Power Supply Chain and Demand in North Carolina
Vertically integrated utilities run most of North Carolina's grid. 2,125 MW of new generation is planned in North Carolina, 859 MW of it under construction or built and awaiting operation, against 698 MW of planned retirements through 2030. 84 data centers are identified in the state, with 515 MW of data center load in tracked grid queues. Residential electricity averaged 14.94¢/kWh in 2026 through July, +9.0% from a year earlier. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, and construction employment is +27.8% against August 2019. The SAVRN trackers hold 62 local moratoria or restrictions for North Carolina across all statuses (53 in force) and 14 named projects on the Delay Watchlist.
What the build-out changed in North Carolina
North Carolina is building power faster than most states, and the jobs data shows it. Construction employment is +27.8% against August 2019, 6th of 48 states where BLS publishes it. The data center industry now accounts for 2.2% of North Carolina's economy, the 16th largest share of any state (the median state is 1.8%), counting the industry's in-state suppliers and payrolls. Developers have announced $42.4B of data center capital in North Carolina, 11th among the 31 states with a disclosed figure. Pushback is organized: the SAVRN trackers hold 62 local moratoria or restrictions in North Carolina, 4th in the country. Factory employment is the exception: manufacturing jobs are -5.9% against August 2019.
Then and now
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction jobs (Aug 2019 → Aug 2026) | 232.6k | 297.3k | ▲ 27.8% | 6th of 48 |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 30,504 | 36,521 | ▲ 19.7% | 26th of 48 |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,325 | 12,563 | ▲ 21.7% | 26th of 44 |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9,979 | 12,554 | ▲ 25.8% | 32nd of 46 |
| Unemployment rate (Feb 2020 → Aug 2026) | 3.8% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Residential price, ¢/kWh (YTD Jul 2025 → 2026) | 13.71¢ | 14.94¢ | ▲ 9.0% | 16th of 51 |
| Generation fleet → planned additions | 40.0 GW operating | 2.1 GW planned | 5% of fleet | 43rd of 51 |
Where North Carolina ranks among 51
1st = the most. Ranks cover every state and DC that publishes the figure.
Among its neighbors, North Carolina leads on construction jobs vs. 2019 (+27.8%), ahead of Tennessee (+27.6%).
County spotlight
Mecklenburg County holds the most data centers on record in North Carolina (26), and its electrical contractor workforce changed +14.4% since 2019 to 4,799 jobs. The largest share of planned generation sits in Gaston County: 240 MW, led by Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (battery storage). The fastest-growing electrical trade market is Randolph County, where contractor jobs grew 198.1% to 617.
Where North Carolina sits in the power system
- Grid operator
- Non-RTO (utility-run)
- Operating capacity
- 40.0 GW
- Planned generation
- 2,125 MW
- Under construction or built
- 859 MW
- Data centers identified
- 84
- Data center load in queues
- 515 MW
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 3.5%
- Residential price change
- +9.0%
Neighboring states are shaded. Select one to open its page.
North Carolina, county by county
100 counties in North Carolina. Planned generation sits in 30 of them, data centers stand in 20, and local measures are on record in 28. Pick a layer, then select a county for its full record.
