Monroe County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sweetwater, Madisonville and Vonore
No data center or power plant project is on record in Monroe County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Electrical contractors employ 38, up 90.0% since 2019 against up 20.9% statewide, at an average $39,927 a year. Monroe County is home to Sweetwater, Madisonville, Vonore and Tellico Plains. 20 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Tennessee Valley Authority (battery storage), the 10th largest pipeline among Tennessee's counties. 20 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Cherokee County, North Carolina, has 1 data center. Construction employs 323, up 19.6% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Monroe County
Monroe County is home to Sweetwater, Madisonville, Vonore and Tellico Plains.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Coker Creek, Kahite, Rarity Bay.
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 Monroe County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 46,399 | 49,730 | ▲ 7.2% | 34th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,430 | 14,633 | ▲ 1.4% | 64th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,736 | $52,069 | ▲ 31.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 270 | 323 | ▲ 19.6% | 36th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20 | 38 | ▲ 90.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 3.9% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 20 MW | no fleet today | 10th of 12 by size |
Fort Loudoun Electric Coop is the largest utility serving Monroe County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.11¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 14,633 jobs in 2025, up 1.4% from 2019. 49,730 people live here, up 7.2% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019.
Who powers Monroe County
Utilities with service territory in Monroe County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Loudoun Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,527 | 12.11¢ | 21% |
| City of Sweetwater | Municipal | Bundled | 7,534 | 11.62¢ | 33% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Monroe County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vonore Battery Energy Storage System | Batteries | 20 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
The Monroe County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,633 | $52,069 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 323 | $60,768 | 0.42 |
| Electrical contractors | 38 | $39,927 | 0.36 |
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 Monroe County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Monroe County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Loudon County.
Monroe County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Monroe County, Loudon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 49,730 | ▲ 1.4% | — | 20 MW | — | — |
| Blount County | 143,820 | ▲ 11.3% | 217 MW | — | — | — |
| Cherokee County NC | 30,830 | ▼ 1.8% | 168 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Graham County NC | 8,190 | ▼ 8.3% | 185 MW | — | — | — |
| Loudon County | 63,764 | ▲ 11.0% | 287 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| McMinn County | 57,404 | ▼ 9.4% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Polk County | 18,592 | ▲ 15.1% | 164 MW | — | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Monroe County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Monroe County, Tennessee?
2 utilities have service territory in Monroe County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Fort Loudoun Electric Coop, City of Sweetwater. The largest, Fort Loudoun Electric Coop, charged residential customers 12.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Monroe County?
20 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 20 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Tennessee Valley Authority.
Are there data centers in Monroe County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Monroe County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cherokee County.
Is Monroe County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,633 jobs in 2025 against 14,430 in 2019 (+1.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 270 to 323.
Does Monroe County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Monroe County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.