Henry County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bassett and Chatmoss
Henry County is where a large share of Virginia's next power plants are planned. Henry County is home to Ridgeway. 201 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Vesper Energy Development LLC (solar), the 6th largest pipeline among Virginia's counties. Unemployment was 4.9% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 83, up 15.3% since 2019 against up 33.4% statewide, at an average $52,286 a year. 140 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Henry County
Henry County is home to Ridgeway.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bassett, Chatmoss, Collinsville, Fieldale, Horse Pasture, Laurel Park, Oak Level, Sandy Level, Stanleytown, Villa Heights.
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 Henry County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 50,845 | 49,242 | ▼ 3.2% | 37th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,017 | 15,384 | ▼ 4.0% | 99th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,331 | $46,799 | ▲ 36.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 431 | 437 | ▲ 1.4% | 58th of 83 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 72 | 83 | ▲ 15.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 4.9% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 140 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 201 MW | 129% of today's fleet | 6th of 29 by size |
Construction employs 437, up 1.4% since 2019. Employers here counted 15,384 jobs in 2025, down 4.0% from 2019. Its power plants have 156 MW of capacity, 83% of it solar. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Henry County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. 49,242 people live here, down 3.2% since 2020.
Who powers Henry County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +140 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Henry 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% |
| Appalachian Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 465,283 | 17.02¢ | 26% |
| City of Danville - (VA) | Municipal | Bundled | 37,781 | 15.01¢ | 29% |
| City of Martinsville - (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 9
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 130 MW | 83% |
| Hydro | 15 MW | 10% |
| Battery storage | 10 MW | 6% |
| Natural gas | 1 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caden Energix Axton LLC | Caden Energix Axton LLC | Solar | 66 MW | 2023 |
| Energix Leatherwood, LLC | Energix Leatherwood, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2021 |
| Sunny Rock Solar, LLC | Sunny Rock Solar, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2025 |
| Shifting Sands Solar, LLC | Shifting Sands Solar, LLC | Solar | 19 MW | 2025 |
| Philpott Lake | USCE-Wilmington District | Hydro | 14 MW | 1953 |
| Martinsville BESS | Onsite Partners, LLC | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2022 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axton Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 201 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
The Henry County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,384 | $46,799 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 437 | $53,456 | 0.54 |
| Electrical contractors | 83 | $52,286 | 0.75 |
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 Henry County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Henry County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Stokes County.
Henry County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Henry County, Stokes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County | 49,242 | ▼ 4.0% | 156 MW | 201 MW | — | — |
| Franklin County | 55,526 | ▲ 4.8% | — | 12 MW | 1 | — |
| Martinsville (city) | 13,849 | ▼ 3.2% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Patrick County | 17,424 | ▼ 8.7% | 12 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Pittsylvania County | 59,490 | ▲ 7.5% | 846 MW | 166 MW | 3 | — |
| Rockingham County NC | 94,195 | ▼ 4.4% | 1,718 MW | — | — | — |
| Stokes County NC | 46,126 | ▼ 1.0% | 2,555 MW | 34 MW | — | 1 |
More of Virginia
Henry County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Henry County, Virginia?
4 utilities have service territory in Henry County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Appalachian Power Co, City of Danville - (VA), City of Martinsville - (VA). The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Henry County?
9 operating plants with 156 MW of capacity. The largest is Caden Energix Axton LLC (66 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Henry County?
201 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Vesper Energy Development LLC.
Are there data centers in Henry County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Henry County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pittsylvania County.
Is Henry County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,384 jobs in 2025 against 16,017 in 2019 (-4.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 431 to 437.
Does Henry County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Henry County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.