The Alaska Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, Two Years Later

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This Op-Ed was originally published in the Anchorage Daily News on August 14, 2024. It is authored by our board members, Gavin Dixon and Griffin Plush, who share their insights on the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on Alaska over the past two years.

Two years ago this week, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed, marking a generational investment in energy and climate infrastructure. This funding is now beginning to flow into Alaska, benefitting our homes and communities in myriad ways. With numerous new tax credit programs, financing tools, and grant funding opportunities, the IRA has created so many funding opportunities that people are beginning to take advantage of all across our great state.

Alaskans are starting to benefit from the IRA through a wide variety of programs, including rebates on new efficient appliances such as stoves, dryers, heat pumps and water heaters; tax credits for home energy efficiency improvements; and expanded tax benefits for installing renewable energy and battery energy storage on homes. These new programs help keep money in Alaskans’ pockets, encourage job creation and investment in our homes and businesses, and help reduce energy costs. These direct energy and financial improvements for individuals will be even more important to help mitigate the negative impacts of escalating energy costs on the Railbelt due to the natural gas crisis in Cook Inlet.

Beyond the individual tax credits, the IRA has also established Direct Pay, a system for non-taxpaying organizations such as nonprofits, Tribes, local governments and utility cooperatives to benefit from these clean energy tax incentives for the first time. By enabling creative financing options like this, we are starting to see movement toward clean energy across sectors.

New financing and grant opportunities have also been secured for Alaskans, with many millions more to come. The Alaska Energy Authority and Tanana Chiefs Conference and their partners Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium together received more than $120 million from the IRA’s Solar for All Program, which will support rooftop solar, community solar programs and utility-scale solar for communities all around Alaska primarily benefiting low-income residents and Tribes over the next five years. Golden Valley Electric Association received $100 million from the IRA’s Powering Affordable Clean Energy to develop grid infrastructure that will improve reliability and enable the development of large-scale solar in Nenana. Southeast Conference received nearly $40 million from the IRA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program to install thousands of residential heat pumps all over southeast Alaska to reduce energy use and heating costs for residents. These infrastructure projects will reduce energy costs, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and help to improve the resilience of our electrical systems across Alaska. That’s to say nothing of IRA investments in fisheries research and protection, forest fire mitigation programs, transportation infrastructure and much more.

Alaskans are excited to see the investments of the IRA propel Alaska’s transition towards more sustainable, local and clean energy. We look forward to communities and families around the state fully leveraging the IRA. We are thankful to the federal and state agencies working to implement these programs correctly, and to the elected officials, like Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Mary Peltola, who continue to support these smart investments that build the framework for growing our state’s clean energy economy, fighting the impacts of a changing climate, and building a brighter, more resilient future for us all.

– Gavin Dixon and Griffin Plush volunteer together as board members of The Alaska Center; they are both lifelong Alaskans who work professionally with energy projects across the state.

Press Release: The Alaska Center and Alaska Public Interest Research Group Celebrate Signing of the Save Act, SB 152

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ANCHORAGE, AK – The Alaska Center and Alaska Public Interest Research Group, two statewide nonprofit organizations, joined Governor Dunleavy and Senator Wielechowski for the signing of Senate Bill 152, “Saving Alaskans money with Voluntary community Energy,” (SAVE Act) into law onTuesday, August 13. The signing took place at the future site of Chugach Electric’s community solar program, which will begin accepting participants next year. 

Community energy is a model in which a group of people invest in and share the benefits of an energy installation (such as a solar array) that is not located on their property. This model allows renters, small businesses, and other individuals who cannot host a rooftop solar array, to own shares of a larger solar facility. These subscribers then receive savings on their monthly electric bills.

“We are thrilled to see Community Energy signed into law today,” said Chantal de Alcuaz, Co-Executive Director, The Alaska Center. “Alaskans need access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy, whether or not they are homeowners. At the same time, we have an urgent need to diversify our grid, and allow new energy generation projects to come online by any means possible. Large and small scale Community Energy programs will get us one step closer to an equitable energy landscape for all Alaskans.” 

With growing concerns around the Cook Inlet natural gas crisis, Alaskan utilities are looking to diversify their energy sources with renewables. Most Alaskans support solar and renewable energy development, but most Alaskans have not been able to personally benefit from constructing distributed energy like rooftop solar. 

The private sector has already made financing commitments to invest $5 billion in community solar throughout the country. This legislation ensures that these investments can be made in Alaska, bringing much-needed public infrastructure and clean energy development to our state. 

