Bethel, Alaska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bethel
No data center or power plant project is on record in Bethel, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Bethel is home to Bethel, Kwethluk, Quinhagak and Toksook Bay. Unemployment was 10.3% in August 2026, against 11.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 6,225 jobs in 2025, down 9.7% from 2019. 7 MW has retired here since 2019, including Bethel (petroleum, 2 MW, 2024). 10 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly petroleum.
Cities and towns in Bethel
Bethel is home to Bethel, Kwethluk, Quinhagak and Toksook Bay.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Akiachak, Atmautluak, Crooked Creek, Kasigluk, Kipnuk, Kongiganak, Kwigillingok, Lime Village, Mertarvik, Newtok, Oscarville, Red Devil, Sleetmute, Stony River, Tuluksak, Tuntutuliak, Tununak.
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 Bethel
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 18,672 | 18,391 | ▼ 1.5% | 6th of 28 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,896 | 6,225 | ▼ 9.7% | 24th of 28 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,393 | $56,594 | ▲ 24.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 76 | 55 | ▼ 27.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 11.9% | 10.3% | ▼ 1.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 10 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — |
Its power plants have 32 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Bethel, one of 10 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 69.95¢/kWh in 2024, above the 26.58¢ median for Alaska utilities. 18,391 people live here, down 1.5% since 2020, 6th of 28 Alaska counties by population.
Who powers Bethel
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Bethel
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 7,689 | 69.95¢ | 65% |
| Akiachak Native Community Electric | — | — | — | — | — |
| Atmautluak Tribal Utilities | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Chefornak | — | — | — | — | — |
| Aniak Light & Power Co Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kuiggluum Kallugvia | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kwig Power Company | — | — | — | — | — |
| Middle Kuskokwim Elec Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 11
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 32 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel | Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 14 MW | 1976 |
| St Marys IC | Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 5 MW | 2022 |
| Hooper Bay | Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 1997 |
| Toksook Bay | Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2005 |
| Kasigluk | Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2004 |
| Chevak | Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2009 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2024 |
| St Marys IC | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2022 |
| Mountain Village | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2026 |
| Quinhagak | Petroleum | 1 MW | 2023 |
The Bethel labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,225 | $56,594 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 55 | $42,419 | 0.17 |
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 Bethel
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bethel. Alaska has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Bethel and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Bethel, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel | 18,391 | ▼ 9.7% | 32 MW | — | — | — |
| Dillingham | 4,483 | ▼ 18.9% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
| Kenai Peninsula | 61,951 | ▲ 10.3% | 750 MW | — | — | — |
| Kusilvak | 7,932 | ▼ 15.0% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Lake and Peninsula | 1,357 | ▼ 13.1% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Matanuska-Susitna | 118,666 | ▲ 22.4% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Yukon-Koyukuk | 5,028 | ▲ 2.5% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alaska
Bethel, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bethel, Alaska?
10 utilities have service territory in Bethel in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc, Akiachak Native Community Electric, Atmautluak Tribal Utilities, City of Chefornak. The largest, Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc, charged residential customers 69.95¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Bethel?
11 operating plants with 32 MW of capacity. The largest is Bethel (14 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Bethel?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bethel.
Is Bethel adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,225 jobs in 2025 against 6,896 in 2019 (-9.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 76 to 55.
Does Bethel have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bethel. Alaska has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.