Lawrence County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to New Castle, Neshannock Township and Shenango Township
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Lawrence County. Lawrence County is home to New Castle, Neshannock Township, Shenango Township and most of Ellwood City (6,774 of its 7,362 residents). 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Stonebridge Associates data center campus. 402 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Vesper Energy Development LLC (solar), the 3rd largest pipeline among Pennsylvania's counties. Construction employs 1,811, down 17.5% since 2019. 1,034 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas.
Cities and towns in Lawrence County
Lawrence County is home to New Castle, Neshannock Township, Shenango Township and most of Ellwood City (6,774 of its 7,362 residents).
And 2 smaller places.
- Ellwood City also extends into Beaver County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Chewton, Frisco, Frizzleburg, New Bedford, New Castle Northwest, Oakland, Oakwood, West Pittsburg.
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 Lawrence County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 85,961 | 83,911 | ▼ 2.4% | 33rd of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 28,686 | 27,269 | ▼ 4.9% | 50th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,034 | $55,199 | ▲ 28.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,194 | 1,811 | ▼ 17.5% | 56th of 62 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 480 | 398 | ▼ 17.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 4.0% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,034 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 402 MW | 29% of today's fleet | 3rd of 31 by size |
Its power plants have 1,388 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019. Employers here counted 27,269 jobs in 2025, down 4.9% from 2019. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co is the largest utility serving Lawrence 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. 83,911 people live here, down 2.4% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 398, down 17.1% since 2019 against up 5.3% statewide, at an average $107,079 a year.
Who powers Lawrence County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1,034 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lawrence 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% |
| Borough of Ellwood City - (PA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Borough of New Wilmington - (PA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Borough of Wampum | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,382 MW | 100% |
| Petroleum | 6 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory Run Energy Station | Hickory Run Energy, LLC | Natural gas | 1,034 MW | 2020 |
| New Castle Plant | New Castle Power, LLC | Natural gas | 354 MW | 1952 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefly Solar PA | Solar Photovoltaic | 402 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
The Lawrence County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 27,269 | $55,199 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,811 | $82,316 | 1.25 |
| Electrical contractors | 398 | $107,079 | 2.02 |
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 Lawrence County
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stonebridge Associates data center campus | denied | — |
Lawrence County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Lawrence County, Beaver 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence County | 83,911 | ▼ 4.9% | 1,388 MW | 402 MW | — | — |
| Beaver County | 166,032 | ▼ 13.8% | 2,218 MW | 20 MW | — | — |
| Butler County | 200,169 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | 3 | 3 |
| Columbiana County OH | 99,377 | ▼ 4.6% | 1,210 MW | — | — | — |
| Mahoning County OH | 224,706 | ▼ 4.5% | 4 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Mercer County | 107,860 | ▼ 6.6% | 4 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Lawrence County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania?
4 utilities have service territory in Lawrence County in the EIA-861 2024 report: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, Borough of Ellwood City - (PA), Borough of New Wilmington - (PA), Borough of Wampum. The largest, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.37¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is New Castle, PA in?
New Castle is in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. About 21,175 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Lawrence County?
2 operating plants with 1,388 MW of capacity. The largest is Hickory Run Energy Station (1,034 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Lawrence County?
402 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Vesper Energy Development LLC.
Are there data centers in Lawrence County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lawrence County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Butler County.
Is Lawrence County adding jobs?
Employers counted 27,269 jobs in 2025 against 28,686 in 2019 (-4.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,194 to 1,811.
Does Lawrence County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lawrence County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.