Hanover County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ashland
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Hanover County. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Hanover County. Hanover County is home to Ashland. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Rejection of Mountain Road Technology Park data center”. 3 projects are on the Delay Watchlist, including Mountain Road Technology Park (Tract) (900 MW). Construction employs 6,494, up 17.8% since 2019, and construction is 2.1 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy.
Cities and towns in Hanover County
Hanover County is home to Ashland.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hanover, Mechanicsville.
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 Hanover County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 110,211 | 116,423 | ▲ 5.6% | 17th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 54,469 | 57,566 | ▲ 5.7% | 38th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,909 | $60,259 | ▲ 37.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,513 | 6,494 | ▲ 17.8% | 30th of 83 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,543 | 1,455 | ▼ 5.7% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 36 | 51 | ▲ 41.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 30 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 1,343 MW of capacity, 98% of it natural gas, the 8th largest fleet in Virginia. 30 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 57,566 jobs in 2025, up 5.7% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Hanover 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. Electrical contractors employ 1,455, down 5.7% since 2019 against up 33.4% statewide, at an average $78,689 a year. 116,423 people live here, up 5.6% since 2020.
Who powers Hanover County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +30 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hanover 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% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,313 MW | 98% |
| Solar | 30 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doswell Energy Center | Doswell Ltd Partnership | Natural gas | 1,313 MW | 1991 |
| Mechanicsville Solar | Mechanicsville Solar, LLC | Solar | 25 MW | 2020 |
| VA - Ameresco - Mechanicsville | Peppertown Road Solar LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2025 |
The Hanover County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 57,566 | $60,259 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 6,494 | $79,511 | 2.13 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,455 | $78,689 | 3.50 |
| Data processing and hosting | 51 | $56,460 | 0.29 |
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 Hanover County
1 data center in Hanover County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rejection of Mountain Road Technology Park data center | In force | 2026-05 |
Delay Watchlist 3
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Road Technology Park (Tract) | cancelled | 900 MW | ||
| Hunting Hawk Technology Center | cancelled | 900 MW | ||
| Mountain Road Technology Park | cancelled | — |
Hanover County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Hanover 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanover County | 116,423 | ▲ 5.7% | 1,343 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Caroline County | 34,413 | ▲ 18.7% | 892 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Goochland County | 29,187 | ▲ 7.7% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Henrico County | 342,775 | ▲ 0.4% | 398 MW | 20 MW | 29 | — |
| King William County | 19,617 | ▲ 6.8% | 131 MW | 75 MW | — | — |
| Louisa County | 42,924 | ▲ 7.0% | 2,945 MW | 193 MW | 2 | — |
| New Kent County | 28,022 | ▲ 30.0% | 20 MW | 20 MW | — | — |
| Spotsylvania County | 155,388 | ▲ 5.7% | 500 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
More of Virginia
Hanover County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hanover County, Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Hanover County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Rappahannock Electric Coop. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hanover County?
3 operating plants with 1,343 MW of capacity. The largest is Doswell Energy Center (1,313 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Hanover County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Hanover County.
Is Hanover County adding jobs?
Employers counted 57,566 jobs in 2025 against 54,469 in 2019 (+5.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 5,513 to 6,494.
Does Hanover County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Hanover County, 1 in force.