Union County, New Jersey: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Elizabeth and Union Township, and the communities of Cranford and Union
Union County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Union County. Union County is home to Elizabeth, Union Township, Plainfield and Linden, plus the unincorporated communities of Cranford and Union. 3 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Standard Solar (solar), the 5th largest pipeline among New Jersey's counties. 3 MW of it is already under construction or built. Its power plants have 2,853 MW of capacity, 97% of it natural gas, the 3rd largest fleet in New Jersey. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Union County
Union County is home to Elizabeth, Union Township, Plainfield and Linden, plus the unincorporated communities of Cranford and Union.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cranford, Union, Connecticut Farms, Kean University, Springfield, Vauxhall.
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 Union County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New Jersey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 573,482 | 601,863 | ▲ 4.9% | 7th of 21 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 228,240 | 231,428 | ▲ 1.4% | 13th of 21 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $71,000 | $85,755 | ▲ 20.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9,747 | 9,338 | ▼ 4.2% | 14th of 16 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,349 | 1,260 | ▼ 6.6% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 139 | 158 | ▲ 13.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 5.0% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 15 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 3 MW | 0% of today's fleet | 5th of 7 by size |
2 MW has retired here since 2019, including Overlook Medical Center (natural gas, 2 MW, 2022). Construction employs 9,338, down 4.2% since 2019. 15 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Owners plan to retire 4 MW more by 2035, led by Linden Solar Farm in 2030. Public Service Elec & Gas Co is the largest utility serving Union County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 20.42¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 231,428 jobs in 2025, up 1.4% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 1,260, down 6.6% since 2019 against up 8.8% statewide, at an average $98,837 a year. 601,863 people live here, up 4.9% since 2020, 7th of 21 New Jersey counties by population.
Who powers Union County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +13 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Union County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Elec & Gas Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 2,056,231 | 20.42¢ | 41% |
| Jersey Central Power & Lt Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,038,258 | 15.65¢ | 24% |
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 21
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,766 MW | 97% |
| Other technologies | 56 MW | 2% |
| Solar | 29 MW | 1% |
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linden Generating Station | Linden Combined Cycle | Natural gas | 1,740 MW | 1995 |
| Linden Cogen Plant | EFS Cogen Holdings I LLC | Natural gas | 974 MW | 1992 |
| Union County Resource Recovery | Reworld Union (NJ), LLC | Other technologies | 45 MW | 1994 |
| Kenilworth Energy Facility | E F Kenilworth LLC | Natural gas | 29 MW | 1989 |
| Merck Rahway Power Plant | Merck & Co Inc | Natural gas | 21 MW | 1977 |
| Bayway Refinery | Phillips 66 | Other technologies | 11 MW | 1967 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPL NJ - Union Distribution Center | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Standard Solar |
| Elizabeth Metropolitan Logistics Center | Solar Photovoltaic | 1 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Standard Solar |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overlook Medical Center | Natural gas | 2 MW | 2022 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linden Solar Farm | Solar | 3 MW | 2030 |
| Community Foodbank of NJ | Solar | 1 MW | 2032 |
The Union County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 231,428 | $85,755 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 9,338 | $92,435 | 0.76 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,260 | $98,837 | 0.75 |
| Data processing and hosting | 158 | $166,494 | 0.22 |
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 Union County
1 data center in Union County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Union County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Union County, Hudson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 601,863 | ▲ 1.4% | 2,853 MW | 3 MW | 1 | — |
| Essex County | 896,379 | ▲ 2.2% | 865 MW | — | 11 | 1 |
| Hudson County | 735,033 | ▲ 0.8% | 1,284 MW | — | 29 | — |
| Middlesex County | 883,335 | ▲ 0.4% | 3,067 MW | 16 MW | 20 | — |
| Morris County | 524,251 | ▲ 2.5% | 71 MW | — | 3 | 2 |
| Richmond County NY | 501,290 | ▲ 6.1% | 1,004 MW | 15 MW | 3 | — |
| Somerset County | 356,486 | ▲ 1.4% | 67 MW | 3 MW | 21 | — |
More of New Jersey
Union County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Union County, New Jersey?
2 utilities have service territory in Union County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Elec & Gas Co, Jersey Central Power & Lt Co. The largest, Public Service Elec & Gas Co, charged residential customers 20.42¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Elizabeth, NJ in?
Elizabeth is in Union County, New Jersey. About 141,675 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Union Township, NJ in?
Union Township is in Union County, New Jersey. About 63,675 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Plainfield, NJ in?
Plainfield is in Union County, New Jersey. About 57,141 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Union County?
21 operating plants with 2,853 MW of capacity. The largest is Linden Generating Station (1,740 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Union County?
3 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 3 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Standard Solar.
Are there data centers in Union County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Union County.
Is Union County adding jobs?
Employers counted 231,428 jobs in 2025 against 228,240 in 2019 (+1.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 9,747 to 9,338.
Does Union County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Union County. New Jersey has 108 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.