Union County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to East Buffalo Township, Lewisburg and White Deer Township
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Union County. Union County is home to East Buffalo Township, Lewisburg, White Deer Township and Kelly Township. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “180-day moratorium on data center applications”. Construction employs 725, up 21.2% since 2019. 7 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly petroleum. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Union County
Union County is home to East Buffalo Township, Lewisburg, White Deer Township and Kelly Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Allenwood, Laurelton, Linntown, New Columbia, Vicksburg, West Milton, Winfield.
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 Union County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 42,659 | 42,313 | ▼ 0.8% | 50th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,601 | 17,328 | ▼ 1.6% | 32nd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,880 | $61,062 | ▲ 33.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 598 | 725 | ▲ 21.2% | 9th of 62 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 13 MW of capacity, 46% of it natural gas. Employers here counted 17,328 jobs in 2025, down 1.6% from 2019. PPL Electric Utilities Corp is the largest utility serving Union County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.99¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.30¢ median for Pennsylvania utilities. 42,313 people live here, down 0.8% since 2020.
Who powers Union County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +7 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Union 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% |
| Citizens Electric Co - (PA) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 5,963 | 13.63¢ | 20% |
| Borough of Mifflinburg - (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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 6 MW | 46% |
| Petroleum | 5 MW | 43% |
| Solar | 1 MW | 11% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucknell University | Bucknell University | Natural gas | 6 MW | 1991 |
| Mifflinburg PA BTM | American Mun Power-Ohio, Inc | Petroleum | 5 MW | 2024 |
| ER Bison Solar CSG | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2023 |
The Union County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,328 | $61,062 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 725 | $72,730 | 0.79 |
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 Union County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 180-day moratorium on data center applications | In force | 2026-08 |
Union County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Union County, Snyder 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 42,313 | ▼ 1.6% | 13 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Centre County | 157,393 | ▲ 1.7% | 28 MW | 162 MW | — | — |
| Clinton County | 37,870 | ▼ 4.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Lycoming County | 112,587 | ▼ 3.2% | 949 MW | 3 MW | — | 3 |
| Mifflin County | 46,127 | ▲ 6.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Northumberland County | 89,920 | ▼ 2.5% | 132 MW | 35 MW | — | — |
| Snyder County | 39,655 | ▼ 1.6% | 1,270 MW | 15 MW | — | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Union County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Union County, Pennsylvania?
3 utilities have service territory in Union County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PPL Electric Utilities Corp, Citizens Electric Co - (PA), Borough of Mifflinburg - (PA). The largest, PPL Electric Utilities Corp, charged residential customers 16.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Union County?
3 operating plants with 13 MW of capacity. The largest is Bucknell University (6 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Union County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Union County.
Is Union County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,328 jobs in 2025 against 17,601 in 2019 (-1.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 598 to 725.
Does Union County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Union County, 1 in force.