Penobscot County, Maine: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bangor and Orono, and the communities of Orono
The data center boom is not abstract in Penobscot County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Penobscot County, 25% of Maine's total. Penobscot County is home to Bangor, Orono, Brewer and Hampden, plus the unincorporated community of Orono. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed six-month data center moratorium”. 68 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by VCP Realty, LLC (solar), the 4th largest pipeline among Maine's counties. Construction employs 3,786, up 13.4% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Penobscot County
Penobscot County is home to Bangor, Orono, Brewer and Hampden, plus the unincorporated community of Orono.
And 16 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Orono, Bradley, Corinna, Dexter, East Millinocket, Hampden, Howland, Lincoln, Mattawamkeag, Milford, Millinocket, Newport, Patten, Veazie.
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 Penobscot County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Maine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 152,174 | 157,967 | ▲ 3.8% | 3rd of 16 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 70,570 | 71,782 | ▲ 1.7% | 7th of 16 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,821 | $57,443 | ▲ 31.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,338 | 3,786 | ▲ 13.4% | 6th of 7 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 339 | 385 | ▲ 13.6% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 288 | 358 | ▲ 24.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.4% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 116 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 65 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 68 MW | 7% of today's fleet | 4th of 8 by size |
65 MW has retired here since 2019, including East Millinocket Mill (other technologies, 61 MW, 2019). Its power plants have 1,038 MW of capacity, 53% of it natural gas, the 2nd largest fleet in Maine. Electrical contractors employ 385, up 13.6% since 2019 against up 44.1% statewide, at an average $71,142 a year. 116 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 71,782 jobs in 2025, up 1.7% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 16 Maine counties). Central Maine Power Co is the largest utility serving Penobscot County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 23.43¢/kWh in 2024, above the 17.06¢ median for Maine utilities. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. 157,967 people live here, up 3.8% since 2020, 3rd of 16 Maine counties by population.
Who powers Penobscot County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +51 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Penobscot County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Maine Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 577,955 | 23.43¢ | 22% |
| Versant Power | Investor Owned | Bundled | 137,906 | 28.08¢ | 40% |
| Eastern Maine Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,803 | 17.06¢ | 23% |
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 36
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 554 MW | 53% |
| Hydro | 175 MW | 17% |
| Wind | 132 MW | 13% |
| Other technologies | 81 MW | 8% |
| Solar | 76 MW | 7% |
| Battery storage | 20 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine Independence Station | Casco Bay Energy Co LLC | Natural gas | 550 MW | 2000 |
| Great Lakes Hydro America - ME | Great Lakes Hydro America LLC | Hydro | 158 MW | 1917 |
| Rollins Wind Project | Evergreen Wind, LLC | Wind | 60 MW | 2011 |
| Passadumkeag Windpark LLC | Southern Power Co | Wind | 43 MW | 2016 |
| Red Shield Envir Old Town Facility | ND Paper, Inc. | Other technologies | 28 MW | 1965 |
| NE Renewable Power West Enfield | Stored Solar J&WE | Other technologies | 28 MW | 1987 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crooked Trail Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 68 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | VCP Realty, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Millinocket Mill | Other technologies | 61 MW | 2019 |
| Pine Tree Landfill Gas to Energy | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2021 |
The Penobscot County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 71,782 | $57,443 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,786 | $71,812 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 385 | $71,142 | 0.74 |
| Power and communication line construction | 58 | $72,245 | 0.50 |
| Electric utilities | 358 | $118,536 | 1.84 |
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 Penobscot County
3 data centers in Penobscot County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed six-month data center moratorium | Proposed | 2026-09 |
Penobscot County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Penobscot County, Hancock 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penobscot County | 157,967 | ▲ 1.7% | 1,038 MW | 68 MW | 3 | 1 |
| Aroostook County | 66,609 | ▼ 3.6% | 293 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Hancock County | 57,171 | ▲ 4.2% | 388 MW | 102 MW | — | — |
| Piscataquis County | 17,409 | ▼ 5.4% | 210 MW | — | — | — |
| Somerset County | 51,620 | ▼ 0.4% | 498 MW | — | — | — |
| Waldo County | 40,693 | ▼ 2.3% | 149 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
| Washington County | 31,334 | ▼ 0.2% | 316 MW | — | — | — |
More of Maine
Penobscot County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Penobscot County, Maine?
3 utilities have service territory in Penobscot County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Central Maine Power Co, Versant Power, Eastern Maine Electric Coop. The largest, Central Maine Power Co, charged residential customers 23.43¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Bangor, ME in?
Bangor is in Penobscot County, Maine. About 32,518 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Orono, ME in?
Orono is in Penobscot County, Maine. About 12,421 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Penobscot County?
36 operating plants with 1,038 MW of capacity. The largest is Maine Independence Station (550 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Penobscot County?
68 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is VCP Realty, LLC.
Are there data centers in Penobscot County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Penobscot County.
Is Penobscot County adding jobs?
Employers counted 71,782 jobs in 2025 against 70,570 in 2019 (+1.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,338 to 3,786.
Does Penobscot County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Penobscot County, 0 in force.