Herkimer County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to German Flatts, Ilion and Herkimer
Herkimer County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Herkimer County is home to German Flatts, Ilion, Herkimer and Little Falls. 82 MW of new generation is planned here across 5 units, led by Altus Power America Management, LLC (solar). 22 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, St. Lawrence County has 1 data center and 340 MW of planned generation. Construction employs 735, up 5.8% since 2019. 13 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Herkimer County
Herkimer County is home to German Flatts, Ilion, Herkimer and Little Falls.
And 2 smaller places.
- Dolgeville also extends into Fulton County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Eagle Bay, East Frankfort, East Herkimer, Old Forge, Salisbury Center, South Ilion, Thendara.
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 Herkimer County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 60,043 | 59,219 | ▼ 1.4% | 43rd of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,655 | 15,878 | ▼ 4.7% | 51st of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,033 | $52,591 | ▲ 31.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 695 | 735 | ▲ 5.8% | 25th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 172 | 104 | ▼ 39.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 4.2% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 13 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 82 MW | 60% of today's fleet | 20th of 43 by size |
Employers here counted 15,878 jobs in 2025, down 4.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 138 MW of capacity, 54% of it wind. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. is the largest utility serving Herkimer County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.22¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. 59,219 people live here, down 1.4% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 104, down 39.5% since 2019 against down 6.8% statewide, at an average $98,948 a year.
Who powers Herkimer County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +13 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Herkimer 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 Frankfort - (NY) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Ilion - (NY) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mohawk Municipal Comm | — | — | — | — | — |
| Otsego Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 12
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 74 MW | 54% |
| Hydro | 51 MW | 37% |
| Solar | 13 MW | 9% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardscrabble Wind Power LLC | Avangrid Power LLC | Wind | 74 MW | 2011 |
| Beardslee | Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP | Hydro | 20 MW | 1924 |
| Little Falls Hydro | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Hydro | 13 MW | 1987 |
| Moshier | Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP | Hydro | 8 MW | 1929 |
| Dolgeville Hydro | EONY Generation Limited | Hydro | 5 MW | 1985 |
| Warrior Solar Partners | Warrior Solar Partners, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 5
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SunEast Flat Hill Solar Project | Solar Photovoltaic | 20 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Altus Power America Management, LLC |
| SunEast Hills Solar Project | Solar Photovoltaic | 20 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Hills Solar NY LLC |
| SunEast Grassy Knoll Solar Project | Solar Photovoltaic | 20 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Grassy Knoll Solar NY LLC |
| SunEast Watkins Road Solar Project | Solar Photovoltaic | 20 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Watkins Road Solar NY LLC |
| Little Falls PV | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Little Falls PV LLC |
The Herkimer County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,878 | $52,591 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 735 | $86,243 | 0.87 |
| Electrical contractors | 104 | $98,948 | 0.91 |
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 Herkimer County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Herkimer County. New York has 35 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: St. Lawrence County.
Herkimer County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Herkimer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herkimer County | 59,219 | ▼ 4.7% | 138 MW | 82 MW | — | — |
| Fulton County | 52,216 | ▼ 3.2% | 78 MW | 40 MW | — | — |
| Hamilton County | 5,006 | ▼ 7.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Lewis County | 26,479 | ▲ 9.0% | 785 MW | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 50,046 | ▲ 1.6% | 176 MW | 340 MW | — | — |
| Oneida County | 226,392 | ▼ 4.4% | 242 MW | 25 MW | 1 | — |
| Otsego County | 60,589 | ▼ 4.6% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
| St. Lawrence County | 105,488 | ▼ 2.5% | 1,400 MW | 340 MW | 1 | 1 |
More of New York
Herkimer County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Herkimer County, New York?
6 utilities have service territory in Herkimer County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., New York State Elec & Gas Corp, Village of Frankfort - (NY), Village of Ilion - (NY). The largest, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., charged residential customers 17.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is German Flatts, NY in?
German Flatts is in Herkimer County, New York. About 11,969 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Herkimer County?
12 operating plants with 138 MW of capacity. The largest is Hardscrabble Wind Power LLC (74 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Herkimer County?
82 MW across 5 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 22 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Altus Power America Management, LLC.
Are there data centers in Herkimer County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Herkimer County. The nearest activity on record is next door in St. Lawrence County.
Is Herkimer County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,878 jobs in 2025 against 16,655 in 2019 (-4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 695 to 735.
Does Herkimer County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Herkimer County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.