Chesterfield County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Chester
Chesterfield County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Chesterfield County. 1,353 MW has retired here since 2019, including Chesterfield (coal, 1,353 MW, 2023). Chesterfield County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Chester, are unincorporated and governed by the county. 1,163 MW of new generation is planned here across 6 units, led by Virginia Electric & Power Co (natural gas), the largest pipeline among Virginia's counties. 3 MW of it is already under construction or built. 3 projects are on the Delay Watchlist, including Chesterfield Tract data center park (Branders Road).
Cities and towns in Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Chester, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Chester, Bellwood, Bensley, Bon Air, Brandermill, Enon, Ettrick, Manchester, Matoaca, Meadowbrook, Midlothian, Rockwood, Woodlake.
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 Chesterfield County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 365,330 | 397,148 | ▲ 8.7% | 5th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 137,108 | 148,684 | ▲ 8.4% | 24th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,515 | $63,057 | ▲ 30.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,074 | 11,279 | ▲ 12.0% | 39th of 83 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 784 | 882 | ▲ 12.5% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 219 | 197 | ▼ 10.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.5% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 25 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 1,353 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,163 MW | 231% of today's fleet | 1st of 29 by size |
Construction employs 11,279, up 12.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 148,684 jobs in 2025, up 8.4% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 882, up 12.5% since 2019 against up 33.4% statewide, at an average $78,404 a year. 25 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Its power plants have 504 MW of capacity, 91% of it natural gas. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. 397,148 people live here, up 8.7% since 2020, 5th of 133 Virginia counties by population. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −1,328 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Chesterfield 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% |
| Southside Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 56,846 | 15.48¢ | 12% |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 460 MW | 91% |
| Battery storage | 20 MW | 4% |
| Petroleum | 14 MW | 3% |
| Solar | 7 MW | 1% |
| Hydro | 3 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield | Virginia Electric & Power Co | Natural gas | 447 MW | 1990 |
| Dry Bridge Storage | Dominion Energy Inc. | Battery storage | 20 MW | 2023 |
| Chesterfield Landfill Gas | Industrial Power Generating Company LLC | Petroleum | 14 MW | 2004 |
| Park 500 Philip Morris USA | Philip Morris USA - Park 500 | Natural gas | 13 MW | 1983 |
| Moseley Hermon Solar | Moseley Hermon Solar | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| Brasfield | Appomattox River Associates LP | Hydro | 3 MW | 1993 |
Planned generation 6
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 250 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Virginia Electric & Power Co |
| Chesterfield | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 250 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Virginia Electric & Power Co |
| Chesterfield | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 250 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Virginia Electric & Power Co |
| Chesterfield | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 250 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Virginia Electric & Power Co |
| Chester Solar Technology Park, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 160 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Chester Solar Technology Park, LLC |
| Petersburg - VA 0224 (Murphy) | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US VA Petersburg 224 LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield | Coal | 1,353 MW | 2023 |
The Chesterfield County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 148,684 | $63,057 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 11,279 | $80,791 | 1.43 |
| Electrical contractors | 882 | $78,404 | 0.82 |
| Data processing and hosting | 197 | $69,489 | 0.43 |
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 Chesterfield County
6 data centers in Chesterfield County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Delay Watchlist 3
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield Tract data center park (Branders Road) | withdrawn | — | ||
| Chesterfield data center project (unnamed) paused amid county lawsuits | litigation active | — | ||
| Project Peanut | regulatory enforcement | — |
Chesterfield County and its neighbors
Of the 11 counties that border Chesterfield County, Henrico 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield County | 397,148 | ▲ 8.4% | 504 MW | 1,163 MW | 6 | — |
| Amelia County | 13,632 | ▼ 0.6% | 28 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Charles City County | 6,623 | ▲ 24.1% | 309 MW | — | — | — |
| Colonial Heights (city) | 18,738 | ▼ 8.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Dinwiddie County | 28,896 | ▲ 4.7% | 5 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Goochland County | 29,187 | ▲ 7.7% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Henrico County | 342,775 | ▲ 0.4% | 398 MW | 20 MW | 29 | — |
| Hopewell (city) | 23,261 | ▼ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Petersburg (city) | 33,734 | ▼ 11.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Powhatan County | 32,591 | ▲ 17.6% | 120 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Prince George County | 43,936 | ▲ 3.6% | 587 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Richmond (city) | 237,257 | ▲ 5.7% | — | — | 2 | — |
More of Virginia
Chesterfield County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Chesterfield County, Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Chesterfield County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Southside Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Chesterfield County?
7 operating plants with 504 MW of capacity. The largest is Chesterfield (447 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Chesterfield County?
1,163 MW across 6 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 3 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Virginia Electric & Power Co.
Are there data centers in Chesterfield County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Chesterfield County.
Is Chesterfield County adding jobs?
Employers counted 148,684 jobs in 2025 against 137,108 in 2019 (+8.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 10,074 to 11,279.
Does Chesterfield County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Chesterfield County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.