Pembina County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cavalier
Pembina County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Pembina County is home to Cavalier, Walhalla, Drayton and Cavalier Township. Unemployment was 5.8% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. Construction employs 205, up 30.6% since 2019. 1 MW has retired here since 2019, including Pembina Land Port of Entry Wind Turbine (wind, 1 MW, 2022). Employers here counted 3,335 jobs in 2025, down 4.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Pembina County
Pembina County is home to Cavalier, Walhalla, Drayton and Cavalier Township.
And 4 smaller places.
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 Pembina County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,827 | 6,568 | ▼ 3.8% | 19th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,499 | 3,335 | ▼ 4.7% | 37th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,005 | $60,917 | ▲ 29.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 157 | 205 | ▲ 30.6% | 6th of 20 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 5.8% | ▲ 2.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — |
Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it coal. Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Pembina County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024. 6,568 people live here, down 3.8% since 2020.
Who powers Pembina County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Pembina 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% |
| Nodak Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,803 | 12.08¢ | 42% |
| City of Cavalier - (ND) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Crystal Sugar Drayton | American Crystal Sugar Co | Coal | 6 MW | 1965 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pembina Land Port of Entry Wind Turbine | Wind | 1 MW | 2022 |
The Pembina County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,335 | $60,917 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 205 | $82,090 | 1.16 |
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 Pembina County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pembina County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Pembina County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Pembina County, Cavalier 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pembina County | 6,568 | ▼ 4.7% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Cavalier County | 3,497 | ▼ 6.1% | 200 MW | — | — | — |
| Kittson County MN | 4,031 | ▼ 1.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Marshall County MN | 8,798 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Walsh County | 10,179 | ▼ 2.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Pembina County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pembina County, North Dakota?
3 utilities have service territory in Pembina County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Nodak Electric Coop Inc, City of Cavalier - (ND). The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Pembina County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is American Crystal Sugar Drayton (6 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Pembina County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pembina County.
Is Pembina County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,335 jobs in 2025 against 3,499 in 2019 (-4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 157 to 205.
Does Pembina County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pembina County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.