Jefferson County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Steubenville, Island Creek Township and Cross Creek Township
Jefferson County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. 2,468 MW has retired here since 2019, including W H Sammis (coal, 2,456 MW, 2023). Jefferson County is home to Steubenville, Island Creek Township, Cross Creek Township and Toronto. 63 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by BQ Energy Development (solar). Owners plan to retire 650 MW more by 2035, led by Cardinal in 2028. Its power plants have 1,880 MW of capacity, 100% of it coal, the 5th largest fleet in Ohio.
Cities and towns in Jefferson County
Jefferson County is home to Steubenville, Island Creek Township, Cross Creek Township and Toronto.
And 8 smaller places.
- Adena also extends into Harrison County.
- Yorkville also extends into Belmont County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brilliant, Connorville, East Springfield, Pottery Addition.
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 Jefferson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 65,159 | 63,597 | ▼ 2.4% | 40th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,682 | 19,530 | ▼ 5.6% | 80th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,441 | $54,247 | ▲ 27.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 4.2% | ▼ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 2,468 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 63 MW | 3% of today's fleet | 16th of 22 by size |
Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 19,530 jobs in 2025, down 5.6% from 2019. Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Jefferson County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.33¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. 63,597 people live here, down 2.4% since 2020.
Who powers Jefferson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −2,468 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jefferson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,339,232 | 19.33¢ | 22% |
| South Central Power Company | Cooperative | Bundled | 117,469 | 14.87¢ | 14% |
| Carroll Electric Coop, Inc - (OH) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,880 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal | Cardinal Operating Company | Coal | 1,880 MW | 1967 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steubenville Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 43 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | BQ Energy Development |
| Pike Island Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 10 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Pike Island Hydropower Corporation |
| Pike Island Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 10 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Pike Island Hydropower Corporation |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| W H Sammis | Coal | 2,456 MW | 2023 |
| W H Sammis | Petroleum | 12 MW | 2023 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal | Coal | 650 MW | 2028 |
The Jefferson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 19,530 | $54,247 | 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 Jefferson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jefferson County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Harrison County.
Jefferson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Jefferson County, Columbiana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 63,597 | ▼ 5.6% | 1,880 MW | 63 MW | — | — |
| Belmont County | 64,434 | ▼ 7.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Brooke County WV | 21,142 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Carroll County | 26,475 | ▼ 2.4% | 832 MW | — | — | — |
| Columbiana County | 99,377 | ▼ 4.6% | 1,210 MW | — | — | — |
| Hancock County WV | 27,729 | ▼ 8.0% | — | 28 MW | — | — |
| Harrison County | 14,070 | ▲ 6.2% | — | 100 MW | — | 1 |
| Ohio County WV | 40,496 | ▼ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Jefferson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jefferson County, Ohio?
3 utilities have service territory in Jefferson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, South Central Power Company, Carroll Electric Coop, Inc - (OH). The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Steubenville, OH in?
Steubenville is in Jefferson County, Ohio. About 17,922 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jefferson County?
1 operating plant with 1,880 MW of capacity. The largest is Cardinal (1,880 MW, coal).
How much new power is planned in Jefferson County?
63 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is BQ Energy Development.
Are there data centers in Jefferson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jefferson County.
Is Jefferson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 19,530 jobs in 2025 against 20,682 in 2019 (-5.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Jefferson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jefferson County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.