Ontario County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Farmington, Geneva and Canandaigua
No data center or power plant project is on record in Ontario County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Ontario County is home to Farmington, Geneva, Canandaigua and Gorham. 20 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by SunEast Manchester Solar LLC (solar). Next door, Monroe County has 5 data centers. Construction employs 3,636, up 6.3% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 1,055, up 14.1% since 2019 against down 6.8% statewide, at an average $153,246 a year.
Cities and towns in Ontario County
Ontario County is home to Farmington, Geneva, Canandaigua and Gorham.
- Rushville also extends into Yates County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Crystal Beach, Gorham, Hall, Honeoye, Port Gibson.
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 Ontario County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 112,467 | 113,130 | ▲ 0.6% | 25th of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 52,804 | 53,686 | ▲ 1.7% | 19th of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,013 | $66,342 | ▲ 38.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,422 | 3,636 | ▲ 6.3% | 24th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 925 | 1,055 | ▲ 14.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 3.6% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 51 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 20 MW | 25% of today's fleet | 29th of 43 by size |
51 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 81 MW of capacity, 82% of it solar. Employers here counted 53,686 jobs in 2025, up 1.7% from 2019. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. is the largest utility serving Ontario County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.22¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. 113,130 people live here, up 0.6% since 2020.
Who powers Ontario County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +51 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Ontario 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% |
| Rochester Gas & Electric Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 351,481 | 18.76¢ | 22% |
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 23
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 66 MW | 82% |
| Other technologies | 11 MW | 14% |
| Wind | 3 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario LFGTE | Seneca Energy II | Other technologies | 11 MW | 2003 |
| NY Newark St Rt 31 - Environomics S1 | Catalyze Newark Solar Farm 1 Microgrid, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
| Route 14-1 | Generate Capital | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| Geneva CSG 1 LLC | Dimension Energy LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2025 |
| Route 14-2 | Generate Capital | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| Ontario 2 CDG | NY CDG Ontario 2, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SunEast Manchester Solar Project | Solar Photovoltaic | 20 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | SunEast Manchester Solar LLC |
The Ontario County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 53,686 | $66,342 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,636 | $101,658 | 1.28 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,055 | $153,246 | 2.73 |
| Power and communication line construction | 205 | $74,918 | 2.36 |
| Electric utilities | 17 | $140,114 | 0.12 |
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 Ontario County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ontario County. New York has 35 local measures on record statewide.
Ontario County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Ontario County, Monroe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario County | 113,130 | ▲ 1.7% | 81 MW | 20 MW | — | — |
| Livingston County | 61,438 | ▼ 3.4% | 218 MW | 224 MW | — | — |
| Monroe County | 750,506 | ▼ 0.9% | 371 MW | 4 MW | 5 | — |
| Seneca County | 32,883 | ▼ 16.9% | 40 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Steuben County | 91,855 | ▼ 7.0% | 568 MW | 26 MW | — | — |
| Wayne County | 91,250 | ▼ 0.6% | 635 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Yates County | 24,547 | ▲ 1.8% | 136 MW | — | 2 | — |
More of New York
Ontario County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ontario County, New York?
3 utilities have service territory in Ontario County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., New York State Elec & Gas Corp, Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. The largest, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., charged residential customers 17.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Farmington, NY in?
Farmington is in Ontario County, New York. About 15,187 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Geneva, NY in?
Geneva is in Ontario County, New York. About 12,489 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Canandaigua, NY in?
Canandaigua is in Ontario County, New York. About 10,347 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Ontario County?
23 operating plants with 81 MW of capacity. The largest is Ontario LFGTE (11 MW, other technologies).
How much new power is planned in Ontario County?
20 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is SunEast Manchester Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Ontario County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ontario County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Monroe County.
Is Ontario County adding jobs?
Employers counted 53,686 jobs in 2025 against 52,804 in 2019 (+1.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,422 to 3,636.
Does Ontario County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ontario County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.