Franklin County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Malone, Harrietstown and Saranac Lake
Franklin County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Franklin County. Franklin County is home to Malone, Harrietstown, most of Saranac Lake (3,465 of its 4,793 residents) and Tupper Lake. 105 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by AES Clean Energy (solar). 5 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 590, up 25.5% since 2019. 34 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage.
Cities and towns in Franklin County
Franklin County is home to Malone, Harrietstown, most of Saranac Lake (3,465 of its 4,793 residents) and Tupper Lake.
- Saranac Lake also extends into Essex County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Akwesasne, Fort Covington, Paul Smiths, St. Regis Falls.
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 Franklin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 47,252 | 46,500 | ▼ 1.6% | 50th of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 18,060 | 17,535 | ▼ 2.9% | 39th of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,765 | $72,017 | ▲ 57.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 470 | 590 | ▲ 25.5% | 5th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 105 | 87 | ▼ 17.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 4.2% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 34 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 105 MW | 46% of today's fleet | 16th of 43 by size |
Its power plants have 230 MW of capacity, 80% of it wind. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 17,535 jobs in 2025, down 2.9% from 2019. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. is the largest utility serving Franklin County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.22¢/kWh in 2024. 46,500 people live here, down 1.6% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 87, down 17.1% since 2019 against down 6.8% statewide, at an average $63,944 a year.
Who powers Franklin County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +34 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Franklin 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% |
| Village of Tupper Lake - (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 13
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 184 MW | 80% |
| Battery storage | 20 MW | 9% |
| Solar | 17 MW | 7% |
| Hydro | 9 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chateaugay | Valcour Operating Services, LLC | Wind | 106 MW | 2009 |
| Jericho Rise Wind Farm LLC | Jericho Rise Wind Farm LLC | Wind | 78 MW | 2016 |
| Willis Battery Storage | New York Power Authority | Battery storage | 20 MW | 2023 |
| NSF Chateaugay Site 1 | NSF Chateaugay Site 1 LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2025 |
| OYA State Route 122 | SunStrong Management, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2021 |
| NSF Chateaugay Site 2 | NSF Chateaugay Site 2 LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookside Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | AES Clean Energy |
| AES Glengarry Farms Solar CSG | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | AES Clean Energy |
The Franklin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,535 | $72,017 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 590 | $57,420 | 0.64 |
| Electrical contractors | 87 | $63,944 | 0.69 |
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 Franklin County
2 data centers in Franklin County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Franklin County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Franklin County, St. Lawrence 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 46,500 | ▼ 2.9% | 230 MW | 105 MW | 2 | — |
| Clinton County | 78,138 | ▼ 8.5% | 871 MW | 2 MW | 1 | — |
| Essex County | 36,438 | ▲ 4.0% | 78 MW | — | — | — |
| Hamilton County | 5,006 | ▼ 7.6% | — | — | — | — |
| St. Lawrence County | 105,488 | ▼ 2.5% | 1,400 MW | 340 MW | 1 | 1 |
More of New York
Franklin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Franklin County, New York?
3 utilities have service territory in Franklin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., New York State Elec & Gas Corp, Village of Tupper Lake - (NY). The largest, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., charged residential customers 17.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Franklin County?
13 operating plants with 230 MW of capacity. The largest is Chateaugay (106 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Franklin County?
105 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 5 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is AES Clean Energy.
Are there data centers in Franklin County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Franklin County.
Is Franklin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,535 jobs in 2025 against 18,060 in 2019 (-2.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 470 to 590.
Does Franklin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Franklin County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.