Jefferson County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Le Ray, Watertown and Wilna
Jefferson County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Jefferson County. Jefferson County is home to Le Ray, Watertown, Wilna and Champion. 119 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by EDF Renewables Development, Inc. (solar). Construction employs 1,737, up 7.8% since 2019. 56 MW has retired here since 2019, including ReEnergy Black River (other technologies, 56 MW, 2023).
Cities and towns in Jefferson County
Jefferson County is home to Le Ray, Watertown, Wilna and Champion.
And 9 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Adams Center, Belleville, Calcium, Depauville, Felts Mills, Fishers Landing, Fort Drum, Great Bend, Henderson, Herrings, La Fargeville, Lorraine, Natural Bridge, Oxbow, Pamelia Center, Pierrepont Manor, Plessis, Redwood, Rodman, Thousand Island Park, Three Mile Bay.
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 Jefferson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 116,075 | 111,540 | ▼ 3.9% | 26th of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 40,523 | 40,563 | ▲ 0.1% | 24th of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,478 | $57,625 | ▲ 32.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,612 | 1,737 | ▲ 7.8% | 20th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 115 | 115 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.3% | 4.2% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 80 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 56 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 119 MW | 47% of today's fleet | 15th of 43 by size |
Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 5.3% in 2019. 80 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 256 MW of capacity, 39% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 115, unchanged since 2019 against down 6.8% statewide, at an average $67,152 a year. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. is the largest utility serving Jefferson County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.22¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 40,563 jobs in 2025, up 0.1% from 2019. 111,540 people live here, down 3.9% since 2020.
Who powers Jefferson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +24 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jefferson 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% |
| Village of Philadelphia - (NY) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Theresa - (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 33
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 101 MW | 39% |
| Solar | 66 MW | 26% |
| Natural gas | 63 MW | 25% |
| Battery storage | 20 MW | 8% |
| Other technologies | 6 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carthage Energy LLC | Carthage Energy LLC | Natural gas | 63 MW | 1991 |
| Glen Park Hydroelectric Project | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Hydro | 33 MW | 1999 |
| Deferiet | Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP | Hydro | 12 MW | 1925 |
| NYS Rte 12 Community Solar | OYA NYS Rte 12 LLC | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2019 |
| Blanchard Road 1 Community Solar | OYA Blanchard Road LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2019 |
| Blanchard Road 2 Community Solar | OYA Blanchard Road 2 LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2019 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tracy Solar Energy Center | Solar Photovoltaic | 119 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | EDF Renewables Development, Inc. |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReEnergy Black River | Other technologies | 56 MW | 2023 |
The Jefferson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 40,563 | $57,625 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,737 | $73,126 | 0.81 |
| Electrical contractors | 115 | $67,152 | 0.39 |
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 Jefferson County
1 data center in Jefferson County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Jefferson County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Jefferson County, Oswego 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 111,540 | ▲ 0.1% | 256 MW | 119 MW | 1 | — |
| Lewis County | 26,479 | ▲ 9.0% | 785 MW | — | — | — |
| Oswego County | 118,569 | ▼ 2.9% | 5,959 MW | 14 MW | — | — |
| St. Lawrence County | 105,488 | ▼ 2.5% | 1,400 MW | 340 MW | 1 | 1 |
More of New York
Jefferson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jefferson County, New York?
3 utilities have service territory in Jefferson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., Village of Philadelphia - (NY), Village of Theresa - (NY). The largest, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., charged residential customers 17.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Le Ray, NY in?
Le Ray is in Jefferson County, New York. About 24,259 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Watertown, NY in?
Watertown is in Jefferson County, New York. About 23,517 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jefferson County?
33 operating plants with 256 MW of capacity. The largest is Carthage Energy LLC (63 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Jefferson County?
119 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is EDF Renewables Development, Inc..
Are there data centers in Jefferson County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Jefferson County.
Is Jefferson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 40,563 jobs in 2025 against 40,523 in 2019 (+0.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,612 to 1,737.
Does Jefferson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jefferson County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.