Providence County, Rhode Island: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Providence, Cranston and Pawtucket
Providence County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 7 data centers in Providence County, 100% of Rhode Island's total. Providence County is home to Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket and East Providence. 4 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Hope Solar One, LLC (solar), the 2nd largest pipeline among Rhode Island's counties. Electrical contractors employ 1,492, up 25.9% since 2019 against up 18.1% statewide, at an average $88,612 a year. Its power plants have 1,907 MW of capacity, 89% of it natural gas, the largest fleet in Rhode Island.
Cities and towns in Providence County
Providence County is home to Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket and East Providence.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Chepachet, Clayville, Cumberland Hill, Foster Center, Greenville, Harmony, Harrisville, Pascoag, Valley Falls.
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 Providence County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 660,014 | 678,179 | ▲ 2.8% | 1st of 5 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 289,328 | 290,835 | ▲ 0.5% | 4th of 5 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $56,581 | $71,755 | ▲ 26.8% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,185 | 1,492 | ▲ 25.9% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 527 | 1,133 | ▲ 115.0% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 356 | 228 | ▼ 36.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 4.2% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 143 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 69 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 4 MW | 0% of today's fleet | 2nd of 2 by size |
69 MW has retired here since 2019, including Pawtucket Power Associates (natural gas, 69 MW, 2021). 143 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. The Narragansett Electric Co is the largest utility serving Providence County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 28.26¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 290,835 jobs in 2025, up 0.5% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 5 Rhode Island counties). 678,179 people live here, up 2.8% since 2020, 1st of 5 Rhode Island counties by population.
Who powers Providence County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +74 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Providence County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Narragansett Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 451,381 | 28.26¢ | 26% |
| Pascoag Utility District | Municipal | Bundled | 4,373 | 16.52¢ | 7% |
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 55
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,693 MW | 89% |
| Solar | 131 MW | 7% |
| Other technologies | 45 MW | 2% |
| Wind | 30 MW | 2% |
| Hydro | 4 MW | 0% |
| Battery storage | 3 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island State Energy Center | RISEC Operating Services | Natural gas | 596 MW | 2002 |
| Manchester Street | Manchester Street, LLC. | Natural gas | 515 MW | 1995 |
| Ocean State Power II | Ocean State Power II | Natural gas | 307 MW | 1991 |
| Ocean State Power | Ocean State Power Co | Natural gas | 254 MW | 1990 |
| Johnston LFG Turbine Plant | Rhode Island LFG Genco | Other technologies | 36 MW | 2013 |
| TPE King Solar Holdings1, LLC (CSG) | Nautilus Solar Solutions | Solar | 13 MW | 2022 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hope Solar One | Solar Photovoltaic | 4 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Hope Solar One, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pawtucket Power Associates | Natural gas | 69 MW | 2021 |
The Providence County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 290,835 | $71,755 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,492 | $88,612 | 0.71 |
| Electric utilities | 1,133 | $136,780 | 1.44 |
| Data processing and hosting | 228 | $174,412 | 0.25 |
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 Providence County
7 data centers in Providence County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Providence County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Providence County, Worcester 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County | 678,179 | ▲ 0.5% | 1,907 MW | 4 MW | 7 | — |
| Bristol County MA | 593,640 | ▼ 1.5% | 596 MW | 189 MW | — | — |
| Bristol County | 50,001 | ▲ 9.5% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Kent County | 173,495 | ▲ 0.5% | 148 MW | — | — | — |
| Norfolk County MA | 739,749 | ▼ 1.6% | 2,741 MW | 11 MW | 2 | — |
| Windham County CT | — | — | 973 MW | 139 MW | — | — |
| Worcester County MA | 888,502 | ▲ 0.9% | 1,956 MW | 205 MW | 8 | — |
More of Rhode Island
Providence County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Providence County, Rhode Island?
2 utilities have service territory in Providence County in the EIA-861 2024 report: The Narragansett Electric Co, Pascoag Utility District. The largest, The Narragansett Electric Co, charged residential customers 28.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Providence, RI in?
Providence is in Providence County, Rhode Island. About 195,310 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Cranston, RI in?
Cranston is in Providence County, Rhode Island. About 84,647 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Pawtucket, RI in?
Pawtucket is in Providence County, Rhode Island. About 77,065 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Providence County?
55 operating plants with 1,907 MW of capacity. The largest is Rhode Island State Energy Center (596 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Providence County?
4 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Hope Solar One, LLC.
Are there data centers in Providence County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 7 data centers in Providence County.
Is Providence County adding jobs?
Employers counted 290,835 jobs in 2025 against 289,328 in 2019 (+0.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Providence County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Providence County. Rhode Island has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.