McLean County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Garrison and Washburn
McLean County sits inside the data center build-out. Construction employs 222, up 52.1% since 2019. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in McLean County, 4% of North Dakota's total. McLean County is home to Garrison, Washburn, Underwood and Turtle Lake. Its power plants have 1,216 MW of capacity, 100% of it coal, the 3rd largest fleet in North Dakota. Unemployment was 2.0% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in McLean County
McLean County is home to Garrison, Washburn, Underwood and Turtle Lake.
- Wilton also extends into Burleigh County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): White Shield.
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 McLean County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,763 | 9,740 | ▼ 0.2% | 15th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,440 | 3,531 | ▲ 2.6% | 16th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $60,263 | $72,296 | ▲ 20.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 146 | 222 | ▲ 52.1% | 3rd of 20 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 2.0% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 3,531 jobs in 2025, up 2.6% from 2019. Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving McLean County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024. 9,740 people live here, down 0.2% since 2020.
Who powers McLean County
Utilities with service territory in McLean County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 45,467 | 11.38¢ | 77% |
| Capital Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,530 | 12.31¢ | 38% |
| Verendrye Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,336 | 10.70¢ | 24% |
| Mountrail-Williams Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,405 | 7.24¢ | 26% |
| McLean Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,711 | 14.25¢ | 23% |
| City of Riverdale - (ND) | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 97% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,210 MW | 100% |
| Petroleum | 6 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coal Creek | Rainbow Energy Center | Coal | 1,216 MW | 1979 |
The McLean County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,531 | $72,296 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 222 | $64,177 | 1.19 |
| Electric utilities | 259 | $142,356 | 27.10 |
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 McLean County
1 data center in McLean County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
McLean County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border McLean County, Mercer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLean County | 9,740 | ▲ 2.6% | 1,216 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Burleigh County | 103,251 | ▲ 3.8% | 201 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Dunn County | 4,058 | ▼ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
| McHenry County | 5,130 | ▲ 2.3% | 112 MW | — | — | — |
| Mercer County | 8,441 | ▲ 3.5% | 2,643 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Mountrail County | 9,395 | ▼ 14.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Oliver County | 1,898 | ▼ 3.4% | 1,031 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Sheridan County | 1,296 | ▼ 8.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Ward County | 68,233 | ▼ 1.8% | 120 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
McLean County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McLean County, North Dakota?
7 utilities have service territory in McLean County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Capital Electric Coop, Inc, Verendrye Electric Coop Inc, Mountrail-Williams Elec Coop. The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in McLean County?
1 operating plant with 1,216 MW of capacity. The largest is Coal Creek (1,216 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in McLean County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in McLean County.
Is McLean County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,531 jobs in 2025 against 3,440 in 2019 (+2.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 146 to 222.
Does McLean County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McLean County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.