Columbus County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Whiteville, Tabor City and Chadbourn
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Columbus County. Electrical contractors employ 85, up 269.6% since 2019 against up 19.7% statewide, at an average $55,929 a year. Columbus County is home to Whiteville, Tabor City, Chadbourn and Lake Waccamaw. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed temporary data center moratorium”. 25 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Headwater Energy, LLC (solar). 25 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 563, up 12.6% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Columbus County
Columbus County is home to Whiteville, Tabor City, Chadbourn and Lake Waccamaw.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Delco, Evergreen, Hallsboro, Riegelwood.
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 Columbus County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 50,487 | 50,487 | ● 0.0% | 52nd of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,292 | 14,316 | ▼ 6.4% | 90th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,972 | $49,052 | ▲ 36.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 500 | 563 | ▲ 12.6% | 39th of 60 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 23 | 85 | ▲ 269.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.2% | 4.2% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 68 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 8 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 25 MW | 15% of today's fleet | 23rd of 30 by size |
8 MW has retired here since 2019, including International Paper Riegelwood Mill (other technologies, 8 MW, 2022). Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 5.2% in 2019. 68 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly other technologies. Employers here counted 14,316 jobs in 2025, down 6.4% from 2019. Its power plants have 166 MW of capacity, 51% of it other technologies. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Columbus County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.54¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 50,487 people live here, up 0.0% since 2020.
Who powers Columbus County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +60 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Columbus County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,356,079 | 15.54¢ | 36% |
| Brunswick Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 105,562 | 13.66¢ | 25% |
| Four County Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,807 | 13.98¢ | 24% |
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 19
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 84 MW | 51% |
| Solar | 82 MW | 49% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Paper Riegelwood Mill | GCF - Riegelwood Mill | Other technologies | 84 MW | 1976 |
| Trojan Solar, LLC | Sol Systems | Solar | 5 MW | 2020 |
| Arthur Solar, LLC | MN8 Energy LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2018 |
| Beckwith Solar | Beckwith Solar, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2022 |
| Broadway Solar Center, LLC | SRE Utility Solar 1, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2014 |
| Cathcart Solar, LLC | Cathcart Solar, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midfield Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 25 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Headwater Energy, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Paper Riegelwood Mill | Other technologies | 8 MW | 2022 |
The Columbus County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,316 | $49,052 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 563 | $60,943 | 0.74 |
| Electrical contractors | 85 | $55,929 | 0.82 |
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 Columbus County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed temporary data center moratorium | Proposed | 2026-09 |
Columbus County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Columbus County, Brunswick 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus County | 50,487 | ▼ 6.4% | 166 MW | 25 MW | — | 1 |
| Bladen County | 30,007 | ▼ 5.3% | 372 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Brunswick County | 174,702 | ▲ 30.6% | 2,071 MW | — | — | — |
| Dillon County SC | 27,458 | ▲ 2.8% | 15 MW | 81 MW | — | — |
| Horry County SC | 427,551 | ▲ 9.2% | 174 MW | 74 MW | 3 | — |
| Pender County | 72,111 | ▲ 25.7% | 137 MW | — | — | — |
| Robeson County | 119,941 | ▼ 5.3% | 419 MW | 108 MW | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Columbus County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Columbus County, North Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Columbus County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Brunswick Electric Member Corp, Four County Elec Member Corp. The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 15.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Columbus County?
19 operating plants with 166 MW of capacity. The largest is International Paper Riegelwood Mill (84 MW, other technologies).
How much new power is planned in Columbus County?
25 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 25 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Headwater Energy, LLC.
Are there data centers in Columbus County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Columbus County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Horry County.
Is Columbus County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,316 jobs in 2025 against 15,292 in 2019 (-6.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 500 to 563.
Does Columbus County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Columbus County, 0 in force.