Frederick County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Stephens City and Middletown
The data center boom is not abstract in Frederick County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Frederick County. Frederick County is home to Stephens City and Middletown. 2 projects are on the Delay Watchlist, including Frederick County (VA) countywide data center ban consideration. 30 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Dominion Renewable Energy (solar). Employers here counted 38,290 jobs in 2025, up 16.4% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Frederick County
Frederick County is home to Stephens City and Middletown.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brucetown, Gore, Lake Holiday, Shawneeland.
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 Frederick County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 91,891 | 99,955 | ▲ 8.8% | 19th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 32,899 | 38,290 | ▲ 16.4% | 11th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,568 | $62,700 | ▲ 31.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,298 | 2,319 | ▲ 0.9% | 61st of 83 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 183 | 180 | ▼ 1.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 3.4% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 206 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 30 MW | 13% of today's fleet | 20th of 29 by size |
206 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Construction employs 2,319, up 0.9% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. Its power plants have 223 MW of capacity, 92% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 180, down 1.6% since 2019 against up 33.4% statewide, at an average $60,753 a year. 99,955 people live here, up 8.8% since 2020. Rappahannock Electric Coop is the largest utility serving Frederick County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.89¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities.
Who powers Frederick County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +206 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Frederick County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rappahannock Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 169,489 | 14.89¢ | 11% |
| Shenandoah Valley Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 85,281 | 13.81¢ | 22% |
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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 206 MW | 92% |
| Natural gas | 15 MW | 7% |
| Other technologies | 2 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bartonsville Energy Facility, LLC | Bartonsville Energy Facility, LLC | Solar | 130 MW | 2024 |
| Foxglove Solar | Urban Grid Solar | Solar | 75 MW | 2024 |
| HP Hood CT | HP Hood LLC | Natural gas | 15 MW | 2015 |
| Frederick County LFGTE Facility | Frederick County Virginia | Other technologies | 2 MW | 2010 |
| The Village at Orchard Ridge (TVOR) | Distributed Solar Development, LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redbud Run Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 30 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Dominion Renewable Energy |
The Frederick County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 38,290 | $62,700 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,319 | $68,287 | 1.14 |
| Electrical contractors | 180 | $60,753 | 0.65 |
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 Frederick County
1 data center in Frederick County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Delay Watchlist 2
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick County (VA) countywide data center ban consideration | pending review | — | ||
| Tract Capital / Winchester Gateway LLC Frederick County | cancelled | — |
Frederick County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Frederick County, Warren 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick County | 99,955 | ▲ 16.4% | 223 MW | 30 MW | 1 | — |
| Berkeley County WV | 139,522 | ▲ 7.5% | 7 MW | 100 MW | — | — |
| Clarke County | 15,609 | ▲ 4.7% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Hampshire County WV | 24,105 | ▲ 13.8% | 20 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Hardy County WV | 14,337 | ▲ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County WV | 63,102 | ▲ 9.4% | 101 MW | — | — | — |
| Morgan County WV | 18,027 | ▲ 10.9% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Shenandoah County | 45,839 | ▼ 7.8% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 42,740 | ▲ 2.0% | 1,475 MW | — | — | — |
| Winchester (city) | 28,272 | ▼ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Frederick County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Frederick County, Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Frederick County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Rappahannock Electric Coop, Shenandoah Valley Elec Coop. The largest, Rappahannock Electric Coop, charged residential customers 14.89¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Frederick County?
5 operating plants with 223 MW of capacity. The largest is Bartonsville Energy Facility, LLC (130 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Frederick County?
30 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Dominion Renewable Energy.
Are there data centers in Frederick County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Frederick County.
Is Frederick County adding jobs?
Employers counted 38,290 jobs in 2025 against 32,899 in 2019 (+16.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,298 to 2,319.
Does Frederick County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Frederick County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.