Nicholas County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Summersville and Richwood
No data center or power plant project is on record in Nicholas County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Electrical contractors employ 43, up 95.5% since 2019 against up 37.1% statewide, at an average $79,994 a year. Nicholas County is home to Summersville and Richwood. Next door, Kanawha County has 3 data centers. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 5.9% in 2019. Construction employs 253, up 6.8% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Nicholas County
Nicholas County is home to Summersville and Richwood.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Belva, Birch River, Craigsville, Dixie, Fenwick, Nettie, Tioga.
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 Nicholas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 24,559 | 23,848 | ▼ 2.9% | 25th of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,175 | 6,987 | ▼ 2.6% | 39th of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,327 | $50,393 | ▲ 35.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 237 | 253 | ▲ 6.8% | 13th of 26 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 22 | 43 | ▲ 95.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.9% | 4.6% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 80 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Employers here counted 6,987 jobs in 2025, down 2.6% from 2019. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Nicholas County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.35¢ median for West Virginia utilities. 23,848 people live here, down 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Nicholas County
Utilities with service territory in Nicholas County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 348,946 | 16.77¢ | 27% |
| Monongahela Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 334,588 | 13.97¢ | 26% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 80 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gauley River Power Partners | Central Rivers Power WV, LLC | Hydro | 80 MW | 2001 |
The Nicholas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,987 | $50,393 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 253 | $64,828 | 0.68 |
| Electrical contractors | 43 | $79,994 | 0.85 |
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 Nicholas County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Nicholas County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Nicholas County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Nicholas County, Kanawha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas County | 23,848 | ▼ 2.6% | 80 MW | — | — | — |
| Braxton County | 11,885 | ▲ 33.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 7,538 | ▲ 23.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Fayette County | 38,165 | ▲ 1.0% | 108 MW | — | — | — |
| Greenbrier County | 31,578 | ▼ 6.9% | 188 MW | — | — | — |
| Kanawha County | 172,381 | ▼ 0.6% | 29 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Webster County | 7,760 | ▼ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Nicholas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Nicholas County, West Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Nicholas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co, Monongahela Power Co. The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Nicholas County?
1 operating plant with 80 MW of capacity. The largest is Gauley River Power Partners (80 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Nicholas County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Nicholas County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kanawha County.
Is Nicholas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,987 jobs in 2025 against 7,175 in 2019 (-2.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 237 to 253.
Does Nicholas County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Nicholas County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.