Washington County, Rhode Island: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to South Kingstown and North Kingstown, and the communities of Charlestown and Hopkinton
New generation is lining up in Washington County. Washington County is home to South Kingstown, North Kingstown, Westerly and Narragansett, plus the unincorporated communities of Charlestown, Hopkinton and Westerly. 715 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Orsted Wind Power North America LLC (wind), the largest pipeline among Rhode Island's counties. 715 MW of it is already under construction or built. Employers here counted 59,618 jobs in 2025, up 10.5% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 5 Rhode Island counties). 111 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 189 MW of capacity, 69% of it solar, the 3rd largest fleet in Rhode Island.
Cities and towns in Washington County
Washington County is home to South Kingstown, North Kingstown, Westerly and Narragansett, plus the unincorporated communities of Charlestown, Hopkinton and Westerly.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Charlestown, Hopkinton, Westerly, Ashaway, Bradford, Carolina, Hope Valley, Kingston, Misquamicut, Narragansett Pier, Quonochontaug, Wakefield-Peace Dale, Watch Hill, Weekapaug, Wyoming.
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 Washington County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 129,775 | 129,795 | ● 0.0% | 3rd of 5 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 53,931 | 59,618 | ▲ 10.5% | 1st of 5 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,058 | $65,480 | ▲ 33.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 2.9% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 111 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 715 MW | 378% of today's fleet | 1st of 2 by size |
The Narragansett Electric Co is the largest utility serving Washington County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 28.26¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. 129,795 people live here, up 0.0% since 2020, 3rd of 5 Rhode Island counties by population.
Who powers Washington County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +111 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Washington 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% |
| Block Island Utility District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 1,629 | 39.66¢ | 48% |
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 25
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 131 MW | 69% |
| Wind | 32 MW | 17% |
| Natural gas | 20 MW | 11% |
| Petroleum | 7 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Bridge Solar (Brown University) | MN8 Energy LLC | Solar | 40 MW | 2023 |
| Block Island Wind Farm | Deepwater Wind Block Island LLC | Wind | 30 MW | 2016 |
| Toray Plastic America's CHP Plant | Toray Plastics America | Natural gas | 20 MW | 2003 |
| Alton Road Solar | Revity Energy LLC | Solar | 14 MW | 2019 |
| GD Hopkinton Main I, LLC | GD Hopkinton Main I, LLC | Solar | 11 MW | 2020 |
| Exeter Renewables 1 | AES Clean Energy | Solar | 10 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revolution Wind | Offshore Wind Turbine | 715 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Orsted Wind Power North America LLC |
The Washington County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 59,618 | $65,480 | 1.00 |
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 Washington County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Washington County. Rhode Island has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Washington County and its neighbors
Of the 2 counties that border Washington County, New London 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 129,795 | ▲ 10.5% | 189 MW | 715 MW | — | — |
| Kent County | 173,495 | ▲ 0.5% | 148 MW | — | — | — |
| New London County CT | — | — | 3,048 MW | 5 MW | 2 | — |
More of Rhode Island
Washington County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Washington County, Rhode Island?
2 utilities have service territory in Washington County in the EIA-861 2024 report: The Narragansett Electric Co, Block Island Utility District. The largest, The Narragansett Electric Co, charged residential customers 28.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is South Kingstown, RI in?
South Kingstown is in Washington County, Rhode Island. About 32,009 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is North Kingstown, RI in?
North Kingstown is in Washington County, Rhode Island. About 27,885 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Westerly, RI in?
Westerly is in Washington County, Rhode Island. About 23,139 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Washington County?
25 operating plants with 189 MW of capacity. The largest is Dry Bridge Solar (Brown University) (40 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Washington County?
715 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 715 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Orsted Wind Power North America LLC.
Are there data centers in Washington County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Washington County. The nearest activity on record is next door in New London County.
Is Washington County adding jobs?
Employers counted 59,618 jobs in 2025 against 53,931 in 2019 (+10.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Washington County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Washington County. Rhode Island has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.