Bristol Bay, Alaska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to King Salmon and Naknek
No data center or power plant project is on record in Bristol Bay, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Bristol Bay has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including King Salmon, Naknek, South Naknek, are unincorporated and governed by the county. Unemployment was 2.2% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,196 jobs in 2025, down 7.1% from 2019. 7 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly petroleum. Its power plants have 16 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Bristol Bay
Bristol Bay has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including King Salmon, Naknek, South Naknek, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): King Salmon, Naknek, South Naknek.
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 Bristol Bay
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 827 | 847 | ▲ 2.4% | 27th of 28 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,287 | 1,196 | ▼ 7.1% | 23rd of 28 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $57,629 | $75,792 | ▲ 31.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 2.2% | ▼ 2.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Naknek Electric Assn, Inc is the largest utility serving Bristol Bay. 847 people live here, up 2.4% since 2020.
Who powers Bristol Bay
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +7 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Bristol Bay
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naknek Electric Assn, 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 16 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naknek | Naknek Electric Assn, Inc | Petroleum | 16 MW | 1977 |
The Bristol Bay labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,196 | $75,792 | 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 Bristol Bay
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bristol Bay. Alaska has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Bristol Bay and its neighbors
Of the 1 counties that border Bristol Bay, Lake and 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Bay | 847 | ▼ 7.1% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Lake and Peninsula | 1,357 | ▼ 13.1% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alaska
Bristol Bay, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bristol Bay, Alaska?
1 utility has service territory in Bristol Bay in the EIA-861 2024 report: Naknek Electric Assn, Inc.
What power plants are in Bristol Bay?
1 operating plant with 16 MW of capacity. The largest is Naknek (16 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Bristol Bay?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bristol Bay.
Is Bristol Bay adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,196 jobs in 2025 against 1,287 in 2019 (-7.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Bristol Bay have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bristol Bay. Alaska has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.