Lake and Peninsula, Alaska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Chignik Lagoon and Chignik Lake
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lake and Peninsula, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 8.6% in 2019. Lake and Peninsula is home to Newhalen, Nondalton and Port Heiden. Employers here counted 817 jobs in 2025, down 13.1% from 2019. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 53% of it petroleum. I-N-N Electric Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Lake and Peninsula, one of 6 with territory here.
Cities and towns in Lake and Peninsula
Lake and Peninsula is home to Newhalen, Nondalton and Port Heiden.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Chignik Lagoon, Chignik Lake, Igiugig, Iliamna, Ivanof Bay, Kokhanok, Levelock, Pedro Bay, Perryville, Pope-Vannoy Landing, Port Alsworth, Ugashik.
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 Lake and Peninsula
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,447 | 1,357 | ▼ 6.2% | 25th of 28 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 940 | 817 | ▼ 13.1% | 25th of 28 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,262 | $51,965 | ▲ 25.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 8.6% | 5.3% | ▼ 3.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
1,357 people live here, down 6.2% since 2020.
Who powers Lake and Peninsula
Utilities with service territory in Lake and Peninsula
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-N-N Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Igiugig Electric Company | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kokhanok Village Council | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pedro Bay Village Council - (AK) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Native Village of Perryville - (AK) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Egegik - (AK) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 1 MW | 53% |
| Hydro | 1 MW | 47% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newhalen | I-N-N Electric Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 1998 |
The Lake and Peninsula labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 817 | $51,965 | 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 Lake and Peninsula
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lake and Peninsula. Alaska has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Lake and Peninsula and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lake and Peninsula, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake and Peninsula | 1,357 | ▼ 13.1% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Aleutians East | 3,479 | ▼ 23.7% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Bethel | 18,391 | ▼ 9.7% | 32 MW | — | — | — |
| Bristol Bay | 847 | ▼ 7.1% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Dillingham | 4,483 | ▼ 18.9% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
| Kenai Peninsula | 61,951 | ▲ 10.3% | 750 MW | — | — | — |
| Kodiak Island | 12,387 | ▼ 1.2% | 85 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alaska
Lake and Peninsula, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lake and Peninsula, Alaska?
6 utilities have service territory in Lake and Peninsula in the EIA-861 2024 report: I-N-N Electric Coop, Inc, Igiugig Electric Company, Kokhanok Village Council, Pedro Bay Village Council - (AK).
What power plants are in Lake and Peninsula?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Newhalen (2 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Lake and Peninsula?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lake and Peninsula.
Is Lake and Peninsula adding jobs?
Employers counted 817 jobs in 2025 against 940 in 2019 (-13.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Lake and Peninsula have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lake and Peninsula. Alaska has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.