Chemung County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Elmira, Southport and Big Flats
No data center or power plant project is on record in Chemung County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Chemung County is home to Elmira, Southport, Big Flats and Horseheads. Next door, Tompkins County has 1 data center. 18 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Construction employs 1,375, down 0.3% since 2019. Employers here counted 33,485 jobs in 2025, down 4.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Chemung County
Chemung County is home to Elmira, Southport, Big Flats and Horseheads.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Big Flats, Breesport, Erin, Horseheads North, Pine Valley, Southport, Van Etten, West Elmira.
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 Chemung County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 83,652 | 80,415 | ▼ 3.9% | 33rd of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 35,085 | 33,485 | ▼ 4.6% | 49th of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,012 | $63,855 | ▲ 33.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,379 | 1,375 | ▼ 0.3% | 31st of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 4.2% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 18 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 20 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. New York State Elec & Gas Corp is the largest utility serving Chemung County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 18.32¢/kWh in 2024, above the 17.22¢ median for New York utilities. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. 80,415 people live here, down 3.9% since 2020.
Who powers Chemung County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +18 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Chemung County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York State Elec & Gas Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 792,300 | 18.32¢ | 23% |
| FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 3,400 | 15.14¢ | 38% |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 20 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambers Road Solar | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2020 |
| Hickory Grove #1 | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2020 |
| NY Breesport 625 Breesport Rd | Catalyze Breesport Road Microgrid, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2025 |
| Wedge NY | Generate Capital | Solar | 3 MW | 2024 |
| Breesport Road Community Solar Farm | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
| Turner Rd Community Solar Project | Scale Sustainable I, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
The Chemung County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 33,485 | $63,855 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,375 | $81,118 | 0.78 |
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 Chemung County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Chemung County. New York has 35 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Tompkins County.
Chemung County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Chemung County, Bradford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemung County | 80,415 | ▼ 4.6% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Bradford County PA | 59,600 | ▼ 3.0% | 962 MW | 100 MW | — | — |
| Schuyler County | 16,924 | ▲ 5.6% | 29 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Steuben County | 91,855 | ▼ 7.0% | 568 MW | 26 MW | — | — |
| Tioga County | 47,453 | ▼ 2.2% | 76 MW | 23 MW | — | — |
| Tioga County PA | 40,502 | ▼ 4.0% | 126 MW | — | — | — |
| Tompkins County | 104,047 | ▼ 4.0% | 118 MW | 160 MW | 1 | 1 |
More of New York
Chemung County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Chemung County, New York?
2 utilities have service territory in Chemung County in the EIA-861 2024 report: New York State Elec & Gas Corp, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co. The largest, New York State Elec & Gas Corp, charged residential customers 18.32¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Elmira, NY in?
Elmira is in Chemung County, New York. About 26,089 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Chemung County?
7 operating plants with 20 MW of capacity. The largest is Chambers Road Solar (4 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Chemung County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Chemung County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Tompkins County.
Is Chemung County adding jobs?
Employers counted 33,485 jobs in 2025 against 35,085 in 2019 (-4.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,379 to 1,375.
Does Chemung County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Chemung County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.