Columbia County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Claverack, Hudson and Ghent
Columbia County is where a large share of New York's next power plants are planned. Columbia County is home to Claverack, Hudson, Ghent and Greenport. 47 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Shepherd's Run Solar (solar). Construction employs 1,235, up 10.2% since 2019. 37 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 20,909 jobs in 2025, down 4.8% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Columbia County
Columbia County is home to Claverack, Hudson, Ghent and Greenport.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Claverack-Red Mills, Copake, Copake Falls, Copake Lake, Germantown, Ghent, Lorenz Park, Niverville, Stottville, Taconic Shores.
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 Columbia County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 61,468 | 60,168 | ▼ 2.1% | 41st of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 21,968 | 20,909 | ▼ 4.8% | 53rd of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,297 | $58,931 | ▲ 39.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,121 | 1,235 | ▲ 10.2% | 16th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 3.4% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 37 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 47 MW | 110% of today's fleet | 22nd of 43 by size |
Its power plants have 43 MW of capacity, 86% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 134, at an average $81,544 a year. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. is the largest utility serving Columbia County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.22¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. 60,168 people live here, down 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Columbia County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +37 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Columbia 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% |
| New York State Elec & Gas Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 792,300 | 18.32¢ | 23% |
| Central Hudson Gas & Elec Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 270,859 | 25.14¢ | 35% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 37 MW | 86% |
| Hydro | 6 MW | 14% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuyvesant Falls | Albany Engineering Corporation | Hydro | 6 MW | 2012 |
| Catskill Solar | Catskill View Solar, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2023 |
| Claverack Creek Solar | Claverack Creek Solar, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
| ELP Claverack Solar | ELP Claverack Solar, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2023 |
| ELP Greenport CSG | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2020 |
| ELP Kinderhook CSG | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shepherd's Run Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 42 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Shepherd's Run Solar |
| Emerson NY | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Emerson Solar, LLC |
The Columbia County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 20,909 | $58,931 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,235 | $67,069 | 1.11 |
| Electrical contractors | 134 | $81,544 | 0.89 |
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 Columbia County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Columbia County. New York has 35 local measures on record statewide.
Columbia County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Columbia County, Albany 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | 60,168 | ▼ 4.8% | 43 MW | 47 MW | — | — |
| Albany County | 321,225 | ▲ 1.0% | 1,517 MW | 5 MW | 11 | — |
| Berkshire County MA | 128,224 | ▼ 5.4% | 1,024 MW | — | — | — |
| Dutchess County | 300,708 | ▲ 2.7% | 1,380 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Greene County | 47,238 | ▼ 0.9% | 1,268 MW | 105 MW | — | — |
| Rensselaer County | 160,510 | ▲ 3.4% | 949 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Ulster County | 183,330 | ● 0.0% | 89 MW | — | — | — |
More of New York
Columbia County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Columbia County, New York?
3 utilities have service territory in Columbia County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., New York State Elec & Gas Corp, Central Hudson Gas & Elec Corp. The largest, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., charged residential customers 17.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Columbia County?
9 operating plants with 43 MW of capacity. The largest is Stuyvesant Falls (6 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Columbia County?
47 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Shepherd's Run Solar.
Are there data centers in Columbia County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Columbia County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Albany County.
Is Columbia County adding jobs?
Employers counted 20,909 jobs in 2025 against 21,968 in 2019 (-4.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,121 to 1,235.
Does Columbia County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Columbia County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.