Pasquotank County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Elizabeth City
No data center or power plant project is on record in Pasquotank County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Pasquotank County is home to Elizabeth City. 12 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Headwater Energy, LLC (solar). 12 MW of it is already under construction or built. Employers here counted 15,885 jobs in 2025, up 4.6% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Its power plants have 43 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Pasquotank County
Pasquotank County is home to Elizabeth City.
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 Pasquotank County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 40,400 | 42,201 | ▲ 4.5% | 61st of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,181 | 15,885 | ▲ 4.6% | 43rd of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,176 | $51,410 | ▲ 31.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.7% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 12 MW | 29% of today's fleet | 25th of 30 by size |
Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Pasquotank County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.93¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 42,201 people live here, up 4.5% since 2020.
Who powers Pasquotank County
Utilities with service territory in Pasquotank County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Electric & Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 108,656 | 13.93¢ | 24% |
| Albemarle Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,728 | 14.47¢ | 15% |
| City of Elizabeth City - (NC) | Municipal | Bundled | 11,366 | 11.76¢ | 50% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 43 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan's Corner | Dominion Renewable Energy | Solar | 20 MW | 2015 |
| Pasquotank | Deriva Energy | Solar | 20 MW | 2014 |
| Barnhill Road Solar, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 3 MW | 2016 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanglewood Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 8 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Headwater Energy, LLC |
| Tanglewood BESS | Batteries | 4 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | North Carolina El Member Corp |
The Pasquotank County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,885 | $51,410 | 1.00 |
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 Pasquotank County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pasquotank County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Gates County.
Pasquotank County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Pasquotank County, Perquimans 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasquotank County | 42,201 | ▲ 4.6% | 43 MW | 12 MW | — | — |
| Camden County | 11,315 | ▼ 2.0% | 35 MW | — | — | — |
| Gates County | 10,234 | ▼ 6.0% | 15 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Perquimans County | 13,490 | ▲ 6.4% | 259 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Pasquotank County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pasquotank County, North Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Pasquotank County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Albemarle Electric Member Corp, City of Elizabeth City - (NC). The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 13.93¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Elizabeth City, NC in?
Elizabeth City is in Pasquotank County, North Carolina. About 19,582 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Pasquotank County?
3 operating plants with 43 MW of capacity. The largest is Morgan's Corner (20 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Pasquotank County?
12 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 12 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Headwater Energy, LLC.
Are there data centers in Pasquotank County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pasquotank County.
Is Pasquotank County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,885 jobs in 2025 against 15,181 in 2019 (+4.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Pasquotank County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pasquotank County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.