Potter County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Coudersport, Shinglehouse and Roulette Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Potter County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Potter County is home to Coudersport, Shinglehouse, Roulette Township and Harrison Township. Construction employs 155, down 27.9% since 2019. 4 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by CVE US PA Roulette 467 LLC (solar). 4 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Allegany County, New York, has 455 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 4,750 jobs in 2025, down 12.4% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Potter County
Potter County is home to Coudersport, Shinglehouse, Roulette Township and Harrison Township.
And 6 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Roulette, Sweden Valley.
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 Potter County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,389 | 15,897 | ▼ 3.0% | 63rd of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,422 | 4,750 | ▼ 12.4% | 65th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,072 | $53,688 | ▲ 24.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 215 | 155 | ▼ 27.9% | 60th of 62 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.8% | 4.7% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 125 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 4 MW | 3% of today's fleet | 26th of 31 by size |
Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 5.8% in 2019. 125 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Its power plants have 125 MW of capacity, 72% of it wind. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co is the largest utility serving Potter County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.37¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.30¢ median for Pennsylvania utilities. 15,897 people live here, down 3.0% since 2020.
Who powers Potter County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +125 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Potter 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% |
| Tri-County Rural Elec Coop Inc (PA) | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,206 | 20.08¢ | 27% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 90 MW | 72% |
| Solar | 35 MW | 28% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Level Wind | Big Level Wind LLC | Wind | 90 MW | 2019 |
| Potter Solar | Potter Solar, LLC | Solar | 35 MW | 2026 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roulette - PA 0467 | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US PA Roulette 467 LLC |
| Roulette - PA 0479 | Solar Photovoltaic | 1 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US PA Roulette 479 LLC |
The Potter County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,750 | $53,688 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 155 | $62,018 | 0.62 |
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 Potter County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Potter County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Lycoming County.
Potter County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Potter County, Allegany 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potter County | 15,897 | ▼ 12.4% | 125 MW | 4 MW | — | — |
| Allegany County NY | 46,800 | ▲ 3.2% | 127 MW | 455 MW | — | — |
| Cameron County | 4,211 | ▼ 23.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Clinton County | 37,870 | ▼ 4.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Lycoming County | 112,587 | ▼ 3.2% | 949 MW | 3 MW | — | 3 |
| McKean County | 38,984 | ▼ 5.8% | — | 123 MW | — | — |
| Steuben County NY | 91,855 | ▼ 7.0% | 568 MW | 26 MW | — | — |
| Tioga County | 40,502 | ▼ 4.0% | 126 MW | — | — | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Potter County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Potter County, Pennsylvania?
2 utilities have service territory in Potter County in the EIA-861 2024 report: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, Tri-County Rural Elec Coop Inc (PA). The largest, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.37¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Potter County?
2 operating plants with 125 MW of capacity. The largest is Big Level Wind (90 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Potter County?
4 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 4 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is CVE US PA Roulette 467 LLC.
Are there data centers in Potter County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Potter County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Allegany County.
Is Potter County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,750 jobs in 2025 against 5,422 in 2019 (-12.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 215 to 155.
Does Potter County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Potter County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.