County leaders
Counties on record 74
| County | Data centers | Planned MW | Building MW | Lead developer | Electrical contractor jobs | Change 2019–25 | Local measures | Watchlist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County | 26 | 2 MW | 2 MW | McDowell Creek Solar LLC | 4,799 | ▲ 14.4% | — | — | |
| Wake County | 12 | 56 MW | 56 MW | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | 5,133 | ▲ 19.5% | — | 2 | |
| Catawba County | 12 | 50 MW | 50 MW | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 415 | ▲ 34.3% | — | — | |
| Durham County | 9 | — | — | — | 995 | ▼ 20.5% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Caldwell County | 4 | — | — | — | 181 | ▲ 66.1% | — | — | |
| Rutherford County | 3 | 60 MW | — | Ecoplexus, Inc | 406 | ▼ 25.9% | — | — | |
| Buncombe County | 3 | 57 MW | 57 MW | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 1,594 | ▲ 18.8% | — | — | |
| Forsyth County | 2 | — | — | — | 934 | ▼ 5.2% | 2 (1 in force) | — | |
| Person County | 1 | 80 MW | — | Cypress Creek Renewables | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Guilford County | 1 | 40 MW | 40 MW | West River Solar, LLC | 2,235 | ▲ 12.7% | 1 (0 in force) | — | |
| Alamance County | 1 | 35 MW | 35 MW | Quaker Creek Farm Solar, LLC | 582 | ▼ 0.9% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Union County | 1 | 12 MW | 12 MW | North Carolina El Member Corp | 990 | ▼ 6.2% | — | — | |
| Cabarrus County | 1 | — | — | — | 581 | ▲ 2.8% | — | — | |
| Cleveland County | 1 | — | — | — | 395 | — | — | — | |
| Lee County | 1 | — | — | — | 172 | — | 1 (1 in force) | 1 | |
| Richmond County | 1 | — | — | — | 146 | ▼ 3.3% | — | — | |
| Transylvania County | 1 | — | — | — | 129 | ▲ 84.3% | — | — | |
| Polk County | 1 | — | — | — | 41 | ▲ 57.7% | — | — | |
| Cherokee County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Jackson County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Gaston County | — | 240 MW | 73 MW | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 704 | ▲ 41.6% | — | — | |
| Jones County | — | 224 MW | — | Cypress Creek Renewables | 34 | ▲ 240.0% | — | — | |
| Halifax County | — | 173 MW | 80 MW | CleanChoice Energy | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Scotland County | — | 160 MW | 80 MW | Headwater Energy, LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Davidson County | — | 135 MW | — | Cypress Creek Renewables | 427 | ▲ 28.2% | 1 (0 in force) | — | |
| Duplin County | — | 123 MW | 11 MW | Cypress Creek Renewables | 172 | ▲ 36.5% | — | — | |
| Robeson County | — | 108 MW | — | AES Clean Energy | — | — | — | — | |
| Bladen County | — | 80 MW | 80 MW | Headwater Energy, LLC | 35 | ▼ 31.4% | — | — | |
| Wayne County | — | 80 MW | — | Cypress Creek Renewables | — | — | — | — | |
| Edgecombe County | — | 75 MW | 75 MW | Invenergy Services LLC | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Johnston County | — | 73 MW | — | Capital Power Corporation | 864 | ▲ 66.2% | — | — | |
| Davie County | — | 60 MW | 60 MW | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Lincoln County | — | 54 MW | — | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 264 | ▲ 43.5% | — | — | |
| Hoke County | — | 40 MW | 40 MW | Headwater Energy, LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Stokes County | — | 34 MW | 34 MW | Bear Branch Solar LLC | 66 | — | 1 (0 in force) | 1 | |
| Columbus County | — | 25 MW | 25 MW | Headwater Energy, LLC | 85 | ▲ 269.6% | 1 (0 in force) | — | |
| Wilson County | — | 20 MW | 20 MW | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | 351 | — | — | — | |
| Pasquotank County | — | 12 MW | 12 MW | Headwater Energy, LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Iredell County | — | 10 MW | 10 MW | Dill Holdings LLC | 682 | ▼ 21.4% | — | — | |
| Bertie County | — | 4 MW | 4 MW | North Carolina El Member Corp | — | — | — | — | |
| Burke County | — | 3 MW | 3 MW | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Cumberland County | — | — | — | — | 1,034 | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| New Hanover County | — | — | — | — | 963 | ▲ 24.4% | — | — | |
| Pitt County | — | — | — | — | 745 | ▲ 22.7% | — | — | |
| Randolph County | — | — | — | — | 617 | ▲ 198.1% | — | — | |
| Lenoir County | — | — | — | — | 551 | ▲ 17.7% | — | — | |
| Chatham County | — | — | — | — | 493 | ▲ 127.2% | 1 (1 in force) | 2 | |
| Nash County | — | — | — | — | 481 | ▲ 12.1% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Rowan County | — | — | — | — | 387 | ▲ 10.3% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Henderson County | — | — | — | — | 340 | ▲ 30.8% | 1 (0 in force) | — | |
| Harnett County | — | — | — | — | 327 | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Yadkin County | — | — | — | — | 230 | ▼ 2.5% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Carteret County | — | — | — | — | 218 | — | — | — | |
| Stanly County | — | — | — | — | 147 | — | — | — | |
| Haywood County | — | — | — | — | 131 | — | — | — | |
| Craven County | — | — | — | — | 117 | — | — | — | |
| Alexander County | — | — | — | — | 79 | ▼ 23.3% | — | — | |
| Sampson County | — | — | — | — | 72 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | |
| Beaufort County | — | — | — | — | 63 | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | |
| Montgomery County | — | — | — | — | 40 | ▲ 73.9% | — | — | |