“The passage of the SAVE Act sends a clear message that Alaska is open for business,” said Phil Wight, Energy Policy Expert at AKPIRG. “This legislation ensures that Alaskans can invest in the cheapest, cleanest sources of power at a pivotal moment for Alaska’s energy transition. Community energy will not only diversify energy supply as we face a looming gas crisis, it will provide clean power for our increasingly electrified economy. With SB152 signed into law, we can start building a new generation of clean energy facilities and create a new environment of energy prosperity for Alaskans.” 

Our Election System Glow Up

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August in Alaska means our freezers are full, our gardens are bursting, and it’s time to cast our ballots in the Primary Election. Even we (who love elections, as you likely know) have to admit that past partisan primary elections haven’t always been the most appealing of electoral processes – especially if, like most Alaskans, you don’t identify as a Republican or a Democrat. Historically, the primary landscape has been dominated by a duopoly where Democrats and Republicans engage in their annual tug-of-war. Independents are invited (barely). But everyone else is left out. The new open primary system, however, has thrown the ropes aside and the doors wide open. Now, voters can choose from a broader spectrum of candidates, and that means that our votes have even more power. 

In 2020, Alaskans voted YES to swap out our old election system for an open primary format paired with ranked choice voting for the general election. What does this mean? In a nutshell, all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, run in a single primary. The top four vote-getters then face off in the general election where voters get to rank them from their first choice to their last choice.

With the open primary system, any candidate has the chance to compete directly against candidates from any party and voters have the opportunity to vote for their favorite in every race, regardless of party. The Alaska Beacon’s analysis of 2022 primary election data found slightly more than half of Alaska’s 192,061 voters opted to split their tickets in the races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor and state legislative offices. This means people voted for candidates from multiple political parties, an opportunity they wouldn’t have had in the old, closed primary system.

Research shows that candidates in open primaries – who must appeal to every voter, not just their party’s voters – are more likely to work to appeal to a broader base, be more moderate, and cordial to each other. And in open primary elections, candidates with more diverse ideas and identities throw their hat into the ring. When voters see that their choices aren’t constrained by party lines, and more candidates look like them, they’re more likely to head to the polls. This increased turnout and candidate diversity is good for Alaska and makes our democracy more representative of our communities and our Alaskan values.

As you prepare to vote in the Primary Election I’ll leave you with a few dates to remember and some words of wisdom: August 20 is Primary Election Day. You can apply to vote by mail before August 10. Early voting starts at select locations on August 5. This election season will be a very important one for our democracy – do your research, cast your vote, and do your part to make Alaska more just, thriving, and sustainable for generations to come.

Happy Voting,
The Alaska Center

New Name, Same Old Coal

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This month, a company named Flatlands Energy has been making the rounds at Southcentral Alaska’s electric utilities, cheerily describing a future where coal power is safe and environmentally responsible. We know better. The vision they present of “carbon capture and storage” on a coal power plant relies on unproven technology and a number of false assumptions, and Alaskans are smart enough to see through these claims and refuse new coal development in our state. 

While the rest of the United States, and most advanced economies throughout the world, are working to phase out coal usage, Flatlands proposes developing a brand new coal power plant in Matanuska-Susitna Borough. This is not a conversation about mitigating the emissions from existing projects – this would be starting from scratch with coal, fully aware of its many environmental and health impacts. A new open-pit coal mine along with a power plant fitted with carbon capture infrastructure would be constructed near the proposed pipeline to Donlin Mine. 

Carbon capture technology on power plants has not been proven successful. In fact, existing projects have been consistently under-performing when it comes to the actual carbon captured. Notably, Flatlands claimed during its presentation at Chugach Electric Association that coal with carbon capture would put out lower emissions than even wind and solar with natural gas backup. However, that claim relies on the system capturing a whopping 90% of carbon emissions, which is completely unrealistic. Petra Nova, the only coal plant to operate with carbon capture in the United States, also aimed for a 90% capture, but likely only captured 55-70% of emissions while it was online. Including methane emissions from coal mining itself also significantly drops the amount of carbon that can be captured. 

What’s more, these projects fail consistently on economics alone. Even with substantial government funding, carbon capture projects have not been profitable. Flatlands bets on a future of tax credits that is not guaranteed, and key players like the Mat Su Borough Assembly claim this will reduce the cost of importing liquefied natural gas (LNG). However, a new coal mine and coal power plant would certainly not be online soon enough to offset LNG imports. 

Instead of getting distracted by false promises, our electric utilities should continue their work to conserve as much gas as possible and move toward the most cost-effective mix of energy for the Railbelt, which includes 76% renewable energy generation.

Alaskans will not be fooled: coal power is the past, not our future.

AYEA Kicks off a Summer of Arts in Action!

