Douglas County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Alexandria, La Grand Township and Alexandria Township
The data center boom is not abstract in Douglas County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Douglas County. Douglas County is home to Alexandria, La Grand Township, Alexandria Township and Carlos Township. Construction employs 1,256, up 19.1% since 2019. 3 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Douglas County
Douglas County is home to Alexandria, La Grand Township, Alexandria Township and Carlos Township.
And 7 smaller places.
- Osakis also extends into Todd 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 Douglas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 39,095 | 40,120 | ▲ 2.6% | 27th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 19,368 | 19,728 | ▲ 1.9% | 27th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,678 | $59,860 | ▲ 37.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,055 | 1,256 | ▲ 19.1% | 20th of 72 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 4.0% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 17 MW of capacity, 53% of it petroleum. Electrical contractors employ 58, at an average $58,925 a year. Employers here counted 19,728 jobs in 2025, up 1.9% from 2019. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Douglas County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.98¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities. 40,120 people live here, up 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Douglas County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Douglas County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,230,057 | 16.98¢ | 44% |
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 50,118 | 11.33¢ | 37% |
| Lake Region Electric Cooperative - (MN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 27,239 | 13.28¢ | 26% |
| Stearns Cooperative Elec Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 26,138 | 13.88¢ | 18% |
| Runestone Electric Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,282 | 14.36¢ | 10% |
| City of Alexandria - (MN) | Municipal | Bundled | 8,758 | 11.57¢ | 12% |
| Todd-Wadena Electric 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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 9 MW | 53% |
| Solar | 8 MW | 47% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | City of Alexandria - (MN) | Petroleum | 9 MW | 1948 |
| Novel OYA of Osakis CSG | NRG MN Community LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2018 |
| Douglas Todd Community Solar One LLC CSG | Madison Energy Holdings LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2019 |
| FastSun 13 CSG | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2019 |
| Novel Herickhoff Solar CSG | REA Investments, LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2020 |
The Douglas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 19,728 | $59,860 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,256 | $80,590 | 1.20 |
| Electrical contractors | 58 | $58,925 | 0.41 |
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 Douglas County
1 data center in Douglas County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Douglas County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Douglas County, Stearns 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 40,120 | ▲ 1.9% | 17 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Grant County | 6,085 | ● 0.0% | 21 MW | — | — | — |
| Otter Tail County | 61,041 | ▼ 1.1% | 53 MW | — | — | — |
| Pope County | 11,420 | ▼ 2.0% | 29 MW | — | — | — |
| Stearns County | 164,110 | ● 0.0% | 192 MW | 6 MW | 1 | — |
| Stevens County | 9,747 | ▲ 4.7% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Todd County | 26,060 | ▲ 9.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Minnesota
Douglas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Douglas County, Minnesota?
7 utilities have service territory in Douglas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, Otter Tail Power Co, Lake Region Electric Cooperative - (MN), Stearns Cooperative Elec Assn. The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 16.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Alexandria, MN in?
Alexandria is in Douglas County, Minnesota. About 15,045 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Douglas County?
5 operating plants with 17 MW of capacity. The largest is Alexandria (9 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Douglas County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Douglas County.
Is Douglas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 19,728 jobs in 2025 against 19,368 in 2019 (+1.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,055 to 1,256.
Does Douglas County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Douglas County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.