New Kent County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to New Kent
Local rules on data centers are on the record in New Kent County. Employers here counted 6,309 jobs in 2025, up 30.0% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 133 Virginia counties). New Kent County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including New Kent, are unincorporated and governed by the county. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including New Kent County data center-friendly technology overlay district. 20 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Caden Energix New Kent, LLC (solar). Construction employs 782, up 7.6% since 2019, and construction is 2.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy.
Cities and towns in New Kent County
New Kent County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including New Kent, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): New Kent.
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 New Kent County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 23,118 | 28,022 | ▲ 21.2% | 67th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,854 | 6,309 | ▲ 30.0% | 3rd of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,080 | $53,436 | ▲ 30.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 727 | 782 | ▲ 7.6% | 47th of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 2.9% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 20 MW | 100% of today's fleet | 23rd of 29 by size |
28,022 people live here, up 21.2% since 2020. Its power plants have 20 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving New Kent County. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities.
Who powers New Kent County
Utilities with service territory in New Kent 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 20 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correctional Solar LLC | Dominion Renewable Energy | Solar | 20 MW | 2017 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caden Energix New Kent, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 20 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Caden Energix New Kent, LLC |
The New Kent County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,309 | $53,436 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 782 | $82,590 | 2.34 |
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 New Kent County
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Kent County data center-friendly technology overlay district | cancelled | — |
New Kent County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border New Kent 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Kent County | 28,022 | ▲ 30.0% | 20 MW | 20 MW | — | — |
| Charles City County | 6,623 | ▲ 24.1% | 309 MW | — | — | — |
| Hanover County | 116,423 | ▲ 5.7% | 1,343 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Henrico County | 342,775 | ▲ 0.4% | 398 MW | 20 MW | 29 | — |
| James City County | 83,326 | ▲ 0.3% | 40 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| King William County | 19,617 | ▲ 6.8% | 131 MW | 75 MW | — | — |
| King and Queen County | 6,743 | ▲ 8.3% | 11 MW | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
New Kent County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in New Kent County, Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in New Kent 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 New Kent County?
1 operating plant with 20 MW of capacity. The largest is Correctional Solar LLC (20 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in New Kent County?
20 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Caden Energix New Kent, LLC.
Are there data centers in New Kent County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in New Kent County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Henrico County.
Is New Kent County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,309 jobs in 2025 against 4,854 in 2019 (+30.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 727 to 782.
Does New Kent County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for New Kent County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.