Nicollet County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to North Mankato, St. Peter and Nicollet
No data center or power plant project is on record in Nicollet County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Nicollet County is home to North Mankato, St. Peter, Nicollet and Belgrade Township. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. 7 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Construction employs 335, down 3.7% since 2019. Employers here counted 14,599 jobs in 2025, down 5.3% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Nicollet County
Nicollet County is home to North Mankato, St. Peter, Nicollet and Belgrade Township.
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 Nicollet County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 34,504 | 34,273 | ▼ 0.7% | 33rd of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,419 | 14,599 | ▼ 5.3% | 72nd of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,176 | $58,157 | ▲ 28.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 348 | 335 | ▼ 3.7% | 57th of 72 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 111 | 96 | ▼ 13.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.7% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 16 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Nicollet County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.98¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities. Electrical contractors employ 96, down 13.5% since 2019 against up 13.6% statewide, at an average $88,458 a year. 34,273 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Nicollet County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +7 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Nicollet 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% |
| BENCO Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,361 | 15.03¢ | 24% |
| Brown County Rural Elec Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
| Renville-Sibley Coop Pwr Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Saint Peter | — | — | — | — | — |
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 9
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 16 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rengstorf Solar CSG | Geronimo Power | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| Lake Emily Solar | Enel Green Power NA, Inc. | Solar | 4 MW | 2016 |
| Courtland CSG LLC | United States Solar Corporation | Solar | 1 MW | 2023 |
| FastSun 8 CSG | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2019 |
| Iris Solar, LLC (MN) | Geronimo Power | Solar | 1 MW | 2020 |
| Nicollet Community Solar One LLC | Madison Energy Holdings LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2020 |
The Nicollet County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,599 | $58,157 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 335 | $66,902 | 0.43 |
| Electrical contractors | 96 | $88,458 | 0.91 |
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 Nicollet County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Nicollet County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Le Sueur County.
Nicollet County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Nicollet County, Blue Earth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicollet County | 34,273 | ▼ 5.3% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Blue Earth County | 70,634 | ▲ 3.0% | 826 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
| Brown County | 25,517 | ▼ 4.7% | 99 MW | — | — | — |
| Le Sueur County | 29,453 | ▼ 3.3% | 48 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Renville County | 14,356 | ▼ 2.7% | 38 MW | — | — | — |
| Sibley County | 15,356 | ▼ 11.9% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
More of Minnesota
Nicollet County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Nicollet County, Minnesota?
5 utilities have service territory in Nicollet County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, BENCO Electric Cooperative, Brown County Rural Elec Assn, Renville-Sibley Coop Pwr Assn. The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 16.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is North Mankato, MN in?
North Mankato is in Nicollet County, Minnesota. About 14,165 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is St. Peter, MN in?
St. Peter is in Nicollet County, Minnesota. About 12,275 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Nicollet County?
9 operating plants with 16 MW of capacity. The largest is Rengstorf Solar CSG (5 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Nicollet County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Nicollet County.
Is Nicollet County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,599 jobs in 2025 against 15,419 in 2019 (-5.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 348 to 335.
Does Nicollet County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Nicollet County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.