Tazewell County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Richlands, Bluefield and Tazewell
No data center or power plant project is on record in Tazewell County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Tazewell County is home to Richlands, Bluefield, Tazewell and Cedar Bluff. 13 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Hera Solar, LLC (solar). Employers here counted 13,374 jobs in 2025, down 7.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Tazewell County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities.
Cities and towns in Tazewell County
Tazewell County is home to Richlands, Bluefield, Tazewell and Cedar Bluff.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Abbs Valley, Amonate, Boissevain, Claypool Hill, Doran, Falls Mills, Gratton, Jewell Ridge, Pounding Mill, Raven, Springville.
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 Tazewell County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 40,407 | 38,635 | ▼ 4.4% | 48th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,445 | 13,374 | ▼ 7.4% | 115th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,912 | $46,597 | ▲ 29.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 5.0% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 13 MW | no fleet today | 25th of 29 by size |
38,635 people live here, down 4.4% since 2020.
Who powers Tazewell County
Utilities with service territory in Tazewell 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% |
| Town of Richlands - (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.
No operating power plant is located in Tazewell County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hera Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 13 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Hera Solar, LLC |
The Tazewell County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,374 | $46,597 | 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 Tazewell County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Tazewell County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Tazewell County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Tazewell County, Russell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tazewell County | 38,635 | ▼ 7.4% | — | 13 MW | — | — |
| Bland County | 6,151 | ▲ 7.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Buchanan County | 18,492 | ▼ 11.7% | 88 MW | — | — | — |
| McDowell County WV | 16,878 | ▼ 12.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Mercer County WV | 57,503 | ▲ 4.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Russell County | 25,332 | ▼ 9.0% | 475 MW | — | — | — |
| Smyth County | 28,882 | ▼ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Tazewell County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Tazewell County, Virginia?
3 utilities have service territory in Tazewell County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Appalachian Power Co, Town of Richlands - (VA). The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Tazewell County?
13 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Hera Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Tazewell County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Tazewell County.
Is Tazewell County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,374 jobs in 2025 against 14,445 in 2019 (-7.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Tazewell County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Tazewell County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.