Washington County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Blair, Township 1 and Township 2
New generation is lining up in Washington County. Electrical contractors employ 56, up 86.7% since 2019 against up 17.5% statewide, at an average $60,636 a year. Washington County is home to Blair, Township 1, Township 2 and Township 7. Construction employs 973, up 21.0% since 2019, and construction is 2.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 100 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Lightsource Renewable Energy Asset Management, LLC (solar), the 4th largest pipeline among Nebraska's counties. Employers here counted 8,496 jobs in 2025, up 10.0% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 93 Nebraska counties).
Cities and towns in Washington County
Washington County is home to Blair, Township 1, Township 2 and Township 7.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fontanelle.
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 Washington County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,932 | 21,302 | ▲ 1.8% | 17th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,721 | 8,496 | ▲ 10.0% | 8th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $51,255 | $63,451 | ▲ 23.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 804 | 973 | ▲ 21.0% | 13th of 35 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 30 | 56 | ▲ 86.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 2.3% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 100 MW | 2000% of today's fleet | 4th of 8 by size |
5 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 2.3% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. Its power plants have 5 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Omaha Public Power District is the largest utility serving Washington County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.36¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 21,302 people live here, up 1.8% since 2020.
Who powers Washington County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +5 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Washington County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 362,918 | 12.36¢ | 48% |
| Burt County Public Power Dist | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 5 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Calhoun Community Solar | Madison Energy Investments LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2019 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Elk Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Lightsource Renewable Energy Asset Management, LLC |
The Washington County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,496 | $63,451 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 973 | $72,540 | 2.16 |
| Electrical contractors | 56 | $60,636 | 0.91 |
| Power and communication line construction | 42 | $74,732 | 3.06 |
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 Washington County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Washington County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide.
Washington County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Washington County, Douglas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 21,302 | ▲ 10.0% | 5 MW | 100 MW | — | — |
| Burt County | 6,678 | ▼ 2.9% | 4 MW | 75 MW | — | — |
| Dodge County | 38,057 | ▲ 5.8% | 178 MW | — | — | — |
| Douglas County | 606,460 | ● 0.0% | 941 MW | — | 16 | — |
| Harrison County IA | 14,623 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Pottawattamie County IA | 92,996 | ▲ 3.9% | 1,814 MW | — | 8 | — |
More of Nebraska
Washington County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Washington County, Nebraska?
2 utilities have service territory in Washington County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Omaha Public Power District, Burt County Public Power Dist. The largest, Omaha Public Power District, charged residential customers 12.36¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Washington County?
1 operating plant with 5 MW of capacity. The largest is Fort Calhoun Community Solar (5 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Washington County?
100 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Lightsource Renewable Energy Asset Management, LLC.
Are there data centers in Washington County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Washington County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Douglas County.
Is Washington County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,496 jobs in 2025 against 7,721 in 2019 (+10.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 804 to 973.
Does Washington County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Washington County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.