Jefferson County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fairbury
No data center or power plant project is on record in Jefferson County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Jefferson County is home to Fairbury. 50 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Steele Flats Energy Storage, LLC (battery storage), the 6th largest pipeline among Nebraska's counties. 50 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 192, up 8.5% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 37, up 12.1% since 2019 against up 17.5% statewide, at an average $70,368 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Jefferson County
Jefferson County is home to Fairbury.
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 Jefferson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,260 | 7,070 | ▼ 2.6% | 41st of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,286 | 3,419 | ▲ 4.0% | 20th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,750 | $49,827 | ▲ 32.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 177 | 192 | ▲ 8.5% | 26th of 35 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 33 | 37 | ▲ 12.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 2.5% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 50 MW | 63% of today's fleet | 6th of 8 by size |
Employers here counted 3,419 jobs in 2025, up 4.0% from 2019. Its power plants have 79 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Norris Public Power District is the largest utility serving Jefferson County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 9.61¢/kWh in 2024, below the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 7,070 people live here, down 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Jefferson County
Utilities with service territory in Jefferson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norris Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 18,387 | 9.61¢ | 14% |
| Village of Endicott - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Fairbury | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Reynolds - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 79 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steele Flats Wind Project LLC | Steele Flats Wind Project LLC | Wind | 79 MW | 2013 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steele Flats Energy Storage | Batteries | 50 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Steele Flats Energy Storage, LLC |
The Jefferson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,419 | $49,827 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 192 | $59,567 | 1.06 |
| Electrical contractors | 37 | $70,368 | 1.50 |
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 Jefferson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jefferson County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Fillmore County, Gage County.
Jefferson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Jefferson County, Republic 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 7,070 | ▲ 4.0% | 79 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Fillmore County | 5,458 | ▲ 8.8% | 7 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Gage County | 21,711 | ▼ 2.2% | 247 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Republic County KS | 4,640 | ▲ 5.3% | 653 MW | 6 MW | — | — |
| Saline County | 14,996 | ▼ 5.4% | 311 MW | — | — | — |
| Thayer County | 4,842 | ▼ 3.5% | 59 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County KS | 5,533 | ▲ 0.4% | 99 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Jefferson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jefferson County, Nebraska?
4 utilities have service territory in Jefferson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Norris Public Power District, Village of Endicott - (NE), City of Fairbury, Village of Reynolds - (NE). The largest, Norris Public Power District, charged residential customers 9.61¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Jefferson County?
1 operating plant with 79 MW of capacity. The largest is Steele Flats Wind Project LLC (79 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Jefferson County?
50 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 50 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Steele Flats Energy Storage, LLC.
Are there data centers in Jefferson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jefferson County.
Is Jefferson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,419 jobs in 2025 against 3,286 in 2019 (+4.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 177 to 192.
Does Jefferson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jefferson County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.