Westmoreland County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Colonial Beach
No data center or power plant project is on record in Westmoreland County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Westmoreland County is home to Colonial Beach. Construction employs 224, up 28.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 3,204 jobs in 2025, down 6.4% from 2019. 36 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 56 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County is home to Colonial Beach.
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 Westmoreland County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 18,513 | 19,715 | ▲ 6.5% | 81st of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,424 | 3,204 | ▼ 6.4% | 111th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,903 | $45,725 | ▲ 43.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 175 | 224 | ▲ 28.0% | 20th of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 4.6% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 36 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Westmoreland County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. 19,715 people live here, up 6.5% since 2020. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019.
Who powers Westmoreland County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +36 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Westmoreland 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% |
| Northern Neck Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,991 | 16.12¢ | 14% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 56 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montross Solar | Dominion Energy Inc. | Solar | 20 MW | 2018 |
| Westmoreland County Solar Project | Novis Renewables, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2021 |
| Gardy's Mill Solar | Gardy's Mill Solar, LLC | Solar | 14 MW | 2020 |
| Springfield Solar | Dominion Renewable Energy | Solar | 2 MW | 2024 |
The Westmoreland County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,204 | $45,725 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 224 | $53,332 | 1.32 |
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 Westmoreland County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Westmoreland County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Westmoreland County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Westmoreland County, Richmond 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westmoreland County | 19,715 | ▼ 6.4% | 56 MW | — | — | — |
| Essex County | 10,654 | ▼ 2.2% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| King George County | 29,646 | ▲ 13.8% | 13 MW | — | — | — |
| Northumberland County | 12,557 | ▼ 10.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Richmond County | 9,294 | ▲ 3.1% | 215 MW | 122 MW | — | — |
More of Virginia
Westmoreland County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Westmoreland County, Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Westmoreland County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Northern Neck Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Westmoreland County?
4 operating plants with 56 MW of capacity. The largest is Montross Solar (20 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Westmoreland County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Westmoreland County.
Is Westmoreland County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,204 jobs in 2025 against 3,424 in 2019 (-6.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 175 to 224.
Does Westmoreland County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Westmoreland County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.