St. Lawrence County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Massena, Ogdensburg and Potsdam
The data center boom is not abstract in St. Lawrence County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in St. Lawrence County. St. Lawrence County is home to Massena, Ogdensburg, Potsdam and Canton. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed local moratorium on data centers”. 340 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Rich Road Solar Energy Center (solar), the 7th largest pipeline among New York's counties. Construction employs 1,499, up 16.2% since 2019.
Cities and towns in St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County is home to Massena, Ogdensburg, Potsdam and Canton.
And 13 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Akwesasne, Brasher Falls, Colton, Cranberry Lake, DeKalb Junction, Edwards, Hailesboro, Hannawa Falls, Hermon, Madrid, Norfolk, Parishville, Star Lake, Winthrop.
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 St. Lawrence County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 108,182 | 105,488 | ▼ 2.5% | 27th of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 35,616 | 34,712 | ▼ 2.5% | 36th of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,084 | $64,558 | ▲ 37.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,290 | 1,499 | ▲ 16.2% | 8th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 203 | 226 | ▲ 11.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.2% | 5.2% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 106 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 340 MW | 24% of today's fleet | 7th of 43 by size |
Its power plants have 1,400 MW of capacity, 83% of it hydro, the 9th largest fleet in New York. Electrical contractors employ 226, up 11.3% since 2019 against down 6.8% statewide, at an average $76,719 a year. 106 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 34,712 jobs in 2025, down 2.5% from 2019. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. is the largest utility serving St. Lawrence County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.22¢/kWh in 2024. 105,488 people live here, down 2.5% since 2020. Unemployment was 5.2% in August 2026, against 5.2% in 2019.
Who powers St. Lawrence County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +106 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in St. Lawrence 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% |
| Town of Massena - (NY) | Municipal | Bundled | 8,156 | 6.19¢ | 8% |
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 67
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 1,155 MW | 83% |
| Natural gas | 129 MW | 9% |
| Solar | 113 MW | 8% |
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Moses Power Dam | New York Power Authority | Hydro | 912 MW | 1958 |
| Massena Energy Facility | Power City Partners LP | Natural gas | 104 MW | 1992 |
| Colton | Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP | Hydro | 30 MW | 1918 |
| Ogdensburg Power | AG Energy LP | Natural gas | 27 MW | 1993 |
| Stark | Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP | Hydro | 26 MW | 1957 |
| Rainbow Falls Hydro | Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP | Hydro | 25 MW | 1956 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rich Road Solar Energy Center | Solar Photovoltaic | 240 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Rich Road Solar Energy Center |
| Riverside Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | AES Clean Energy |
The St. Lawrence County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 34,712 | $64,558 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,499 | $77,773 | 0.82 |
| Electrical contractors | 226 | $76,719 | 0.90 |
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 St. Lawrence County
1 data center in St. Lawrence County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed local moratorium on data centers | Proposed | 2026-06 |
St. Lawrence County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border St. Lawrence County, Franklin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Lawrence County | 105,488 | ▼ 2.5% | 1,400 MW | 340 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Franklin County | 46,500 | ▼ 2.9% | 230 MW | 105 MW | 2 | — |
| Hamilton County | 5,006 | ▼ 7.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Herkimer County | 59,219 | ▼ 4.7% | 138 MW | 82 MW | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 111,540 | ▲ 0.1% | 256 MW | 119 MW | 1 | — |
| Lewis County | 26,479 | ▲ 9.0% | 785 MW | — | — | — |
More of New York
St. Lawrence County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in St. Lawrence County, New York?
2 utilities have service territory in St. Lawrence County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., Town of Massena - (NY). The largest, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., charged residential customers 17.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in St. Lawrence County?
67 operating plants with 1,400 MW of capacity. The largest is Robert Moses Power Dam (912 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in St. Lawrence County?
340 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Rich Road Solar Energy Center.
Are there data centers in St. Lawrence County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in St. Lawrence County.
Is St. Lawrence County adding jobs?
Employers counted 34,712 jobs in 2025 against 35,616 in 2019 (-2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,290 to 1,499.
Does St. Lawrence County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for St. Lawrence County, 0 in force.