Washington County, Maine: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Calais, Machias and East Machias
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Washington County. Washington County is home to Calais, Machias, East Machias and Milbridge. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including DeepGreen Western Passage underwater data center. 2 MW has retired here since 2019, including Eastport (petroleum, 2 MW, 2019). 138 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Its power plants have 316 MW of capacity, 66% of it wind, the 7th largest fleet in Maine.
Cities and towns in Washington County
Washington County is home to Calais, Machias, East Machias and Milbridge.
And 16 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Danforth, Jonesport, Lubec, Machias, Milbridge, Vanceboro, Woodland.
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 Washington County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Maine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 31,091 | 31,334 | ▲ 0.8% | 14th of 16 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,153 | 10,135 | ▼ 0.2% | 9th of 16 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,988 | $52,810 | ▲ 39.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 4.4% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 138 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — |
Versant Power is the largest utility serving Washington County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 28.08¢/kWh in 2024, above the 17.06¢ median for Maine utilities. Employers here counted 10,135 jobs in 2025, down 0.2% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 16 Maine counties). Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. 31,334 people live here, up 0.8% since 2020.
Who powers Washington County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +136 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Washington County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 8
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 208 MW | 66% |
| Other technologies | 77 MW | 24% |
| Hydro | 18 MW | 6% |
| Solar | 12 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downeast Wind | Downeast Wind, LLC | Wind | 126 MW | 2025 |
| Woodland Pulp, LLC | Woodland Pulp LLC | Hydro | 68 MW | 1906 |
| Stetson Wind I | Evergreen Wind, LLC | Wind | 57 MW | 2009 |
| NE Renewable Power Jonesboro | Stored Solar J&WE | Other technologies | 28 MW | 1987 |
| Stetson Wind II | Evergreen Wind, LLC | Wind | 26 MW | 2010 |
| Dublin Street LLC | Dublin Street LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastport | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2019 |
The Washington County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 10,135 | $52,810 | 1.00 |
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 Washington County
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeepGreen Western Passage underwater data center | pending review | — |
Washington County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 31,334 | ▼ 0.2% | 316 MW | — | — | — |
| Aroostook County | 66,609 | ▼ 3.6% | 293 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Hancock County | 57,171 | ▲ 4.2% | 388 MW | 102 MW | — | — |
| Penobscot County | 157,967 | ▲ 1.7% | 1,038 MW | 68 MW | 3 | 1 |
More of Maine
Washington County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Washington County, Maine?
2 utilities have service territory in Washington County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Versant Power, Eastern Maine Electric Coop. The largest, Versant Power, charged residential customers 28.08¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Washington County?
8 operating plants with 316 MW of capacity. The largest is Downeast Wind (126 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Washington County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Washington County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Penobscot County.
Is Washington County adding jobs?
Employers counted 10,135 jobs in 2025 against 10,153 in 2019 (-0.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Washington County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Washington County. Maine has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.