Yukon-Koyukuk, Alaska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Alatna and Arctic Village
No data center or power plant project is on record in Yukon-Koyukuk, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Unemployment was 8.7% in August 2026, against 12.3% in 2019. Yukon-Koyukuk is home to Galena, Fort Yukon and Nenana. Next door, Fairbanks North Star has 1 data center. 5 MW has retired here since 2019, including McGrath (petroleum, 2 MW, 2021). 3 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly petroleum.
Cities and towns in Yukon-Koyukuk
Yukon-Koyukuk is home to Galena, Fort Yukon and Nenana.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alatna, Arctic Village, Beaver, Birch Creek, Central, Chalkyitsik, Circle, Coldfoot, Evansville, Flat, Four Mile Road, Lake Minchumina, Livengood, Manley Hot Springs, Minto, Rampart, Stevens Village, Takotna, Venetie, Wiseman.
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 Yukon-Koyukuk
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,301 | 5,028 | ▼ 5.1% | 17th of 28 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,249 | 2,306 | ▲ 2.5% | 11th of 28 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,045 | $55,982 | ▲ 39.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 64 | 23 | ▼ 64.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 12.3% | 8.7% | ▼ 3.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — |
Its power plants have 7 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Employers here counted 2,306 jobs in 2025, up 2.5% from 2019. Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc is the largest utility serving Yukon-Koyukuk, one of 10 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 30.32¢/kWh in 2024, above the 26.58¢ median for Alaska utilities. 5,028 people live here, down 5.1% since 2020.
Who powers Yukon-Koyukuk
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Yukon-Koyukuk
| 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% |
| Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 7,689 | 69.95¢ | 65% |
| Alaska Power and Telephone Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 5,737 | 37.18¢ | 64% |
| Galena Electric Utility | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gwitchyaa Zhee Utility Co | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hughes Power & Light Co | — | — | — | — | — |
| McGrath Light & Power Co | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tanana Power Co 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 7 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gwitchyaa Zhee | Gwitchyaa Zhee Utility Co | Petroleum | 3 MW | 2015 |
| Galena Electric Utility | Galena Electric Utility | Petroleum | 3 MW | 2004 |
| McGrath | McGrath Light & Power Co | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2021 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| McGrath | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2021 |
| Galena Electric Utility | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2025 |
| Gwitchyaa Zhee | Petroleum | 0 MW | 2022 |
The Yukon-Koyukuk labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,306 | $55,982 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 23 | $66,504 | 0.19 |
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 Yukon-Koyukuk
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Yukon-Koyukuk. Alaska has 3 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Fairbanks North Star.
Yukon-Koyukuk and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Yukon-Koyukuk, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yukon-Koyukuk | 5,028 | ▲ 2.5% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Bethel | 18,391 | ▼ 9.7% | 32 MW | — | — | — |
| Denali | 1,616 | ▼ 1.8% | 117 MW | — | — | — |
| Fairbanks North Star | 93,972 | ▲ 0.6% | 386 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Kusilvak | 7,932 | ▼ 15.0% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Matanuska-Susitna | 118,666 | ▲ 22.4% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Nome | 9,830 | ▲ 0.3% | 31 MW | — | — | — |
| North Slope | 10,582 | ▲ 0.4% | 72 MW | — | — | — |
| Northwest Arctic | 7,095 | ▲ 3.9% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
| Southeast Fairbanks | 7,270 | ▲ 27.2% | 43 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Alaska
Yukon-Koyukuk, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Yukon-Koyukuk, Alaska?
10 utilities have service territory in Yukon-Koyukuk in the EIA-861 2024 report: Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc, Alaska Village Elec Coop, Inc, Alaska Power and Telephone Co, Galena Electric Utility. The largest, Golden Valley Elec Assn Inc, charged residential customers 30.32¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Yukon-Koyukuk?
3 operating plants with 7 MW of capacity. The largest is Gwitchyaa Zhee (3 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Yukon-Koyukuk?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Yukon-Koyukuk. The nearest activity on record is next door in Fairbanks North Star.
Is Yukon-Koyukuk adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,306 jobs in 2025 against 2,249 in 2019 (+2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 64 to 23.
Does Yukon-Koyukuk have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Yukon-Koyukuk. Alaska has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.