Scotland County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Laurinburg
Scotland County is where a large share of North Carolina's next power plants are planned. Scotland County is home to Laurinburg and Wagram. 160 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Headwater Energy, LLC (solar), the 4th largest pipeline among North Carolina's counties. 80 MW of it is already under construction or built. 15 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Construction employs 359, down 2.2% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Scotland County
Scotland County is home to Laurinburg and Wagram.
- Maxton also extends into Robeson County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Deercroft, Laurel Hill, Old Hundred, Scotch Meadows.
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 Scotland County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 33,413 | 33,322 | ▼ 0.3% | 69th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,983 | 12,552 | ▲ 4.7% | 41st of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,056 | $52,025 | ▲ 36.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 367 | 359 | ▼ 2.2% | 52nd of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 4.7% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 15 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 160 MW | 108% of today's fleet | 4th of 30 by size |
Employers here counted 12,552 jobs in 2025, up 4.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 149 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Scotland County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.54¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 33,322 people live here, down 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers Scotland County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +15 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Scotland 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% |
| Lumbee River Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 64,396 | 12.81¢ | 15% |
| Pee Dee Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,396 | 14.77¢ | 29% |
| City of Laurinburg - (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 149 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoe Creek Solar, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 65 MW | 2017 |
| Holstein Plant | Strata Manager, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2015 |
| Eastover Farm | Strata Manager, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2014 |
| Henry Gibson Solar | Henry Gibson Solar, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
| Hew Fulton Farm, LLC | Strata Manager, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2015 |
| Laurinburg Farm | Strata Manager, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2015 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gum Swamp Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Headwater Energy, LLC |
| Scotch Grove Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
The Scotland County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,552 | $52,025 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 359 | $57,157 | 0.54 |
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 Scotland County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Scotland County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide.
Scotland County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Scotland County, Richmond 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland County | 33,322 | ▲ 4.7% | 149 MW | 160 MW | — | — |
| Hoke County | 56,939 | ▲ 6.7% | 35 MW | 40 MW | — | — |
| Marlboro County SC | 25,488 | ▼ 20.5% | 63 MW | — | — | — |
| Moore County | 110,619 | ▲ 15.6% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
| Richmond County | 42,041 | ● 0.0% | 2,682 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Robeson County | 119,941 | ▼ 5.3% | 419 MW | 108 MW | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Scotland County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Scotland County, North Carolina?
4 utilities have service territory in Scotland County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Lumbee River Elec Member Corp, Pee Dee Electric Member Corp, City of Laurinburg - (NC). The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 15.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Laurinburg, NC in?
Laurinburg is in Scotland County, North Carolina. About 14,582 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Scotland County?
16 operating plants with 149 MW of capacity. The largest is Shoe Creek Solar, LLC (65 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Scotland County?
160 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 80 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Headwater Energy, LLC.
Are there data centers in Scotland County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Scotland County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Richmond County.
Is Scotland County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,552 jobs in 2025 against 11,983 in 2019 (+4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 367 to 359.
Does Scotland County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Scotland County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.