Pulaski County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pulaski and Dublin
Pulaski County is where a large share of Virginia's next power plants are planned. Pulaski County is home to Pulaski and Dublin. 150 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by AES Clean Energy (solar), the 10th largest pipeline among Virginia's counties. Employers here counted 13,753 jobs in 2025, down 6.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 81 MW of capacity, 93% of it hydro. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Pulaski County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities.
Cities and towns in Pulaski County
Pulaski County is home to Pulaski and Dublin.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Allisonia, Belspring, Draper, Fairlawn, Hiwassee, New River, Parrott, Snowville.
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 Pulaski County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 33,806 | 33,586 | ▼ 0.7% | 54th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,671 | 13,753 | ▼ 6.3% | 109th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,424 | $54,741 | ▲ 32.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 150 MW | 185% of today's fleet | 10th of 29 by size |
Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. 33,586 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Pulaski County
Utilities with service territory in Pulaski County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 465,283 | 17.02¢ | 26% |
| City of Radford - (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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 76 MW | 93% |
| Other technologies | 5 MW | 7% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claytor | Appalachian Power Co | Hydro | 75 MW | 1939 |
| New River | Ingenco Renewable Development, LLC | Other technologies | 5 MW | 2013 |
| Radford | City of Radford - (VA) | Hydro | 1 MW | 1934 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hecate Energy Pulaski 1 | Solar Photovoltaic | 150 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | AES Clean Energy |
The Pulaski County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,753 | $54,741 | 1.00 |
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 Pulaski County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pulaski County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Pulaski County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Pulaski County, Montgomery 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County | 33,586 | ▼ 6.3% | 81 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Bland County | 6,151 | ▲ 7.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Carroll County | 29,299 | ▼ 6.7% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Floyd County | 15,789 | ▲ 8.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Giles County | 16,564 | ▲ 16.1% | 27 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Montgomery County | 98,434 | ▲ 4.0% | 24 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Radford (city) | 17,243 | ▲ 3.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Wythe County | 27,983 | ▲ 2.6% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Pulaski County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pulaski County, Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Pulaski County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co, City of Radford - (VA). The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 17.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Pulaski County?
3 operating plants with 81 MW of capacity. The largest is Claytor (75 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Pulaski County?
150 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is AES Clean Energy.
Are there data centers in Pulaski County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pulaski County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Montgomery County.
Is Pulaski County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,753 jobs in 2025 against 14,671 in 2019 (-6.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Pulaski County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pulaski County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.