| Madison County | — | — | — | — | 30 | ▲ 66.7% | 1 (0 in force) | — | |
| Yancey County | — | — | — | — | 24 | ▲ 84.6% | — | — | |
| Martin County | — | — | — | — | 18 | — | — | — | |
| Hertford County | — | — | — | — | 16 | ▼ 42.9% | — | — | |
| Swain County | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Anson County | — | — | — | — | 11 | ● 0.0% | — | — | |
| Warren County | — | — | — | — | 10 | ▼ 37.5% | — | — | |
| Orange County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Surry County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Watauga County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Clay County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Gates County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | 1 | |
| Northampton County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 (2 in force) | — | |
| McDowell County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — |
Every county in North Carolina 100
Each county has its own page: power plants, utilities and prices, jobs since 2019, data centers, local rules and its neighbors.
Cities and towns on record 52
| City or town | County | Data centers | Local measures | Watchlist | Latest record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | Mecklenburg County | 25 | 2 (2 in force) | — | 150-day data center moratorium In force | |
| Raleigh | Wake County + Durham County | 7 | 1 (0 in force) | — | Proposed six-month data center moratorium Proposed | |
| Durham | Durham County + Wake County + Orange County | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Maiden | Catawba County | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Lenoir | Caldwell County | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Asheville | Buncombe County | 3 | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium In force | |
| Conover | Catawba County | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Forest City | Rutherford County | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Winston-Salem | Forsyth County | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Cary | Wake County + Chatham County | 1 | 1 (1 in force) | — | Local moratorium on data centers through February 28, 2028 In force | |
| Greensboro | Guilford County | 1 | 1 (1 in force) | — | 120-day moratorium for data centers above 10 MW In force | |
| Kings Mountain | Cleveland County + Gaston County | 1 | 1 (1 in force) | — | Data center moratorium, extended one year In force | |
| Burlington | Alamance County + Guilford County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Claremont | Catawba County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fairview | Union County + Buncombe County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Garner | Wake County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Hickory | Catawba County + Burke County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Kannapolis | Cabarrus County + Rowan County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Morrisville | Wake County + Durham County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Rosman | Transylvania County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Webster | Jackson County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Zebulon | Wake County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Boiling Spring Lakes | Brunswick County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium In force | |
| City of Durham | Durham County + Wake County + Orange County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Data center moratorium (60-day, extended to 12 months) In force | |
| City of Wilson | Wilson County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium In force | |
| Clyde | Haywood County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | 12-month data center moratorium In force | |
| Durham City Council | Durham County + Wake County + Orange County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Durham City Council (60-day moratorium on hyperscale data centers, cites Microsoft Woodsdale Township), NC dat In force | |
| Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Indefinite tribal moratorium on data centers In force | |
| Farmville | Pitt County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Local moratorium on data centers through August 3, 2027 In force | |
| Fayetteville | Cumberland County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | 120-day pause on data center approvals In force | |
| Hendersonville | Henderson County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Proposed local moratorium on data centers In force | |
| Holly Springs | Wake County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium In force | |
| Newport | Carteret County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium In force | |
| Statesville | Iredell County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Proposed local moratorium on data centers In force | |
| Town of Apex | Wake County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium In force | |
| Town of Boone | Watauga County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center and crypto-mining moratorium In force | |
| Town of Brevard | Transylvania County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Data center and crypto mining moratorium In force | |
