Alcona County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Harrisville Township, Greenbush Township and Curtis Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Alcona County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Alcona County is home to Harrisville Township, Greenbush Township, Curtis Township and Hawes Township. Employers here counted 1,533 jobs in 2025, down 16.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 28 MW of capacity, 71% of it other technologies. Unemployment was 7.2% in August 2026, against 6.6% in 2019. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Alcona County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities.
Cities and towns in Alcona County
Alcona County is home to Harrisville Township, Greenbush Township, Curtis Township and Hawes Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hubbard Lake, Lost Lake Woods.
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 Alcona County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 10,184 | 10,556 | ▲ 3.7% | 75th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,840 | 1,533 | ▼ 16.7% | 82nd of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,570 | $40,226 | ▲ 13.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.6% | 7.2% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
10,556 people live here, up 3.7% since 2020.
Who powers Alcona County
Utilities with service territory in Alcona County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,657,843 | 19.11¢ | 36% |
| Presque Isle Elec & Gas Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 32,446 | 20.99¢ | 16% |
| Alpena Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 13,763 | 17.43¢ | 31% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 20 MW | 71% |
| Hydro | 8 MW | 29% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Energy of Lincoln | National Salvage & Service Corporation | Other technologies | 20 MW | 1989 |
| Alcona | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 8 MW | 1924 |
The Alcona County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,533 | $40,226 | 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 Alcona County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Alcona County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Alcona County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Alcona County, Alpena County 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcona County | 10,556 | ▼ 16.7% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Alpena County | 28,853 | ▲ 7.6% | 54 MW | — | — | — |
| Iosco County | 25,266 | ▼ 3.7% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Montmorency County | 9,842 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Ogemaw County | 21,121 | ▲ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Oscoda County | 8,723 | ▼ 17.3% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Alcona County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Alcona County, Michigan?
3 utilities have service territory in Alcona County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Presque Isle Elec & Gas Coop, Alpena Power Co. The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Alcona County?
2 operating plants with 28 MW of capacity. The largest is National Energy of Lincoln (20 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Alcona County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Alcona County.
Is Alcona County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,533 jobs in 2025 against 1,840 in 2019 (-16.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Alcona County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Alcona County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.