Alleghany County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Clifton Forge
No data center or power plant project is on record in Alleghany County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Alleghany County is home to Clifton Forge. Next door, Botetourt County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 3,240 jobs in 2025, down 13.1% from 2019. Its power plants have 244 MW of capacity, 48% of it other technologies. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Alleghany County
Alleghany County is home to Clifton Forge.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Callaghan, Cliftondale Park, Low Moor, Mallow, Selma.
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 Alleghany County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,187 | 14,546 | ▼ 4.2% | 101st of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,730 | 3,240 | ▼ 13.1% | 131st of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,162 | $47,576 | ▲ 35.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.1% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Alleghany County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. 14,546 people live here, down 4.2% since 2020.
Who powers Alleghany County
Utilities with service territory in Alleghany County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Electric & Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 2,383,548 | 14.09¢ | 63% |
| BARC Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Craig-Botetourt Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 116 MW | 48% |
| Petroleum | 83 MW | 34% |
| Coal | 44 MW | 18% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covington Facility | WestRock Corp | Coal | 161 MW | 1951 |
| Low Moor | Virginia Electric & Power Co | Petroleum | 83 MW | 1971 |
The Alleghany County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,240 | $47,576 | 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 Alleghany County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Alleghany County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Alleghany County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Alleghany County, Bath 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alleghany County | 14,546 | ▼ 13.1% | 244 MW | — | — | — |
| Bath County | 4,076 | ▲ 2.9% | 2,867 MW | — | — | — |
| Botetourt County | 34,144 | ▲ 8.1% | — | 78 MW | 1 | — |
| Covington (city) | 5,680 | ▼ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Craig County | 4,800 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Greenbrier County WV | 31,578 | ▼ 6.9% | 188 MW | — | — | — |
| Monroe County WV | 12,491 | ▼ 2.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Rockbridge County | 22,663 | ▼ 2.1% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Alleghany County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Alleghany County, Virginia?
3 utilities have service territory in Alleghany County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, BARC Electric Coop Inc, Craig-Botetourt Electric Coop. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Alleghany County?
2 operating plants with 244 MW of capacity. The largest is Covington Facility (161 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Alleghany County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Alleghany County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Botetourt County.
Is Alleghany County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,240 jobs in 2025 against 3,730 in 2019 (-13.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Alleghany County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Alleghany County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.