| Town of Canton | Haywood County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year pause on data center projects In force | |
| Town of Franklin | Macon County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium In force | |
| Town of Hillsborough | Orange County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | 60-day data center moratorium (later extended) In force | |
| Town of Mayodan | Rockingham County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Data center moratorium In force | |
| Town of Southport | Brunswick County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Southport adopts 15-month data center moratorium In force | |
| Town of Spring Hope | Nash County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium In force | |
| Town of Waxhaw | Union County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | 12-month data center moratorium In force | |
| Town of Wendell | Wake County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Seven-month data center moratorium In force | |
| Whiteville | Columbus County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | 12-month moratorium on data centers and crypto mining In force | |
| Woodfin | Buncombe County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | 12-month data center moratorium In force | |
| Hamlet | Richmond County | — | — | 1 | Duke Energy gas turbine proposal near Amazon data center | |
| Matthews | Mecklenburg County | — | — | 1 | Project Accelerate | |
| Mooresville | Iredell County | — | — | 1 | Mooresville data center | |
| New Hill | — | — | — | 1 | New Hill Digital Campus | |
| Town of Tarboro | Edgecombe County | — | — | 1 | Energy Storage Solutions Town of Tarboro |
Data center counts come from every facility on the SAVRN Data Center Map, counted in the county and the city or community where each building physically stands (Census boundaries), not its mailing address. Jurisdictions appear as the Moratorium Tracker records them.
North Carolina, from generation to the household bill
1Grid operator
Utility-run territory: resource planning sits with the vertically integrated utilities and the state commission.
2Generation pipeline
- Operating capacity
- 40.0 GW
- Planned, all types
- 2,125 MW
- Under construction or built
- 859 MW
- Planned gas
- 0 MW
- Planned retirements 2026–30
- 698 MW
- Net firm additions derived
- 161 MW
3Data center demand
- Data centers identified
- 84
- Operators
- 38
- Load in tracked queues
- 515 MW
- Utility large-load projects
- 5
- Commercial sales, YTD change
- +0.6%
- Industry share of state GDP
- 2.2%
4Jobs and pay
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 3.5% (-0.4 pts y/y)
- Construction jobs vs 2019
- +27.8%
- Manufacturing jobs vs 2019
- -5.9%
- Electrical contractor jobs 2019–25
- +19.7%
- Electrician median pay
- $56,800
- Electrician ÷ cashier pay
- 1.97×
5Household bill
- Residential price, YTD Jul 2026
- 14.94¢/kWh
- Change vs YTD 2025
- +9.0%
- All-sector price change
- +6.7%
- Total retail sales change
- -0.0%
6Policy friction
- State measures on record
- 6
- Local measures (in force)
- 62 (53)
- Watchlist projects
- 14
- Lawsuits tracked
- 0
- Announced capital, disclosed
- $42.4B
- Dedicated tax incentive
- Yes
Planned power plants in North Carolina
Every planned generator in North Carolina in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, by technology, then the 15 largest units. Under construction or built covers status codes U, V and TS.
| Technology | Units | Planned MW | Under construction or built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 29 | 1,613 MW | 652 MW |
| Battery storage | 16 | 512 MW | 207 MW |
Largest planned generators
| Plant | County | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen 2 BESS | Gaston | Batteries | 167 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC |
| Sweetleaf Solar LLC | Halifax | Solar Photovoltaic | 93 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | CleanChoice Energy |
| Hyco Solar LLC | Person | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Stevens Mill Solar | Wayne | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Gum Swamp Solar, LLC | Scotland | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Headwater Energy, LLC |
| Sleepy Creek Solar, LLC | Bladen | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Headwater Energy, LLC |
| Black Walnut Solar, LLC | Jones | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| South Davidson | Davidson | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Panther Branch Solar, LLC | Duplin | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Scotch Grove Solar | Scotland | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Robeson Solar I | Robeson | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | AES Clean Energy |
| Timber Mill Solar | Jones | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Halifax County Solar | Halifax | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | AES Clean Energy |
| Edgecombe Solar LLC | Edgecombe | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Invenergy Services LLC |
| Hornet Solar | Gaston | Solar Photovoltaic | 73 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Hornet Solar LLC |
What the North Carolina build-out runs on
Who is building generation in North Carolina, which manufacturers and contractors have a plant, expansion or contract recorded here, and how long the critical equipment takes to arrive.
