Amherst County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Amherst
Amherst County is a generation frontier for Virginia. Amherst County is home to Amherst. 50 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Caden Energix Piney River LLC (solar). 5 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 12 MW of capacity, 60% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 85, at an average $53,215 a year.
Cities and towns in Amherst County
Amherst County is home to Amherst.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Madison Heights.
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 Amherst County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 31,312 | 31,962 | ▲ 2.1% | 57th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,975 | 7,835 | ▼ 1.8% | 85th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,333 | $49,406 | ▲ 28.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 3.5% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 50 MW | 403% of today's fleet | 18th of 29 by size |
Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 7,835 jobs in 2025, down 1.8% from 2019. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Amherst 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. 31,962 people live here, up 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Amherst County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +5 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Amherst 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% |
| Appalachian Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 465,283 | 17.02¢ | 26% |
| Central Virginia Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 34,893 | 16.14¢ | 16% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 8 MW | 60% |
| Solar | 5 MW | 40% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cushaw | Cushaw Hydro LLC | Hydro | 8 MW | 1930 |
| Amherst Solar Facility (VA) | Appalachian Power Co | Solar | 5 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caden Energix Piney River LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 50 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Caden Energix Piney River LLC |
The Amherst County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,835 | $49,406 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 85 | $53,215 | 1.50 |
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 Amherst County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Amherst County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Amherst County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Amherst County, Campbell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst County | 31,962 | ▼ 1.8% | 12 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Appomattox County | 17,172 | ▲ 12.9% | 16 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Bedford County | 83,059 | ▼ 0.3% | 22 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Campbell County | 55,629 | ▲ 7.2% | 179 MW | 120 MW | 2 | — |
| Lynchburg (city) | 81,347 | ▼ 9.0% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Nelson County | 14,920 | ▼ 1.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Rockbridge County | 22,663 | ▼ 2.1% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Amherst County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Amherst County, Virginia?
3 utilities have service territory in Amherst County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Appalachian Power Co, Central Virginia Electric Coop. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Amherst County?
2 operating plants with 12 MW of capacity. The largest is Cushaw (8 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Amherst County?
50 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Caden Energix Piney River LLC.
Are there data centers in Amherst County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Amherst County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Campbell County.
Is Amherst County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,835 jobs in 2025 against 7,975 in 2019 (-1.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Amherst County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Amherst County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.