Culpeper County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Culpeper
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Culpeper County. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in Culpeper County. Culpeper County is home to Culpeper. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Local moratorium on data centers with no end date”. 3 projects are on the Delay Watchlist, including Bel Pre Tech Park (Brandy Station data center campus). 100 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Greenwood Solar I, LLC (solar).
Cities and towns in Culpeper County
Culpeper County is home to Culpeper.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brandy Station.
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 Culpeper County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 52,764 | 57,666 | ▲ 9.3% | 32nd of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,058 | 16,412 | ▲ 2.2% | 62nd of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,059 | $57,587 | ▲ 30.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 3.2% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 100 MW | 1449% of today's fleet | 14th of 29 by size |
Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019. Its power plants have 7 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. 57,666 people live here, up 9.3% since 2020. Employers here counted 16,412 jobs in 2025, up 2.2% from 2019. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Culpeper 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.
Who powers Culpeper County
Utilities with service territory in Culpeper 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% |
| Rappahannock Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 169,489 | 14.89¢ | 11% |
| Town of Culpeper- (VA) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 7 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Avenue Facility | Town of Culpeper- (VA) | Petroleum | 7 MW | 1997 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenwood Solar I | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | Greenwood Solar I, LLC |
The Culpeper County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,412 | $57,587 | 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 Culpeper County
5 data centers in Culpeper County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local moratorium on data centers with no end date | In force | 2025-09 |
Delay Watchlist 3
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bel Pre Tech Park (Brandy Station data center campus) | pending review | — | ||
| Brandy Station data center proposal (David Martin parcel) | withdrawn | — | ||
| Red Ace Data Center Campus | delayed | — |
Culpeper County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Culpeper County, Stafford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culpeper County | 57,666 | ▲ 2.2% | 7 MW | 100 MW | 5 | 1 |
| Fauquier County | 76,503 | ▲ 7.5% | 1,322 MW | 14 MW | 4 | — |
| Madison County | 14,237 | ▼ 0.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Orange County | 40,083 | ▼ 5.8% | 62 MW | — | — | — |
| Rappahannock County | 7,439 | ▲ 10.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Spotsylvania County | 155,388 | ▲ 5.7% | 500 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Stafford County | 170,803 | ▲ 13.2% | 4 MW | 5 MW | 18 | 1 |
More of Virginia
Culpeper County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Culpeper County, Virginia?
3 utilities have service territory in Culpeper County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Rappahannock Electric Coop, Town of Culpeper- (VA). The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Culpeper, VA in?
Culpeper is in Culpeper County, Virginia. About 22,074 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Culpeper County?
1 operating plant with 7 MW of capacity. The largest is Electric Avenue Facility (7 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Culpeper County?
100 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Greenwood Solar I, LLC.
Are there data centers in Culpeper County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in Culpeper County.
Is Culpeper County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,412 jobs in 2025 against 16,058 in 2019 (+2.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Culpeper County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Culpeper County, 1 in force.