North Slope, Alaska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Utqiagvik
No data center or power plant project is on record in North Slope, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. North Slope is home to Utqiagvik, Point Hope and Wainwright. 3 MW has retired here since 2019, including Barrow (natural gas, 3 MW, 2022). Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. Its power plants have 72 MW of capacity, 73% of it natural gas, the 7th largest fleet in Alaska. Barrow Utils & Elec Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving North Slope, one of 3 with territory here.
Cities and towns in North Slope
North Slope is home to Utqiagvik, Point Hope and Wainwright.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Point Lay, Prudhoe Bay.
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 North Slope
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,000 | 10,582 | ▼ 3.8% | 9th of 28 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,648 | 12,694 | ▲ 0.4% | 15th of 28 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $105,018 | $137,248 | ▲ 30.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 3.0% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — |
Employers here counted 12,694 jobs in 2025, up 0.4% from 2019. 10,582 people live here, down 3.8% since 2020, 9th of 28 Alaska counties by population.
Who powers North Slope
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in North Slope
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrow Utils & Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| TDX North Slope Generating Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | — | — | 100% |
| North Slope Borough Power & Light | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 53 MW | 73% |
| Petroleum | 20 MW | 27% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TNSG North Plant | TDX North Slope Generating Inc. | Natural gas | 26 MW | 2008 |
| Barrow | Barrow Utils & Elec Coop, Inc | Natural gas | 17 MW | 1977 |
| TNSG South Plant | TDX North Slope Generating Inc. | Natural gas | 8 MW | 1992 |
| NSB Nuiqsut Utility | North Slope Borough Power & Light (AK) | Petroleum | 4 MW | 1999 |
| NSB Atqasuk Utility | North Slope Borough Power & Light (AK) | Petroleum | 3 MW | 1986 |
| NSB Point Hope Utility | North Slope Borough Power & Light (AK) | Petroleum | 3 MW | 1995 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrow | Natural gas | 3 MW | 2022 |
The North Slope labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,694 | $137,248 | 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 North Slope
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in North Slope. Alaska has 3 local measures on record statewide.
North Slope and its neighbors
Of the 2 counties that border North Slope, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Slope | 10,582 | ▲ 0.4% | 72 MW | — | — | — |
| Northwest Arctic | 7,095 | ▲ 3.9% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
| Yukon-Koyukuk | 5,028 | ▲ 2.5% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alaska
North Slope, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in North Slope, Alaska?
3 utilities have service territory in North Slope in the EIA-861 2024 report: Barrow Utils & Elec Coop, Inc, TDX North Slope Generating Co, North Slope Borough Power & Light.
What power plants are in North Slope?
10 operating plants with 72 MW of capacity. The largest is TNSG North Plant (26 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in North Slope?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in North Slope.
Is North Slope adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,694 jobs in 2025 against 12,648 in 2019 (+0.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does North Slope have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for North Slope. Alaska has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.