Denali, Alaska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cantwell and Denali Park
No data center or power plant project is on record in Denali, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Unemployment was 1.8% in August 2026, against 6.1% in 2019. Denali is home to Anderson. Next door, Fairbanks North Star has 1 data center. Its power plants have 117 MW of capacity, 77% of it coal, the 5th largest fleet in Alaska. Employers here counted 2,058 jobs in 2025, down 1.8% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Denali
Denali is home to Anderson.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cantwell, Denali Park, Ferry, Healy.
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 Denali
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,612 | 1,616 | ▲ 0.2% | 24th of 28 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,096 | 2,058 | ▼ 1.8% | 20th of 28 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,942 | $68,876 | ▲ 49.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.1% | 1.8% | ▼ 4.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc is the largest utility serving Denali. Its residential customers paid an average 30.32¢/kWh in 2024, above the 26.58¢ median for Alaska utilities. 1,616 people live here, up 0.2% since 2020.
Who powers Denali
Utilities with service territory in Denali
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 40,675 | 30.32¢ | 10% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 90 MW | 77% |
| Wind | 25 MW | 21% |
| Petroleum | 3 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healy | Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc | Coal | 93 MW | 1967 |
| Eva Creek Wind | Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc | Wind | 25 MW | 2013 |
The Denali labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,058 | $68,876 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 40 | $108,703 | 0.37 |
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 Denali
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Denali. Alaska has 3 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Fairbanks North Star.
Denali and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Denali, Fairbanks North Star 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denali | 1,616 | ▼ 1.8% | 117 MW | — | — | — |
| Fairbanks North Star | 93,972 | ▲ 0.6% | 386 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Matanuska-Susitna | 118,666 | ▲ 22.4% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Southeast Fairbanks | 7,270 | ▲ 27.2% | 43 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Yukon-Koyukuk | 5,028 | ▲ 2.5% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alaska
Denali, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Denali, Alaska?
1 utility has service territory in Denali in the EIA-861 2024 report: Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc. The largest, Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc, charged residential customers 30.32¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Denali?
2 operating plants with 117 MW of capacity. The largest is Healy (93 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Denali?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Denali. The nearest activity on record is next door in Fairbanks North Star.
Is Denali adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,058 jobs in 2025 against 2,096 in 2019 (-1.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Denali have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Denali. Alaska has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.