Developers and owners with planned generation
| Developer or owner | Units | Planned MW | Building MW | Main technology | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cypress Creek Renewables | 11 | 711 MW | — | Solar | 6 |
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 8 | 364 MW | 143 MW | Battery storage | 6 |
| Headwater Energy, LLC | 5 | 233 MW | 233 MW | Solar | 5 |
| AES Clean Energy | 3 | 188 MW | 80 MW | Solar | 2 |
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | 5 | 114 MW | 114 MW | Battery storage | 4 |
| CleanChoice Energy | 1 | 93 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Invenergy Services LLC | 1 | 75 MW | 75 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Capital Power Corporation | 1 | 73 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Hornet Solar LLC | 1 | 73 MW | 73 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Ecoplexus, Inc | 1 | 60 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| West River Solar, LLC | 1 | 40 MW | 40 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Quaker Creek Farm Solar, LLC | 1 | 35 MW | 35 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Bear Branch Solar LLC | 1 | 34 MW | 34 MW | Solar | 1 |
| North Carolina El Member Corp | 3 | 19 MW | 19 MW | Battery storage | 3 |
| Dill Holdings LLC | 1 | 10 MW | 10 MW | Solar | 1 |
Manufacturers and contractors with a recorded North Carolina footprint 4
| Tier | Company | Segment | What the record says | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation OEM | Siemens Energy | US manufacturing | $1 billion U.S. manufacturing investment incl. large power transformers in North Carolina and gas turbine components in FL, AL, NY, TX | |
| Grid equipment OEM | Siemens Energy | Large power transformers (Charlotte, NC) | $421 million North Carolina expansion creating 500 jobs, building on $150 million announced Feb 2024 | |
| Grid equipment OEM | Prolec GE Waukesha | Power transformers | $140 million Goldsboro, NC expansion creating 330 jobs | |
| Grid equipment OEM | Siemens | Electrical equipment (Carolinas) | $165 million Carolinas manufacturing investment supporting data centers |
Order-by check derived
13 of the 13 planned units of 50 MW or more in North Carolina that are not yet under construction (1,088 of 1,088 MW) are past the date their step-up transformer had to be ordered to meet the planned in-service date. These units hold their schedules only if the equipment is already on order.
| Plant | Technology | MW | Planned in service | Transformer order-by | Turbine order-by | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen 2 BESS | Battery storage | 167 MW | Jul 2027 | Jun 2024 | — | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC |
| Sweetleaf Solar LLC | Solar | 93 MW | Dec 2027 | Nov 2024 | — | CleanChoice Energy |
| Stevens Mill Solar | Solar | 80 MW | May 2027 | Apr 2024 | — | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Scotch Grove Solar | Solar | 80 MW | Sep 2027 | Aug 2024 | — | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| South Davidson | Solar | 80 MW | Oct 2027 | Sep 2024 | — | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Black Walnut Solar, LLC | Solar | 80 MW | Nov 2027 | Oct 2024 | — | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Hyco Solar LLC | Solar | 80 MW | Nov 2027 | Oct 2024 | — | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Panther Branch Solar, LLC | Solar | 80 MW | Aug 2028 | Jul 2025 | — | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Robeson Solar I | Solar | 80 MW | Dec 2028 | Nov 2025 | — | AES Clean Energy |
| Timber Mill Solar | Solar | 80 MW | Dec 2028 | Nov 2025 | — | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Maple Leaf Solar | Solar | 73 MW | Apr 2027 | Mar 2024 | — | Capital Power Corporation |
| Westminister NC | Solar | 60 MW | Dec 2028 | Nov 2025 | — | Ecoplexus, Inc |
Lead times, OEM backlogs and the national generation and grid contractors are on the national supply chain section.
