Botetourt County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Buchanan
The data center boom is not abstract in Botetourt County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Botetourt County. Botetourt County is home to Buchanan and Fincastle. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Google Botetourt County data center campus. 78 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Rocky Forge Wind, LLC (wind). 78 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 713, down 5.1% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Botetourt County
Botetourt County is home to Buchanan and Fincastle.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Blue Ridge, Cloverdale, Daleville, Eagle Rock, Glen Wilton, Hollins, Laymantown.
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 Botetourt County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 33,636 | 34,144 | ▲ 1.5% | 51st of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,424 | 12,344 | ▲ 8.1% | 26th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,530 | $59,205 | ▲ 39.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 751 | 713 | ▼ 5.1% | 70th of 83 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 79 | 82 | ▲ 3.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 78 MW | no fleet today | 15th of 29 by size |
Employers here counted 12,344 jobs in 2025, up 8.1% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 82, up 3.8% since 2019 against up 33.4% statewide, at an average $76,469 a year. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Botetourt 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. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. 34,144 people live here, up 1.5% since 2020.
Who powers Botetourt County
Utilities with service territory in Botetourt 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% |
| 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.
No operating power plant is located in Botetourt County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Forge Wind | Onshore Wind Turbine | 78 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Rocky Forge Wind, LLC |
The Botetourt County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,344 | $59,205 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 713 | $66,859 | 1.09 |
| Electrical contractors | 82 | $76,469 | 0.92 |
| Power and communication line construction | 44 | $72,828 | 2.21 |
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 Botetourt County
1 data center in Botetourt County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Botetourt County data center campus | litigation active | — |
Botetourt County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Botetourt County, Bedford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botetourt County | 34,144 | ▲ 8.1% | — | 78 MW | 1 | — |
| Alleghany County | 14,546 | ▼ 13.1% | 244 MW | — | — | — |
| Bedford County | 83,059 | ▼ 0.3% | 22 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Craig County | 4,800 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Roanoke County | 97,150 | ▼ 4.6% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Rockbridge County | 22,663 | ▼ 2.1% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Botetourt County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Botetourt County, Virginia?
3 utilities have service territory in Botetourt County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Appalachian Power Co, Craig-Botetourt Electric Coop. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Botetourt County?
78 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 78 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Rocky Forge Wind, LLC.
Are there data centers in Botetourt County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Botetourt County.
Is Botetourt County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,344 jobs in 2025 against 11,424 in 2019 (+8.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 751 to 713.
Does Botetourt County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Botetourt County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.