Sussex County, New Jersey: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Vernon Township, Sparta Township and Hopatcong
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Sussex County. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Sussex County. Sussex County is home to Vernon Township, Sparta Township, Hopatcong and Wantage Township. The Moratorium Tracker holds 3 local measures here (3 in force); the latest is “Ordinance prohibiting data centers in all zones”. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Former Newton Airport site data center proposal. 6 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by NJR Clean Energy Ventures Corporation (solar), the 2nd largest pipeline among New Jersey's counties. 6 MW of it is already under construction or built.
Cities and towns in Sussex County
Sussex County is home to Vernon Township, Sparta Township, Hopatcong and Wantage Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Byram Center, Crandon Lakes, Highland Lakes, Lake Mohawk, Layton, Ross Corner, Upper Greenwood Lake, Vernon Center, Vernon 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 Sussex County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New Jersey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 143,877 | 148,063 | ▲ 2.9% | 17th of 21 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 37,957 | 38,705 | ▲ 2.0% | 11th of 21 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,340 | $60,544 | ▲ 25.2% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 282 | 308 | ▲ 9.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 4.3% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 47 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 6 MW | 8% of today's fleet | 2nd of 7 by size |
3 MW has retired here since 2019, including SX Landfill Energy LLC (other technologies, 3 MW, 2020). Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. 47 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Electrical contractors employ 308, up 9.2% since 2019 against up 8.8% statewide, at an average $85,617 a year. Its power plants have 74 MW of capacity, 54% of it battery storage. Employers here counted 38,705 jobs in 2025, up 2.0% from 2019. Jersey Central Power & Lt Co is the largest utility serving Sussex County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.65¢/kWh in 2024, below the 20.42¢ median for New Jersey utilities. 148,063 people live here, up 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Sussex County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +44 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Sussex County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey Central Power & Lt Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,038,258 | 15.65¢ | 24% |
| Rockland Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 66,360 | 21.04¢ | 31% |
| Sussex Rural Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 9
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 40 MW | 54% |
| Solar | 34 MW | 46% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andover Energy Storage Project | VESI 25 LLC | Battery storage | 20 MW | 2023 |
| Montague Energy Storage | VESI 34 LLC | Battery storage | 20 MW | 2024 |
| G&S Wantage Solar LLC | G&S Operations LLC | Solar | 8 MW | 2014 |
| Frankford Solar | MN8 Energy LLC | Solar | 8 MW | 2012 |
| Beaver Run | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 7 MW | 2015 |
| Tissington Solar | MN8 Energy LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2019 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamms Landfill | Solar Photovoltaic | 6 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | NJR Clean Energy Ventures Corporation |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| SX Landfill Energy LLC | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2020 |
The Sussex County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 38,705 | $60,544 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 308 | $85,617 | 1.10 |
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 Sussex County
3 data centers in Sussex County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 3
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinance prohibiting data centers in all zones | In force | 2026-06 | |
| Ordinance prohibiting data centers in all zones | In force | 2026-06 | |
| Ordinance prohibiting data centers in all zones | In force | 2026-05 |
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Former Newton Airport site data center proposal | litigation active | — |
Sussex County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Sussex County, Orange 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex County | 148,063 | ▲ 2.0% | 74 MW | 6 MW | 3 | 3 |
| Monroe County PA | 167,179 | ▼ 0.4% | 23 MW | — | — | — |
| Morris County | 524,251 | ▲ 2.5% | 71 MW | — | 3 | 2 |
| Orange County NY | 417,669 | ▲ 4.5% | 2,754 MW | 178 MW | — | — |
| Passaic County | 531,624 | ▲ 5.2% | 39 MW | — | 6 | — |
| Pike County PA | 62,808 | ▲ 7.2% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Warren County | 112,953 | ▲ 3.5% | 576 MW | — | — | 2 |
More of New Jersey
Sussex County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sussex County, New Jersey?
3 utilities have service territory in Sussex County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Jersey Central Power & Lt Co, Rockland Electric Co, Sussex Rural Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Jersey Central Power & Lt Co, charged residential customers 15.65¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Vernon Township, NJ in?
Vernon Township is in Sussex County, New Jersey. About 22,965 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Sparta Township, NJ in?
Sparta Township is in Sussex County, New Jersey. About 20,431 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Hopatcong, NJ in?
Hopatcong is in Sussex County, New Jersey. About 14,824 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Sussex County?
9 operating plants with 74 MW of capacity. The largest is Andover Energy Storage Project (20 MW, battery storage).
How much new power is planned in Sussex County?
6 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 6 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is NJR Clean Energy Ventures Corporation.
Are there data centers in Sussex County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Sussex County.
Is Sussex County adding jobs?
Employers counted 38,705 jobs in 2025 against 37,957 in 2019 (+2.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Sussex County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 3 local measures for Sussex County, 3 in force.