Buchanan County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Big Rock and Breaks
No data center or power plant project is on record in Buchanan County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 107, down 69.2% since 2019. Buchanan County is home to Grundy. Next door, Pike County, Kentucky, has 2 data centers. Unemployment was 7.0% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 5,696 jobs in 2025, down 11.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Buchanan County
Buchanan County is home to Grundy.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Big Rock, Breaks, Vansant.
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 Buchanan County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,247 | 18,492 | ▼ 8.7% | 84th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,451 | 5,696 | ▼ 11.7% | 129th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $50,193 | $62,841 | ▲ 25.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 347 | 107 | ▼ 69.2% | 83rd of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 7.0% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 88 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. 18,492 people live here, down 8.7% since 2020. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Buchanan County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities.
Who powers Buchanan County
Utilities with service territory in Buchanan 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% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 88 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan Generation LLC | Buchanan Generation, LLC | Natural gas | 88 MW | 2002 |
The Buchanan County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,696 | $62,841 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 107 | $61,108 | 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 Buchanan County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Buchanan County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Buchanan County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Buchanan County, Pike 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan County | 18,492 | ▼ 11.7% | 88 MW | — | — | — |
| Dickenson County | 13,236 | ▼ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
| McDowell County WV | 16,878 | ▼ 12.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Mingo County WV | 21,455 | ▼ 12.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Pike County KY | 54,721 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | 2 | — |
| Russell County | 25,332 | ▼ 9.0% | 475 MW | — | — | — |
| Tazewell County | 38,635 | ▼ 7.4% | — | 13 MW | — | — |
More of Virginia
Buchanan County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Buchanan County, Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Buchanan County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Appalachian Power Co. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Buchanan County?
1 operating plant with 88 MW of capacity. The largest is Buchanan Generation LLC (88 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Buchanan County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Buchanan County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pike County.
Is Buchanan County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,696 jobs in 2025 against 6,451 in 2019 (-11.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 347 to 107.
Does Buchanan County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Buchanan County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.