Nome, Alaska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Nome
Nome is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Nome is home to Nome, Savoonga, Unalakleet and Gambell. Unemployment was 8.5% in August 2026, against 10.2% in 2019. 4 MW has retired here since 2019, including Elim (petroleum, 1 MW, 2024). 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly petroleum. Its power plants have 31 MW of capacity, 94% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Nome
Nome is home to Nome, Savoonga, Unalakleet and Gambell.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Port Clarence.
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 Nome
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 10,025 | 9,830 | ▼ 1.9% | 10th of 28 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,864 | 3,874 | ▲ 0.3% | 16th of 28 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $54,659 | $80,191 | ▲ 46.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 40 | 57 | ▲ 42.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 10.2% | 8.5% | ▼ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — |
Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Nome, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 69.95¢/kWh in 2024, above the 26.58¢ median for Alaska utilities. Employers here counted 3,874 jobs in 2025, up 0.3% from 2019. 9,830 people live here, down 1.9% since 2020, 10th of 28 Alaska counties by population.
Who powers Nome
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Nome
| 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% |
| Nome Joint Utility Systems | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of White Mountain - (AK) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Unalakleet Valley Elec Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 10
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 30 MW | 94% |
| Wind | 2 MW | 6% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snake River | Nome Joint Utility Systems | Petroleum | 18 MW | 1991 |
| Stebbins | Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2014 |
| Unalakleet | Unalakleet Valley Elec Coop | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2010 |
| Gambell | Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2006 |
| Savoonga | Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2008 |
| Shishmaref | Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 1976 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elim | Petroleum | 1 MW | 2024 |
| Snake River | Wind | 1 MW | 2021 |
| Savoonga | Petroleum | 0 MW | 2019 |
| Shishmaref | Petroleum | 0 MW | 2024 |
The Nome labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,874 | $80,191 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 57 | $109,586 | 0.28 |
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 Nome
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Nome. Alaska has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Nome and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Nome, Northwest Arctic 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nome | 9,830 | ▲ 0.3% | 31 MW | — | — | — |
| Kusilvak | 7,932 | ▼ 15.0% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Northwest Arctic | 7,095 | ▲ 3.9% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
| Yukon-Koyukuk | 5,028 | ▲ 2.5% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alaska
Nome, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Nome, Alaska?
4 utilities have service territory in Nome in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc, Nome Joint Utility Systems, City of White Mountain - (AK), Unalakleet Valley Elec Coop. The largest, Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc, charged residential customers 69.95¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Nome?
10 operating plants with 31 MW of capacity. The largest is Snake River (18 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Nome?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Nome.
Is Nome adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,874 jobs in 2025 against 3,864 in 2019 (+0.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 40 to 57.
Does Nome have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Nome. Alaska has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.