Data center and large-load demand in North Carolina
84 data centers run by 38 operators are identified in North Carolina. The full list by city is on the North Carolina Data Center Map page. Utilities report 5 large customer projects here to EEI.
| Utility | Customer or type | MW stated | Investment stated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy | AWS | 1,000 MW | $10 billion | |
| Duke Energy | Toyota | — | $14 billion | |
| Duke Energy | Microsoft | — | — | |
| Duke Energy | Compass Datacenters | — | — | |
| Duke Energy | Novo Nordisk | — | $4.1 billion |
The North Carolina jobs report, and who the build-out employs
Payroll employment, August 2026 (preliminary)
| Industry | Jobs | Change vs Aug 2025 | Change vs Aug 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 5,128.4k | ▲ 1.3% | ▲ 11.4% (+526.3k) |
| Construction | 297.3k | ▲ 6.2% | ▲ 27.8% (+64.7k) |
| Manufacturing | 450.0k | ▼ 1.9% | ▼ 5.9% (-28.3k) |
| Mining and logging | 6.1k | ▼ 1.6% | ▲ 5.2% (+0.3k) |
| Retail trade | 528.8k | ▲ 0.1% | ▲ 5.5% (+27.6k) |
Power and data industries, 2019 to 2025
| Industry | Jobs 2019 | Jobs 2025 | Change | Average pay 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data processing and hosting | 9,979 | 12,554 | ▲ 25.8% | $156,003 |
| Electrical contractors | 30,504 | 36,521 | ▲ 19.7% | $73,867 |
| Power and communication line construction | 10,325 | 12,563 | ▲ 21.7% | $90,959 |
| Electric power generation, transmission, distribution | — | 12,716 | — | $122,861 |
| Transformer manufacturing | — | 1,038 | — | $97,101 |
Pay ladder, May 2025
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual pay | Multiple of cashier pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | 106,440 | $28,880 | 1.00× |
| Fast food and counter workers | 92,230 | $28,570 | 0.99× |
| Retail salespersons | 127,540 | $31,370 | 1.09× |
| All occupations | 4,941,820 | $47,970 | 1.66× |
| Construction laborers | 35,620 | $44,720 | 1.55× |
| Welders | 11,750 | $50,590 | 1.75× |
| HVAC mechanics | 15,230 | $57,260 | 1.98× |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | 14,510 | $57,080 | 1.98× |
| Electricians | 21,640 | $56,800 | 1.97× |
| Power plant operators | 420 | $108,300 | 3.75× |
| Power-line installers | 5,650 | $77,270 | 2.68× |
| Construction supervisors | 32,460 | $75,270 | 2.61× |
| Electrical engineers | 7,090 | $110,130 | 3.81× |
County-level contractor jobs and pay are in the county record above.
What the data center industry adds to North Carolina
PwC figures are modeled estimates commissioned by the industry.
