Putnam County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hurricane, Winfield and Eleanor
Putnam County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. Putnam County is home to Hurricane, Winfield, Eleanor and Buffalo. Construction employs 2,991, up 24.3% since 2019, and construction is 2.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Its power plants have 2,957 MW of capacity, 99% of it coal, the largest fleet in West Virginia. Next door, Kanawha County has 3 data centers. Employers here counted 22,322 jobs in 2025, up 11.5% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 55 West Virginia counties).
Cities and towns in Putnam County
Putnam County is home to Hurricane, Winfield, Eleanor and Buffalo.
- Nitro also extends into Kanawha County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Culloden, Hometown, Raymond City, Teays Valley.
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 Putnam County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 57,441 | 56,885 | ▼ 1.0% | 10th of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,017 | 22,322 | ▲ 11.5% | 9th of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $54,098 | $68,219 | ▲ 26.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,407 | 2,991 | ▲ 24.3% | 7th of 26 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 3.4% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Putnam County. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.35¢ median for West Virginia utilities. 56,885 people live here, down 1.0% since 2020, 10th of 55 West Virginia counties by population.
Who powers Putnam County
Utilities with service territory in Putnam 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% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 2,933 MW | 99% |
| Hydro | 24 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John E Amos | Appalachian Power Co | Coal | 2,933 MW | 1971 |
| Winfield | Appalachian Power Co | Hydro | 24 MW | 1938 |
The Putnam County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 22,322 | $68,219 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,991 | $90,131 | 2.53 |
| Data processing and hosting | 4 | $109,095 | 0.06 |
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 Putnam County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Putnam County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Putnam County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Putnam County, Mason 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | 56,885 | ▲ 11.5% | 2,957 MW | — | — | — |
| Cabell County | 91,183 | ▼ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 27,450 | ▼ 13.1% | 192 MW | — | — | — |
| Kanawha County | 172,381 | ▼ 0.6% | 29 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Lincoln County | 19,177 | ▲ 14.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Mason County | 24,707 | ▲ 27.7% | 1,300 MW | 29 MW | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Putnam County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Putnam County, West Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in Putnam County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co. The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Putnam County?
2 operating plants with 2,957 MW of capacity. The largest is John E Amos (2,933 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Putnam County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Putnam County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kanawha County.
Is Putnam County adding jobs?
Employers counted 22,322 jobs in 2025 against 20,017 in 2019 (+11.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,407 to 2,991.
Does Putnam County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Putnam County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.