Catawba County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hickory, Newton and Conover
The data center boom is not abstract in Catawba County: it is on the ground here. Owners plan to retire 2,119 MW more by 2035, led by Marshall (NC) in 2033. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 12 data centers in Catawba County, 14% of North Carolina's total. Catawba County is home to Hickory, Newton, Conover and most of Long View (4,613 of its 5,387 residents). 50 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (battery storage). 50 MW of it is already under construction or built. Electrical contractors employ 415, up 34.3% since 2019 against up 19.7% statewide, at an average $59,756 a year.
Cities and towns in Catawba County
Catawba County is home to Hickory, Newton, Conover and most of Long View (4,613 of its 5,387 residents).
- Long View also extends into Burke County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lake Norman of Catawba, Mountain View, St. Stephens.
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 Catawba County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 160,892 | 170,172 | ▲ 5.8% | 19th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 88,574 | 89,369 | ▲ 0.9% | 53rd of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,229 | $59,014 | ▲ 33.4% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 309 | 415 | ▲ 34.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 69 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 13 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 50 MW | 2% of today's fleet | 18th of 30 by size |
Its power plants have 2,328 MW of capacity, 46% of it coal, the 7th largest fleet in North Carolina. 13 MW has retired here since 2019, including Apple Data Center - Fuel Cell 1&2 (other technologies, 10 MW, 2021). 69 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Catawba County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.94¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. Employers here counted 89,369 jobs in 2025, up 0.9% from 2019. 170,172 people live here, up 5.8% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019.
Who powers Catawba County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +56 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Catawba County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,919,372 | 13.94¢ | 42% |
| EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 121,995 | 11.54¢ | 23% |
| Rutherford Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 70,743 | 13.13¢ | 14% |
| Town of Maiden - (NC) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Newton - (NC) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 16
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,060 MW | 46% |
| Natural gas | 1,060 MW | 46% |
| Solar | 171 MW | 7% |
| Hydro | 36 MW | 2% |
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall (NC) | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Natural gas | 2,119 MW | 1965 |
| Maiden Creek Solar Power Plant | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Solar | 69 MW | 2021 |
| Oxford Dam | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Hydro | 36 MW | 1928 |
| Apple Data Center PV | Apple, Inc | Solar | 21 MW | 2013 |
| Apple Data Center - PV2 | Apple, Inc | Solar | 20 MW | 2013 |
| Apple Data Center PV3 | Apple, Inc | Solar | 18 MW | 2015 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maiden Creek Battery | Batteries | 50 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Data Center - Fuel Cell 1&2 | Other technologies | 10 MW | 2021 |
| Blackburn Landfill Co-Generation | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2022 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall (NC) | Coal | 711 MW | 2033 |
| Marshall (NC) | Natural gas | 711 MW | 2033 |
| Marshall (NC) | Coal | 348 MW | 2028 |
| Marshall (NC) | Natural gas | 348 MW | 2028 |
The Catawba County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 89,369 | $59,014 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 415 | $59,756 | 0.64 |
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 Catawba County
12 data centers in Catawba County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Catawba County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Catawba County, Lincoln 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catawba County | 170,172 | ▲ 0.9% | 2,328 MW | 50 MW | 12 | — |
| Alexander County | 36,958 | ▼ 7.3% | 11 MW | — | — | — |
| Burke County | 88,655 | ● 0.0% | 48 MW | 3 MW | — | — |
| Caldwell County | 81,105 | ▲ 0.2% | 40 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Iredell County | 211,798 | ▲ 7.1% | 43 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 98,654 | ▲ 18.6% | 2,519 MW | 54 MW | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Catawba County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Catawba County, North Carolina?
5 utilities have service territory in Catawba County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp, Rutherford Elec Member Corp, Town of Maiden - (NC). The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.94¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Hickory, NC in?
Hickory is in Catawba County, North Carolina. About 45,852 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Newton, NC in?
Newton is in Catawba County, North Carolina. About 13,822 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Catawba County?
16 operating plants with 2,328 MW of capacity. The largest is Marshall (NC) (2,119 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Catawba 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 Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC.
Are there data centers in Catawba County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 12 data centers in Catawba County.
Is Catawba County adding jobs?
Employers counted 89,369 jobs in 2025 against 88,574 in 2019 (+0.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Catawba County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Catawba County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.