Halifax County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to South Boston and Halifax
Halifax County sits inside the data center build-out. Construction employs 849, up 53.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Halifax County. Halifax County is home to South Boston and Halifax. 107 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Dominion Energy Inc. (solar). 77 MW of it is already under construction or built. 527 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Halifax County
Halifax County is home to South Boston and Halifax.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Clover, Cluster Springs, Mountain Road, Nathalie, Riverdale.
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 Halifax County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 33,939 | 33,447 | ▼ 1.4% | 55th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,154 | 11,810 | ▼ 2.8% | 93rd of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,138 | $53,351 | ▲ 39.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 554 | 849 | ▲ 53.2% | 9th of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 4.8% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 527 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 107 MW | 8% of today's fleet | 13th of 29 by size |
Its power plants have 1,426 MW of capacity, 59% of it coal, the 7th largest fleet in Virginia. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. Employers here counted 11,810 jobs in 2025, down 2.8% from 2019. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Halifax 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. 33,447 people live here, down 1.4% since 2020.
Who powers Halifax County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +527 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Halifax 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% |
| City of Danville - (VA) | Municipal | Bundled | 37,781 | 15.01¢ | 29% |
| Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,016 | 14.50¢ | 71% |
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 12
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 848 MW | 59% |
| Solar | 527 MW | 37% |
| Other technologies | 50 MW | 3% |
| Hydro | 2 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clover | Virginia Electric & Power Co | Coal | 848 MW | 1995 |
| Foxhound | Foxhound Solar, LLC | Solar | 83 MW | 2024 |
| Piney Creek Solar | Dominion Energy Inc. | Solar | 80 MW | 2023 |
| Water Strider Solar | RWE Clean Energy | Solar | 80 MW | 2021 |
| Alton Post Office Solar | Urban Grid Solar | Solar | 75 MW | 2024 |
| Powells Creek Solar - Hybrid | Powells Creek Farm Solar, LLC | Solar | 70 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clover Creek Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 77 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Dominion Energy Inc. |
| Powells Creek Solar - Hybrid | Batteries | 18 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Powells Creek Farm Solar, LLC |
| Sunnybrook Solar Project - Hybrid | Batteries | 12 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Sunnybrook Farm Solar, LLC |
The Halifax County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,810 | $53,351 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 849 | $74,512 | 1.36 |
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 Halifax County
2 data centers in Halifax County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Halifax County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Halifax County, Mecklenburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax County | 33,447 | ▼ 2.8% | 1,426 MW | 107 MW | 2 | — |
| Campbell County | 55,629 | ▲ 7.2% | 179 MW | 120 MW | 2 | — |
| Caswell County NC | 22,563 | ▲ 0.2% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Charlotte County | 11,401 | ▼ 2.0% | 19 MW | 317 MW | 1 | — |
| Granville County NC | 61,421 | ▲ 0.5% | 43 MW | — | — | — |
| Mecklenburg County | 30,747 | ▲ 4.2% | 487 MW | — | 18 | 1 |
| Person County NC | 40,636 | ▼ 6.8% | 3,344 MW | 80 MW | 1 | — |
| Pittsylvania County | 59,490 | ▲ 7.5% | 846 MW | 166 MW | 3 | — |
More of Virginia
Halifax County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Halifax County, Virginia?
3 utilities have service territory in Halifax County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, City of Danville - (VA), Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Halifax County?
12 operating plants with 1,426 MW of capacity. The largest is Clover (848 MW, coal).
How much new power is planned in Halifax County?
107 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 77 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Dominion Energy Inc..
Are there data centers in Halifax County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Halifax County.
Is Halifax County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,810 jobs in 2025 against 12,154 in 2019 (-2.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 554 to 849.
Does Halifax County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Halifax County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.