James City County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Local rules on data centers are on the record in James City County. James City County has no incorporated cities or towns; its communities are unincorporated and governed by the county. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including James City County data center special-use review policy. 5 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Dimension Energy LLC (solar). Construction employs 1,650, up 10.7% since 2019. 40 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in James City County
James City County has no incorporated cities or towns; its communities are unincorporated and governed by the county.
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 James City County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 78,486 | 83,326 | ▲ 6.2% | 25th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 30,395 | 30,485 | ▲ 0.3% | 74th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,182 | $54,450 | ▲ 35.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,490 | 1,650 | ▲ 10.7% | 42nd of 83 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7 | 29 | ▲ 314.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.6% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 40 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 5 MW | 13% of today's fleet | 28th of 29 by size |
Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. Its power plants have 40 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving James City County. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. Employers here counted 30,485 jobs in 2025, up 0.3% from 2019. 83,326 people live here, up 6.2% since 2020.
Who powers James City County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +40 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in James City 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% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 40 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norge Solar Farm | Dominion Energy Inc. | Solar | 20 MW | 2023 |
| Rochambeau Solar | Dominion Renewable Energy | Solar | 20 MW | 2021 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond Road Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Dimension Energy LLC |
The James City County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 30,485 | $54,450 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,650 | $73,306 | 1.02 |
| Data processing and hosting | 29 | $133,581 | 0.31 |
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 James City County
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James City County data center special-use review policy | pending review | — |
James City County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border James City County, Charles City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James City County | 83,326 | ▲ 0.3% | 40 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Charles City County | 6,623 | ▲ 24.1% | 309 MW | — | — | — |
| Gloucester County | 40,097 | ▲ 6.4% | 194 MW | — | — | — |
| King and Queen County | 6,743 | ▲ 8.3% | 11 MW | — | — | — |
| New Kent County | 28,022 | ▲ 30.0% | 20 MW | 20 MW | — | — |
| Newport News (city) | 183,230 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Williamsburg (city) | 15,861 | ▼ 0.6% | — | — | — | — |
| York County | 71,374 | ▲ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
James City County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in James City County, Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in James City County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in James City County?
2 operating plants with 40 MW of capacity. The largest is Norge Solar Farm (20 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in James City County?
5 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Dimension Energy LLC.
Are there data centers in James City County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in James City County.
Is James City County adding jobs?
Employers counted 30,485 jobs in 2025 against 30,395 in 2019 (+0.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,490 to 1,650.
Does James City County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for James City County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.