Albany County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Albany and Guilderland, and the communities of Latham
The data center boom is not abstract in Albany County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 11 data centers in Albany County, 8% of New York's total. Albany County is home to Albany, Guilderland, Bethlehem and Cohoes, plus the unincorporated community of Latham. 5 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Knox II PV LLC (solar). 5 MW of it is already under construction or built. Electrical contractors employ 1,528, up 28.9% since 2019 against down 6.8% statewide, at an average $101,858 a year. Its power plants have 1,517 MW of capacity, 89% of it natural gas, the 7th largest fleet in New York.
Cities and towns in Albany County
Albany County is home to Albany, Guilderland, Bethlehem and Cohoes, plus the unincorporated community of Latham.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Latham, Loudonville, Preston-Potter Hollow, Roessleville, Siena College, Westmere.
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 Albany County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 314,293 | 321,225 | ▲ 2.2% | 14th of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 233,562 | 235,826 | ▲ 1.0% | 21st of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $60,449 | $85,818 | ▲ 42.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,936 | 8,628 | ▲ 8.7% | 18th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,185 | 1,528 | ▲ 28.9% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 85 | 542 | ▲ 537.6% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,103 | 803 | ▼ 27.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.9% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 96 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 9 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 5 MW | 0% of today's fleet | 38th of 43 by size |
Construction employs 8,628, up 8.7% since 2019. 9 MW has retired here since 2019, including Albany Medical Ctr Cogen Plant (natural gas, 9 MW, 2024). 96 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. is the largest utility serving Albany County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.22¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 235,826 jobs in 2025, up 1.0% from 2019. 321,225 people live here, up 2.2% since 2020.
Who powers Albany County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +88 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Albany County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,532,294 | 17.22¢ | 24% |
| Central Hudson Gas & Elec Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 270,859 | 25.14¢ | 35% |
| Village of Green Island - (NY) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 31
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,343 MW | 89% |
| Solar | 104 MW | 7% |
| Hydro | 58 MW | 4% |
| Other technologies | 12 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem Energy Center | GB II New York LLC | Natural gas | 893 MW | 2005 |
| Selkirk Cogen | Selkirk Cogen Partners LP | Natural gas | 446 MW | 1992 |
| School Street | Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP | Hydro | 39 MW | 1915 |
| Hecate Energy Albany 2 LLC | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Solar | 21 MW | 2024 |
| Hecate Energy Albany County 1 | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Solar | 20 MW | 2024 |
| Crescent | New York Power Authority | Hydro | 12 MW | 1924 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox II PV | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Knox II PV LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Medical Ctr Cogen Plant | Natural gas | 9 MW | 2024 |
The Albany County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 235,826 | $85,818 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 8,628 | $104,843 | 0.69 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,528 | $101,858 | 0.90 |
| Power and communication line construction | 542 | $149,806 | 1.42 |
| Data processing and hosting | 803 | $112,043 | 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 Albany County
11 data centers in Albany County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Albany County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Albany County, Greene 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany County | 321,225 | ▲ 1.0% | 1,517 MW | 5 MW | 11 | — |
| Columbia County | 60,168 | ▼ 4.8% | 43 MW | 47 MW | — | — |
| Greene County | 47,238 | ▼ 0.9% | 1,268 MW | 105 MW | — | — |
| Rensselaer County | 160,510 | ▲ 3.4% | 949 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Saratoga County | 241,343 | ▲ 5.0% | 582 MW | 18 MW | 1 | — |
| Schenectady County | 162,581 | ▼ 2.8% | 76 MW | — | — | — |
| Schoharie County | 30,176 | ▼ 5.6% | 1,052 MW | — | — | — |
More of New York
Albany County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Albany County, New York?
3 utilities have service territory in Albany County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., Central Hudson Gas & Elec Corp, Village of Green Island - (NY). The largest, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., charged residential customers 17.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Albany, NY in?
Albany is in Albany County, New York. About 101,698 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Guilderland, NY in?
Guilderland is in Albany County, New York. About 38,216 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Bethlehem, NY in?
Bethlehem is in Albany County, New York. About 35,684 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Albany County?
31 operating plants with 1,517 MW of capacity. The largest is Bethlehem Energy Center (893 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Albany County?
5 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 5 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Knox II PV LLC.
Are there data centers in Albany County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 11 data centers in Albany County.
Is Albany County adding jobs?
Employers counted 235,826 jobs in 2025 against 233,562 in 2019 (+1.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,936 to 8,628.
Does Albany County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Albany County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.