Williams County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Williston, Tioga and Missouri Ridge Township
Williams County is a generation frontier for North Dakota. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Williams County, 4% of North Dakota's total. 1,518 MW of new generation is planned here across 4 units, led by Basin Electric Power Coop (natural gas), the largest pipeline among North Dakota's counties. Williams County is home to Williston, Tioga, Missouri Ridge Township and Williston Township. Construction employs 2,313, down 26.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 903 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas.
Cities and towns in Williams County
Williams County is home to Williston, Tioga, Missouri Ridge Township and Williston Township.
And 6 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Blacktail, Long Creek, McGregor, Trenton.
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 Williams County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 41,190 | 41,767 | ▲ 1.4% | 5th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 29,700 | 26,622 | ▼ 10.4% | 48th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $80,176 | $92,058 | ▲ 14.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,130 | 2,313 | ▼ 26.1% | 20th of 20 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 509 | 559 | ▲ 9.8% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 154 | 185 | ▲ 20.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 1.9% | 2.5% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 903 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1,518 MW | 113% of today's fleet | 1st of 5 by size |
Employers here counted 26,622 jobs in 2025, down 10.4% from 2019. Its power plants have 1,346 MW of capacity, 67% of it natural gas, the 2nd largest fleet in North Dakota. Electrical contractors employ 559, up 9.8% since 2019 against up 11.4% statewide, at an average $126,626 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in August 2026, against 1.9% in 2019. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Williams County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.72¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.38¢ median for North Dakota utilities. 41,767 people live here, up 1.4% since 2020, 5th of 53 North Dakota counties by population.
Who powers Williams County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +903 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Williams County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana-Dakota Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 79,354 | 11.72¢ | 67% |
| Mountrail-Williams Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,405 | 7.24¢ | 26% |
| Burke-Divide Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,789 | 7.88¢ | 7% |
| Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 799 | 8.95¢ | 2% |
| Sheridan Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 897 MW | 67% |
| Wind | 449 MW | 33% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer Generation Station | Basin Electric Power Coop | Natural gas | 897 MW | 2013 |
| Aurora Wind Project | Aurora Wind Project, LLC | Wind | 299 MW | 2021 |
| Lindahl Wind Project, LLC | Lindahl Wind Project LLC | Wind | 150 MW | 2017 |
Planned generation 4
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bison Generation Station | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 496 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Basin Electric Power Coop |
| Bison Generation Station | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 496 MW | Approvals pending | 2030 | Basin Electric Power Coop |
| Bison Generation Station | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 263 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Basin Electric Power Coop |
| Bison Generation Station | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 263 MW | Approvals pending | 2030 | Basin Electric Power Coop |
The Williams County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 26,622 | $92,058 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,313 | $108,752 | 1.64 |
| Electrical contractors | 559 | $126,626 | 2.91 |
| Electric utilities | 185 | $134,433 | 2.57 |
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 Williams County
1 data center in Williams County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Williams County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Williams County, Burke 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams County | 41,767 | ▼ 10.4% | 1,346 MW | 1,518 MW | 1 | — |
| Burke County | 2,132 | ▼ 7.6% | 199 MW | 100 MW | — | — |
| Divide County | 2,110 | ▼ 12.7% | — | — | — | — |
| McKenzie County | 15,192 | ▼ 4.7% | 363 MW | — | — | — |
| Mountrail County | 9,395 | ▼ 14.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Richland County MT | 11,377 | ▼ 7.0% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
| Roosevelt County MT | 10,242 | ▼ 4.2% | 168 MW | — | — | — |
| Sheridan County MT | 3,436 | ▼ 0.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Williams County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Williams County, North Dakota?
6 utilities have service territory in Williams County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, Mountrail-Williams Elec Coop, Burke-Divide Electric Coop Inc, Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc. The largest, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.72¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Williston, ND in?
Williston is in Williams County, North Dakota. About 29,522 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Williams County?
3 operating plants with 1,346 MW of capacity. The largest is Pioneer Generation Station (897 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Williams County?
1,518 MW across 4 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Basin Electric Power Coop.
Are there data centers in Williams County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Williams County.
Is Williams County adding jobs?
Employers counted 26,622 jobs in 2025 against 29,700 in 2019 (-10.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,130 to 2,313.
Does Williams County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Williams County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.