Armstrong County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Kiskiminetas Township, Manor Township and Kittanning
Armstrong County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Armstrong County. Construction employs 1,111, up 47.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Armstrong County is home to Kiskiminetas Township, Manor Township, Kittanning and East Franklin Township. 18 MW of new generation is planned here across 6 units, led by CVE US PA Burrell 396 LLC (solar). 18 MW of it is already under construction or built. Its power plants have 2,627 MW of capacity, 71% of it coal, the 4th largest fleet in Pennsylvania.
Cities and towns in Armstrong County
Armstrong County is home to Kiskiminetas Township, Manor Township, Kittanning and East Franklin Township.
And 16 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Kiskimere, Lenape Heights, North Vandergrift, Orchard Hills, Pleasant View, Templeton, West Hills.
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 Armstrong County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 65,496 | 63,698 | ▼ 2.7% | 40th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,371 | 15,483 | ▼ 5.4% | 52nd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,266 | $53,247 | ▲ 26.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 756 | 1,111 | ▲ 47.0% | 2nd of 62 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 4.4% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 18 MW | 1% of today's fleet | 16th of 31 by size |
Employers here counted 15,483 jobs in 2025, down 5.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co is the largest utility serving Armstrong County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.37¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.30¢ median for Pennsylvania utilities. 63,698 people live here, down 2.7% since 2020.
Who powers Armstrong County
Utilities with service territory in Armstrong County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,802,612 | 17.37¢ | 16% |
| Central Electric Coop, Inc - (PA) | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,629 | 17.03¢ | 22% |
| REA Energy Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,932 | 14.53¢ | 17% |
| United Electric Coop, Inc - (PA) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,872 MW | 71% |
| Natural gas | 688 MW | 26% |
| Hydro | 56 MW | 2% |
| Petroleum | 11 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keystone | KeyCon Operating LLC | Petroleum | 1,883 MW | 1967 |
| Armstrong | Armstrong Power LLC | Natural gas | 688 MW | 2002 |
| Allegheny Hydro No 9 | Allegheny Hydro LP | Hydro | 18 MW | 1990 |
| Allegheny Hydro No 8 | Allegheny Hydro LP | Hydro | 14 MW | 1990 |
| Allegheny No 6 Hydro Station | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Hydro | 9 MW | 1988 |
| Allegheny No. 5 Hydro Station | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Hydro | 9 MW | 1988 |
Planned generation 6
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burrell - PA 0396 (Copeland) | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US PA Burrell 396 LLC |
| CVE US PA Dayton 379 | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US PA Dayton 379 LLC |
| Kittanning - PA 0383 (Hoeter) | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US PA Kittanning 383 LLC |
| Kittanning - PA 0406 (Hoeter B) | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2028 | CVE US PA Kittanning 406 LLC |
| Kittanning - PA 0407 (Hoeter C) | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2028 | CVE US PA Kittanning 407 LLC |
| Dayton - PA 0404 (Good East) | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US PA Dayton 404 LLC |
The Armstrong County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,483 | $53,247 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,111 | $70,668 | 1.35 |
| Electric utilities | 41 | $144,984 | 0.98 |
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 Armstrong County
1 data center in Armstrong County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Armstrong County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Armstrong County, Indiana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armstrong County | 63,698 | ▼ 5.4% | 2,627 MW | 18 MW | 1 | — |
| Allegheny County | 1,225,035 | ▼ 4.7% | 1,127 MW | 77 MW | 22 | 1 |
| Butler County | 200,169 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | 3 | 3 |
| Clarion County | 36,680 | ▼ 4.6% | 30 MW | 5 MW | 1 | — |
| Indiana County | 82,878 | ▼ 6.3% | 2,572 MW | 4,396 MW | 2 | — |
| Jefferson County | 43,255 | ▼ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Westmoreland County | 349,324 | ▼ 3.8% | 1,166 MW | 4 MW | — | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Armstrong County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania?
4 utilities have service territory in Armstrong County in the EIA-861 2024 report: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, Central Electric Coop, Inc - (PA), REA Energy Coop Inc, United Electric Coop, Inc - (PA). The largest, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.37¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Armstrong County?
7 operating plants with 2,627 MW of capacity. The largest is Keystone (1,883 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Armstrong County?
18 MW across 6 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 18 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is CVE US PA Burrell 396 LLC.
Are there data centers in Armstrong County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Armstrong County.
Is Armstrong County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,483 jobs in 2025 against 16,371 in 2019 (-5.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 756 to 1,111.
Does Armstrong County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Armstrong County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.