Columbia County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bloomsburg, Berwick and Scott Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Columbia County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Columbia County is home to Bloomsburg, Berwick, Scott Township and Briar Creek Township. 15 MW of new generation is planned here across 5 units, led by Dimension Energy LLC (solar). 9 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 833, down 19.2% since 2019. Next door, Luzerne County has 5 data centers. Employers here counted 24,066 jobs in 2025, down 3.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Columbia County
Columbia County is home to Bloomsburg, Berwick, Scott Township and Briar Creek Township.
And 8 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Almedia, Aristes, Buckhorn, Espy, Eyers Grove, Fernville, Foundryville, Iola, Jamison City, Jerseytown, Jonestown, Lightstreet, Lime Ridge, Locustdale, Mainville, Mifflinville, Numidia, Rohrsburg, Rupert, Slabtown, Waller, Wilburton Number One, Wilburton Number Two.
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 Columbia County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 64,681 | 66,193 | ▲ 2.3% | 38th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 24,929 | 24,066 | ▼ 3.5% | 40th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,650 | $52,260 | ▲ 25.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,031 | 833 | ▼ 19.2% | 58th of 62 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 4.4% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 15 MW | no fleet today | 19th of 31 by size |
Electrical contractors employ 92, at an average $71,326 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. PPL Electric Utilities Corp is the largest utility serving Columbia County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.99¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.30¢ median for Pennsylvania utilities. 66,193 people live here, up 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Columbia County
Utilities with service territory in Columbia County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPL Electric Utilities Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,295,883 | 16.99¢ | 19% |
| Borough of Catawissa | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Columbia County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 5
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenwood Bottom Road Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Dimension Energy LLC |
| Greenwood Route 254 Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Dimension Energy LLC |
| Madison Taylor Road Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Dimension Energy LLC |
| Penn Shoofly Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Dimension Energy LLC |
| Montour Tower Drive Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Dimension Energy LLC |
The Columbia County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 24,066 | $52,260 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 833 | $72,581 | 0.65 |
| Electrical contractors | 92 | $71,326 | 0.53 |
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 Columbia County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Columbia County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Luzerne County, Lycoming County, Montour County.
Columbia County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Columbia County, Luzerne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | 66,193 | ▼ 3.5% | — | 15 MW | — | — |
| Luzerne County | 332,126 | ▼ 0.4% | 4,044 MW | 21 MW | 5 | 1 |
| Lycoming County | 112,587 | ▼ 3.2% | 949 MW | 3 MW | — | 3 |
| Montour County | 17,868 | ▲ 8.9% | 1,758 MW | 3 MW | — | 1 |
| Northumberland County | 89,920 | ▼ 2.5% | 132 MW | 35 MW | — | — |
| Schuylkill County | 145,085 | ▲ 1.1% | 363 MW | — | — | — |
| Sullivan County | 5,856 | ▼ 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Columbia County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Columbia County, Pennsylvania?
2 utilities have service territory in Columbia County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PPL Electric Utilities Corp, Borough of Catawissa. The largest, PPL Electric Utilities Corp, charged residential customers 16.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Bloomsburg, PA in?
Bloomsburg is in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. About 13,375 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Berwick, PA in?
Berwick is in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. About 10,297 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
How much new power is planned in Columbia County?
15 MW across 5 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 9 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Dimension Energy LLC.
Are there data centers in Columbia County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Columbia County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Luzerne County.
Is Columbia County adding jobs?
Employers counted 24,066 jobs in 2025 against 24,929 in 2019 (-3.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,031 to 833.
Does Columbia County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Columbia County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.