Barnwell County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Barnwell, Williston and Blackville
Barnwell County is where a large share of South Carolina's next power plants are planned. Construction employs 111, down 65.3% since 2019. Barnwell County is home to Barnwell, Williston and Blackville. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Big Fork Solar (solar), the 4th largest pipeline among South Carolina's counties. Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 4,712 jobs in 2025, down 12.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Barnwell County
Barnwell County is home to Barnwell, Williston and Blackville.
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 Barnwell County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,580 | 20,653 | ▲ 0.4% | 38th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,362 | 4,712 | ▼ 12.1% | 42nd of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,651 | $45,891 | ▲ 25.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 320 | 111 | ▼ 65.3% | 25th of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 5.6% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 36 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | 487% of today's fleet | 4th of 16 by size |
36 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 41 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Aiken Electric Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Barnwell County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.53¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.59¢ median for South Carolina utilities. 20,653 people live here, up 0.4% since 2020.
Who powers Barnwell County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +36 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Barnwell County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 49,460 | 15.53¢ | 14% |
| Edisto Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,421 | 16.40¢ | 15% |
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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 41 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackville Solar II | DP-C2 Episode 1 LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2019 |
| Blackville Solar Farm, LLC | Dominion Energy Inc. | Solar | 7 MW | 2020 |
| Barnwell Solar | SunStrong Management | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| Edison Solar | DP-C2 Episode 1 LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2019 |
| Richardson Solar | DP-C2 Episode 1 LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2019 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Fork Solar | Batteries | 75 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Big Fork Solar |
| Big Fork Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | Big Fork Solar |
| Crossroads Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 50 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | Crossroads Solar |
The Barnwell County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,712 | $45,891 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 111 | $67,061 | 0.44 |
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 Barnwell County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Barnwell County. South Carolina has 22 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Orangeburg County.
Barnwell County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Barnwell County, Burke 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnwell County | 20,653 | ▼ 12.1% | 41 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Aiken County | 181,515 | ▲ 8.7% | 855 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Allendale County | 7,355 | ▼ 8.0% | 121 MW | 50 MW | 1 | — |
| Bamberg County | 12,796 | ▼ 2.9% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Burke County GA | 24,408 | ▼ 46.9% | 5,166 MW | 76 MW | — | — |
| Orangeburg County | 83,177 | ▼ 6.0% | 716 MW | 174 MW | — | 1 |
More of South Carolina
Barnwell County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Barnwell County, South Carolina?
2 utilities have service territory in Barnwell County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Aiken Electric Coop Inc, Edisto Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Aiken Electric Coop Inc, charged residential customers 15.53¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Barnwell County?
5 operating plants with 41 MW of capacity. The largest is Blackville Solar II (20 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Barnwell County?
200 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Big Fork Solar.
Are there data centers in Barnwell County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Barnwell County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Aiken County.
Is Barnwell County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,712 jobs in 2025 against 5,362 in 2019 (-12.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 320 to 111.
Does Barnwell County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Barnwell County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.