Somerset County, Maine: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Skowhegan, Fairfield and Madison
No data center or power plant project is on record in Somerset County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Somerset County is home to Skowhegan, Fairfield, Madison and Pittsfield. Next door, Penobscot County has 3 data centers. 149 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 498 MW of capacity, 43% of it hydro, the 4th largest fleet in Maine. Central Maine Power Co is the largest utility serving Somerset County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 23.43¢/kWh in 2024, above the 17.06¢ median for Maine utilities.
Cities and towns in Somerset County
Somerset County is home to Skowhegan, Fairfield, Madison and Pittsfield.
And 8 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Anson, Bingham, Fairfield, Hartland, Madison, Norridgewock, North Anson, Pittsfield, Skowhegan.
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 Somerset County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Maine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 50,469 | 51,620 | ▲ 2.3% | 9th of 16 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,905 | 15,847 | ▼ 0.4% | 10th of 16 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,075 | $58,195 | ▲ 41.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 4.1% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 149 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 15,847 jobs in 2025, down 0.4% from 2019 (the 10th fastest growth of 16 Maine counties). Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. 51,620 people live here, up 2.3% since 2020, 9th of 16 Maine counties by population.
Who powers Somerset County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +149 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Somerset 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% |
| Town of Madison - (ME) | Municipal | Bundled | 2,413 | 15.16¢ | 12% |
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 37
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 216 MW | 43% |
| Other technologies | 119 MW | 24% |
| Solar | 98 MW | 20% |
| Wind | 59 MW | 12% |
| Battery storage | 6 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset Plant | Sappi Fine Paper North America-Somerset | Other technologies | 107 MW | 1976 |
| Harris Hydro | Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC | Hydro | 76 MW | 1954 |
| Wyman Hydro | Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC | Hydro | 72 MW | 1930 |
| Moscow | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Wind | 59 MW | 2025 |
| Anson Abenaki Hydros | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Hydro | 29 MW | 1950 |
| Williams Hydro | Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC | Hydro | 13 MW | 1939 |
The Somerset County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,847 | $58,195 | 1.00 |
| Power and communication line construction | 47 | $87,683 | 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 Somerset County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Somerset County. Maine has 24 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Penobscot County.
Somerset County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Somerset County, Penobscot 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County | 51,620 | ▼ 0.4% | 498 MW | — | — | — |
| Aroostook County | 66,609 | ▼ 3.6% | 293 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Franklin County | 30,824 | ▼ 2.1% | 336 MW | — | — | — |
| Kennebec County | 129,067 | ▲ 2.8% | 136 MW | — | — | — |
| Penobscot County | 157,967 | ▲ 1.7% | 1,038 MW | 68 MW | 3 | 1 |
| Piscataquis County | 17,409 | ▼ 5.4% | 210 MW | — | — | — |
| Waldo County | 40,693 | ▼ 2.3% | 149 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
More of Maine
Somerset County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Somerset County, Maine?
2 utilities have service territory in Somerset County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Central Maine Power Co, Town of Madison - (ME). The largest, Central Maine Power Co, charged residential customers 23.43¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Somerset County?
37 operating plants with 498 MW of capacity. The largest is Somerset Plant (107 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Somerset County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Somerset County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Penobscot County.
Is Somerset County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,847 jobs in 2025 against 15,905 in 2019 (-0.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Somerset County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Somerset County. Maine has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.