Richmond County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to New York
The data center boom is not abstract in Richmond County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Richmond County. Richmond County is home to part of New York (501,290 of its 8,584,629 residents). 15 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Lighthouse Arthur Kill, LLC (battery storage). 15 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 9,461, down 9.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Its power plants have 1,004 MW of capacity, 95% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Richmond County
Richmond County is home to part of New York (501,290 of its 8,584,629 residents).
- New York also extends into Kings County, Queens County, New York County, Bronx County.
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 Richmond County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 495,122 | 501,290 | ▲ 1.2% | 10th of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 128,053 | 135,842 | ▲ 6.1% | 5th of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $54,045 | $68,224 | ▲ 26.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,424 | 9,461 | ▼ 9.2% | 44th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,076 | 2,548 | ▼ 17.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 4.8% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 76 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 19 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 15 MW | 2% of today's fleet | 32nd of 43 by size |
19 MW has retired here since 2019, including Arthur Kill Generating Station (natural gas, 18 MW, 2025). 76 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Employers here counted 135,842 jobs in 2025, up 6.1% from 2019 (the 5th fastest growth of 62 New York counties). Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Consolidated Edison Co-NY Inc is the largest utility serving Richmond County. Its residential customers paid an average 35.66¢/kWh in 2024, above the 17.22¢ median for New York utilities. Electrical contractors employ 2,548, down 17.2% since 2019 against down 6.8% statewide, at an average $101,064 a year. 501,290 people live here, up 1.2% since 2020, 10th of 62 New York counties by population.
Who powers Richmond County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +57 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Richmond County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Edison Co-NY Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 3,064,038 | 35.66¢ | 45% |
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 18
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 950 MW | 95% |
| Battery storage | 44 MW | 4% |
| Solar | 8 MW | 1% |
| Petroleum | 3 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Kill Generating Station | Arthur Kill Power, LLC | Natural gas | 878 MW | 1959 |
| Pouch | New York Power Authority | Natural gas | 47 MW | 2001 |
| Empire Clean Energy, LLC | NineDot Holdings, LLC | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2025 |
| Nelson Clean Energy, LLC | NineDot Holdings, LLC | Battery storage | 8 MW | 2026 |
| Gabby Giffords Clean Energy, LLC | NineDot Holdings, LLC | Battery storage | 8 MW | 2024 |
| Certain Solar - Staten Island | Bloom Energy | Natural gas | 8 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elevate Arthur Kill | Batteries | 15 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Lighthouse Arthur Kill, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Kill Generating Station | Natural gas | 18 MW | 2025 |
| Richmond University Medical Center | Petroleum | 1 MW | 2020 |
The Richmond County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 135,842 | $68,224 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 9,461 | $89,875 | 1.31 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,548 | $101,064 | 2.60 |
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 Richmond County
3 data centers in Richmond County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Richmond County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Richmond County, Hudson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond County | 501,290 | ▲ 6.1% | 1,004 MW | 15 MW | 3 | — |
| Hudson County NJ | 735,033 | ▲ 0.8% | 1,284 MW | — | 29 | — |
| Middlesex County NJ | 883,335 | ▲ 0.4% | 3,067 MW | 16 MW | 20 | — |
| Union County NJ | 601,863 | ▲ 1.4% | 2,853 MW | 3 MW | 1 | — |
More of New York
Richmond County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Richmond County, New York?
1 utility has service territory in Richmond County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consolidated Edison Co-NY Inc. The largest, Consolidated Edison Co-NY Inc, charged residential customers 35.66¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Is New York in Richmond County?
Partly. 501,290 of New York's 8,584,629 residents (6%) live in Richmond County; most of the city is in Kings County.
What power plants are in Richmond County?
18 operating plants with 1,004 MW of capacity. The largest is Arthur Kill Generating Station (878 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Richmond County?
15 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 15 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Lighthouse Arthur Kill, LLC.
Are there data centers in Richmond County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Richmond County.
Is Richmond County adding jobs?
Employers counted 135,842 jobs in 2025 against 128,053 in 2019 (+6.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 10,424 to 9,461.
Does Richmond County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Richmond County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.