Anchorage, Alaska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Anchorage
Anchorage sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Anchorage, 33% of Alaska's total. Anchorage and the city of Anchorage share the same boundaries. Construction employs 8,632, up 12.7% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. 30 MW has retired here since 2019, including International (natural gas, 30 MW, 2023).
Cities and towns in Anchorage
Anchorage and the city of Anchorage share the same boundaries.
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 Anchorage
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 290,877 | 287,155 | ▼ 1.3% | 1st of 28 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 147,964 | 148,620 | ▲ 0.4% | 14th of 28 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $60,364 | $78,021 | ▲ 29.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,660 | 8,632 | ▲ 12.7% | 4th of 8 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 772 | 795 | ▲ 3.0% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 238 | 276 | ▲ 16.0% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 438 | 570 | ▲ 30.1% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 53 | 109 | ▲ 105.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 3.0% | ▼ 1.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 40 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 30 MW | — |
Its power plants have 869 MW of capacity, 92% of it natural gas, the largest fleet in Alaska. 40 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Electrical contractors employ 795, at an average $104,141 a year. Chugach Electric Assn Inc is the largest utility serving Anchorage, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 21.24¢/kWh in 2024, below the 26.58¢ median for Alaska utilities. Employers here counted 148,620 jobs in 2025, up 0.4% from 2019. 287,155 people live here, down 1.3% since 2020, 1st of 28 Alaska counties by population.
Who powers Anchorage
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +10 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Anchorage
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chugach Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 97,048 | 21.24¢ | 66% |
| Matanuska Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 64,205 | 23.37¢ | 41% |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 798 MW | 92% |
| Battery storage | 40 MW | 5% |
| Wind | 18 MW | 2% |
| Other technologies | 12 MW | 1% |
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George M Sullivan Generation Plant 2 | Chugach Electric Assn Inc | Natural gas | 347 MW | 1979 |
| Southcentral Power Project | Chugach Electric Assn Inc | Natural gas | 204 MW | 2013 |
| Eklutna Generation Station | Matanuska Electric Assn Inc | Natural gas | 171 MW | 2015 |
| Hank Nikkels Plant 1 | Chugach Electric Assn Inc | Natural gas | 78 MW | 1972 |
| International Battery Substation (IBSS) | Chugach Electric Assn Inc | Battery storage | 40 MW | 2024 |
| Fire Island Wind | Fire Island Wind LLC | Wind | 18 MW | 2012 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| International | Natural gas | 30 MW | 2023 |
The Anchorage labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 148,620 | $78,021 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 8,632 | $112,925 | 1.10 |
| Electrical contractors | 795 | $104,141 | 0.74 |
| Power and communication line construction | 276 | $116,260 | 1.15 |
| Electric utilities | 570 | $133,473 | 1.42 |
| Data processing and hosting | 109 | $102,832 | 0.24 |
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 Anchorage
2 data centers in Anchorage are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Anchorage and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | 287,155 | ▲ 0.4% | 869 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Kenai Peninsula | 61,951 | ▲ 10.3% | 750 MW | — | — | — |
| Matanuska-Susitna | 118,666 | ▲ 22.4% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Valdez-Cordova | — | — | 58 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alaska
Anchorage, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Anchorage, Alaska?
2 utilities have service territory in Anchorage in the EIA-861 2024 report: Chugach Electric Assn Inc, Matanuska Electric Assn Inc. The largest, Chugach Electric Assn Inc, charged residential customers 21.24¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Anchorage, AK in?
Anchorage is in Anchorage, Alaska. About 287,155 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Anchorage?
7 operating plants with 869 MW of capacity. The largest is George M Sullivan Generation Plant 2 (347 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Anchorage?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Anchorage.
Is Anchorage adding jobs?
Employers counted 148,620 jobs in 2025 against 147,964 in 2019 (+0.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,660 to 8,632.
Does Anchorage have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Anchorage. Alaska has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.