Bay County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bay City, Bangor Township and Monitor Township
Bay County hosts some of the generating capacity Michigan runs on. Bay County is home to Bay City, Bangor Township, Monitor Township and Hampton Township. 80 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Consumers Energy Co - (MI) (solar). 80 MW of it is already under construction or built. 544 MW has retired here since 2019, including Dan E Karn (coal, 544 MW, 2023). Construction employs 1,482, up 17.7% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 217, up 29.9% since 2019 against up 23.2% statewide, at an average $63,770 a year.
Cities and towns in Bay County
Bay County is home to Bay City, Bangor Township, Monitor Township and Hampton Township.
- Midland also extends into Midland County.
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 Bay County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 103,739 | 102,123 | ▼ 1.6% | 20th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 34,436 | 34,153 | ▼ 0.8% | 52nd of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,046 | $57,350 | ▲ 33.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,259 | 1,482 | ▲ 17.7% | 31st of 69 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 167 | 217 | ▲ 29.9% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 128 | 100 | ▼ 21.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 5.4% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 544 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 80 MW | 6% of today's fleet | 21st of 25 by size |
Next door, Midland County has 206 MW of planned generation. Its power plants have 1,434 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas, the 8th largest fleet in Michigan. Unemployment was 5.4% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019. DTE Electric Company is the largest utility serving Bay County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 20.13¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. Employers here counted 34,153 jobs in 2025, down 0.8% from 2019. 102,123 people live here, down 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Bay County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −544 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Bay County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTE Electric Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 2,067,779 | 20.13¢ | 41% |
| Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,657,843 | 19.11¢ | 36% |
| City of Bay City - (MI) | Municipal | Bundled | 18,028 | 15.35¢ | 42% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,430 MW | 100% |
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan E Karn | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Natural gas | 1,402 MW | 1975 |
| Henry Station | City of Bay City - (MI) | Natural gas | 15 MW | 1993 |
| Water Street Station | City of Bay City - (MI) | Natural gas | 13 MW | 1980 |
| Pinconning White Feather | Energy Developments, Inc d/b/a EDL | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2009 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karn Solar Energy Center | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan E Karn | Coal | 544 MW | 2023 |
The Bay County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 34,153 | $57,350 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,482 | $73,727 | 0.82 |
| Electrical contractors | 217 | $63,770 | 0.88 |
| Power and communication line construction | 100 | $76,489 | 1.81 |
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 Bay County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bay County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Bay County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Bay County, Midland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay County | 102,123 | ▼ 0.8% | 1,434 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Arenac County | 15,068 | ▼ 9.9% | — | 175 MW | — | — |
| Gladwin County | 26,077 | ▲ 9.3% | 20 MW | 145 MW | — | — |
| Midland County | 83,754 | ▲ 2.1% | 1,854 MW | 206 MW | — | — |
| Saginaw County | 187,688 | ▼ 4.2% | 9 MW | 120 MW | — | — |
| Tuscola County | 52,680 | ▲ 3.6% | 656 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Bay County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bay County, Michigan?
3 utilities have service territory in Bay County in the EIA-861 2024 report: DTE Electric Company, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), City of Bay City - (MI). The largest, DTE Electric Company, charged residential customers 20.13¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Bay City, MI in?
Bay City is in Bay County, Michigan. About 31,868 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Bangor Township, MI in?
Bangor Township is in Bay County, Michigan. About 13,778 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Monitor Township, MI in?
Monitor Township is in Bay County, Michigan. About 10,597 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Bay County?
4 operating plants with 1,434 MW of capacity. The largest is Dan E Karn (1,402 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Bay County?
80 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 80 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Consumers Energy Co - (MI).
Are there data centers in Bay County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bay County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Midland County.
Is Bay County adding jobs?
Employers counted 34,153 jobs in 2025 against 34,436 in 2019 (-0.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,259 to 1,482.
Does Bay County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bay County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.