State studies and incentive costs
| Economic study findings | Disclosed tax-incentive cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Policy Task Force: existing 800 MW; 6,300 MW in the pipeline | $45–57M/yr now; $360–460M/yr after the 6,300 MW pipeline is built (state estimate) |
The rules and the pipeline in North Carolina
State measures 6
| Bill | Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB 730 | Ratepayer Protection Act: sound and water standards | Proposed | 2026-06 | |
| H 1063 | Ratepayer and Resource Protection Act | Proposed | 2026-04 | |
| H 1189 | Datacenter Transparency Act: statewide siting moratorium | Proposed | 2026-04 | |
| SB 1964 | Internet Data Center Facilities Tax Exemption. | Failed / vetoed | 2006-07 | |
| HB 2639 | Internet Data Center Facilities Tax Exemption. | Failed / vetoed | 2006-05 | |
| HB 2645 | Internet Data Center Facilities Tax Exemption. | Failed / vetoed | 2006-05 |
Delay Watchlist projects 14
| Project | Location | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mooresville data center | Mooresville | cancelled | 1,500 MW | ||
| Triangle Innovation Park West (TIP West) | Moncure, Chatham County | litigation active | 750 MW | ||
| New Hill Digital Campus | New Hill/Apex, Wake County | withdrawn | 300 MW | ||
| Energy Storage Solutions Town of Tarboro | Town of Tarboro | denied | 300 MW | ||
| Natelli Investments Wake County 250MW | Wake County | withdrawn | 250 MW | ||
| Chatham County data center and crypto-mine moratorium | Chatham County | pending review | — | ||
| Gates County data center moratorium | Gates County | pending review | — | ||
| Person County Microsoft data center | Person County | delayed | — | ||
| Lower Moncure Road data center | Lee County (Lower Moncure Road) | approved amid opposition | — | ||
| Quiet Data Centers Halifax | Halifax County (Enfield Township) | denied | — | ||
| Project Delta | Stokes County | cancelled | — | ||
| Duke Energy gas turbine proposal near Amazon data center | Hamlet, NC | denied | — | ||
| Project Accelerate | Matthews | cancelled | — | ||
| North Carolina | — | paused | — |
Local moratoria and restrictions (62) appear by county and city in the county-by-county section. Counts include every status in the weekly tracker feeds as of October 5, 2026. The North Carolina Data Center Map page counts only active local pauses and delayed or blocked projects as of its September 2 rebuild, so its figures are lower. The difference is one of definition and date.
North Carolina's neighbors
North Carolina power, answered from the record
How much new power generation is planned in North Carolina?
EIA's August 2026 inventory lists 2,125 MW of planned generators in North Carolina, 859 MW of it under construction or built. By capacity the pipeline is solar 76%, battery storage 24%. The largest single unit is Allen 2 BESS (167 MW, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC). Owners plan to retire 698 MW from 2026 to 2030.
Who runs the power grid in North Carolina?
Non-RTO (utility-run) serves most of North Carolina, which means vertically integrated utilities plan and dispatch generation under the state commission. 515 MW of data center load sits in tracked queues, 10th in the country.
Which data center projects are delayed in North Carolina?
The SAVRN Delay Watchlist names 14 projects in North Carolina, among them Mooresville data center (1,500 MW), Triangle Innovation Park West (TIP West) (750 MW), New Hill Digital Campus (300 MW).
Is planned generation in North Carolina on schedule?
13 of 13 planned units of 50 MW or more not yet under construction are past the latest date to order a step-up transformer (more than 160 weeks) for their planned in-service date. They hold schedule only if equipment is already on order.
Is the build-out creating trade jobs in North Carolina?
Construction employment is +27.8% against August 2019. Electrical contractor jobs went from 30,504 in 2019 to 36,521 in 2025 (+19.7%, 26th in the country).
Are electricity prices rising in North Carolina?
Residential electricity averaged 14.94¢/kWh from January to July 2026, +9.0% on a year earlier, the 16th fastest increase of 51. Commercial sales, the class that includes data centers, changed +0.6%.
How much do data centers add to the North Carolina economy?
PwC's 2026 study for the Data Center Coalition credits the industry with 117,280 in-state jobs, $18.5B of GDP (2.2% of the state economy, 16th of 51) and $1.4B in state and local taxes in 2024. These are modeled estimates commissioned by the industry.
Does North Carolina have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 6 state-level measures (0 enacted) and 62 local moratoria or restrictions in North Carolina, 53 of them in force, 4th most in the country.
North Carolina across the SAVRN trackers
Sources for this page
- BEA state GDP via FRED
- BLS LAUS
- BLS OEWS
- BLS QCEW
- BLS State Employment (CES)
- EEI large customer projects
- EIA Electric Power Monthly
- EIA-860M (Aug 2026)
- NCSL
- PwC for the Data Center Coalition
- SAVRN Capital Atlas
- SAVRN Data Center Map
- SAVRN Delay Watchlist
- SAVRN Grid Operator Watchlist
- SAVRN Moratorium Tracker
- U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (via us-atlas)
Every figure links to its original source through the Sources buttons. Values marked derived are calculated from reported figures.