Sullivan County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Kingsport, Bristol and Bluff City
The data center boom is not abstract in Sullivan County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Sullivan County. Sullivan County is home to most of Kingsport (54,660 of its 57,530 residents), Bristol, Bluff City and part of Johnson City (889 of its 74,943 residents). The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Sullivan County data center moratorium (proposed)”. Construction employs 5,064, up 13.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 919, up 29.8% since 2019 against up 20.9% statewide, at an average $80,590 a year.
Cities and towns in Sullivan County
Sullivan County is home to most of Kingsport (54,660 of its 57,530 residents), Bristol, Bluff City and part of Johnson City (889 of its 74,943 residents).
- Kingsport also extends into Hawkins County.
- Johnson City also extends into Washington County, Carter County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bloomingdale, Blountville, Colonial Heights, Orebank, Spurgeon, Sullivan Gardens, Walnut Hill.
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 Sullivan County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 158,238 | 163,759 | ▲ 3.5% | 10th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 68,327 | 70,470 | ▲ 3.1% | 57th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,742 | $68,061 | ▲ 39.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,450 | 5,064 | ▲ 13.8% | 39th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 708 | 919 | ▲ 29.8% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 115 | 102 | ▼ 11.3% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 80 | 87 | ▲ 8.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 448 MW of capacity, 45% of it hydro. Employers here counted 70,470 jobs in 2025, up 3.1% from 2019. Johnson City - (TN) is the largest utility serving Sullivan County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.41¢/kWh in 2024. 163,759 people live here, up 3.5% since 2020, 10th of 95 Tennessee counties by population. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019.
Who powers Sullivan County
Utilities with service territory in Sullivan County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 72,205 | 12.41¢ | 37% |
| Kingsport Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 43,159 | 12.84¢ | 21% |
| City of Bristol - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 29,622 | 10.81¢ | 36% |
| City of Elizabethton - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 23,344 | 11.82¢ | 32% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 204 MW | 45% |
| Natural gas | 134 MW | 30% |
| Coal | 110 MW | 25% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Eastman Operations | Eastman Chemical Co-TN Ops | Coal | 194 MW | 1936 |
| Boone Dam | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 106 MW | 1953 |
| Fort Patrick Henry | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 59 MW | 1953 |
| Domtar Kingsport Mill | Domtar Paper Co LLC Kingsport Mill | Natural gas | 50 MW | 2006 |
| South Holston | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 38 MW | 1951 |
The Sullivan County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 70,470 | $68,061 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 5,064 | $79,339 | 1.36 |
| Electrical contractors | 919 | $80,590 | 1.81 |
| Power and communication line construction | 102 | $78,012 | 0.90 |
| Electric utilities | 87 | $122,511 | 0.46 |
| Data processing and hosting | 76 | $77,276 | 0.35 |
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 Sullivan County
1 data center in Sullivan County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sullivan County data center moratorium (proposed) | Proposed | 2025-11 |
Sullivan County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Sullivan County, Hawkins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sullivan County | 163,759 | ▲ 3.1% | 448 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Bristol (city) VA | 16,418 | ▲ 20.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Carter County | 57,361 | ▲ 11.3% | 68 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Hawkins County | 59,559 | ▲ 6.0% | 997 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Johnson County | 18,718 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Scott County VA | 21,200 | ▼ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 141,199 | ▲ 3.3% | 23 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Washington County VA | 53,898 | ▲ 5.2% | 285 MW | — | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Sullivan County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sullivan County, Tennessee?
4 utilities have service territory in Sullivan County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Johnson City - (TN), Kingsport Power Co, City of Bristol - (TN), City of Elizabethton - (TN). The largest, Johnson City - (TN), charged residential customers 12.41¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Kingsport, TN in?
Most of Kingsport is in Sullivan County: 54,660 of its 57,530 residents, or 95%. The rest of the city lies in Hawkins County.
What county is Bristol, TN in?
Bristol is in Sullivan County, Tennessee. About 28,107 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Sullivan County?
5 operating plants with 448 MW of capacity. The largest is Tennessee Eastman Operations (194 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Sullivan County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Sullivan County.
Is Sullivan County adding jobs?
Employers counted 70,470 jobs in 2025 against 68,327 in 2019 (+3.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,450 to 5,064.
Does Sullivan County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Sullivan County, 0 in force.