mount Olive.
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 Covington County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 18,299 | 17,898 | ▼ 2.2% | 50th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,518 | 5,570 | ▲ 0.9% | 34th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,340 | $45,508 | ▲ 25.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 325 | 385 | ▲ 18.5% | 22nd of 45 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.3% | 3.5% | ▼ 1.8pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 96 MW | no fleet today | 11th of 14 by size |
Employers here counted 5,570 jobs in 2025, up 0.9% from 2019. 17,898 people live here, down 2.2% since 2020.
Who powers Covington County
Utilities with service territory in Covington County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Mississippi LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 384,611 | 13.21¢ | 39% |
| Mississippi Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 157,437 | 14.47¢ | 30% |
| Southern Pine Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 65,176 | 14.01¢ | 17% |
| Pearl River Valley El Pwr Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 52,077 | 14.25¢ | 18% |
| Dixie Electric Power Assn - (MS) | Cooperative | Bundled | 37,803 | 13.44¢ | 24% |
| City of Collins - (MS) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Covington County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covington (MS) | Solar Photovoltaic | 96 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | Origis Energy USA, Inc |
The Covington County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,570 | $45,508 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 385 | $60,080 | 1.30 |
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 Covington County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Covington County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Covington County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Covington County, Lamar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covington County | 17,898 | ▲ 0.9% | — | 96 MW | — | — |
| Forrest County | 79,034 | ▼ 3.9% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson Davis County | 10,941 | ▲ 37.6% | 250 MW | — | — | — |
| Jones County | 66,496 | ▲ 2.9% | 510 MW | — | — | — |
| Lamar County | 67,403 | ▲ 7.7% | 662 MW | — | — | — |
| Simpson County | 25,498 | ▼ 2.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Smith County | 13,991 | ▼ 1.3% | 148 MW | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Covington County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Covington County, Mississippi?
6 utilities have service territory in Covington County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Mississippi LLC, Mississippi Power Co, Southern Pine Electric Cooperative, Pearl River Valley El Pwr Assn. The largest, Entergy Mississippi LLC, charged residential customers 13.21¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Covington County?
96 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Origis Energy USA, Inc.
Are there data centers in Covington County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Covington County.
Is Covington County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,570 jobs in 2025 against 5,518 in 2019 (+0.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 325 to 385.
Does Covington County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Covington County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.