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Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) is gearing up to host our annual fall Youth Organizer Summit in September, and with applications open for just 2 more days, this Summit is already shaping up to be our biggest and best yet since we resumed in-person gatherings post-pandemic! We already have applications pouring in from across the state! Here at AYEA, we’re very excited about this fall’s Summit because it marks the beginning of AYEA’s next 2-year statewide campaign cycle. AYEA is youth-led, meaning teens choose and lead all of AYEA’s projects and campaigns. The teens that gather this fall will decide on an issue that is important to them and their peers and then build and execute a statewide campaign that seeks to address it!

This also means that it’s time to tool-up with some new campaign skills! To build excitement and skills in preparation for AYEA’s next moves, we’re excited to host a series of Arts-in-Action workshops this summer for teens in Fairbanks, Kodiak, and Anchorage! Know a teen in one of those communities? They can register here! 

Community organizers have long used art to tell stories and make bold statements that inspire community action – and AYEA is no exception! Scroll down to see some inspiring art and messages that AYEA teens have created over the years! From raising awareness about plastic bag bans and statewide youth climate strikes to direct action with art at the state capitol building to demand education funding (not once, but twice!), AYEA teens know the power of a bold statement or eye-catching art piece to share their message!

At our summer workshops, teens will learn arts-in-action techniques like screen printing, block printing, and banner painting that they can use in their communities. They’ll also get to create and share their own messages about whatever issues are important to them! Any teens who attend the fall Summit with these new tools under their belts will be poised to help their fellow organizers develop art and messaging to launch their new campaign. 

We even kicked off the summer with some art at Trailside Discovery Camp’s Youth Leaders in Action week, where AYEA teens joined Trailside youth to learn about the impacts of climate change on Alaska’s ecosystems, and actions we can take to address it. Along with the help of an AYEA teen, Trailside youth tried out some fun block printing skills and worked on creating their own messages for action.


AYEA Arts in Action workshops are coming up next month in the following places. Help us share with teens you know!

Fairbanks Workshop – July 7
Kodiak Workshop – July 20th
Anchorage Workshop – July 31


A big Thank You to the Martha Levensaler Fund and the Alaska Conservation Foundation for supporting this project! We can’t wait to share the inspiring work that is created! 

Building an Inclusive Future: Celebrating Juneteenth and Pride in Alaska

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Hey Friends!

June marks two monumental movements of liberation: Juneteenth and LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Without Black and queer voices represented in our movement, there will be no true equity and justice.

We recognize that achieving thriving communities and a robust democracy requires acknowledging our shared histories and the injustices faced by marginalized communities. Progress towards equity and justice necessitates prioritizing these communities in our conversations and efforts towards equity, while also celebrating their invaluable contributions to our society. This is why celebrations such as Juneteenth and Pride Month are so important.

This year, the Alaska Legislature passed Senate Bill 22, establishing Juneteenth as a state holiday, pending the governor’s signature to become official. This legislative progress demonstrates our state’s recognition of the history and significant contributions of Black Alaskans. On Juneteenth, Alaskans and others across our country will commemorate and celebrate the historic day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas finally learned they were free, two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

In Alaska, many Black leaders played important roles in building both the physical and political infrastructure of our state. Their contributions were monumental in moving Alaska toward statehood and in shaping the community we know today. Black Alaskans have been influential in various sectors, including education, politics, and the arts. Their achievements enrich our communities and strengthen our collective identity. This Juneteenth, we honor the incredible work and leadership of Black Alaskans. This is a time for allies to listen and learn from those on the frontlines of oppression, gaining insights into the intersections of race, democracy, accessibility, and climate justice.

The celebration of Pride Month is also important as it honors the struggle and contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals who have fought and continue to fight for equity and justice. Just as Juneteenth represents the struggle and triumph over oppression for Black Americans, Pride Month celebrates the achievements and ongoing battles faced by the LGBTQ+ community. Both movements highlight the necessity of acknowledging and uplifting marginalized voices to create a truly equitable society. Our work at The Alaska Center is deeply intertwined with these values, advocating for environmental justice that includes and respects all.

As a part of our celebration of Juneteenth, we will be tabling at the Juneteenth celebration this weekend in Anchorage. This month, we also celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride, recognizing the intersectionality of our environmental advocacy. A just transition requires the inclusion of all communities, especially those historically marginalized. At The Alaska Center, we believe our work must be intersectional, ensuring that our advocacy is equitable and inclusive of all.

Join us this weekend to celebrate Juneteenth and later this month to honor LGBTQ+ Pride! Together, we can continue to build a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future for all Alaskans.

Please come say hello at these important community events. We look forward to seeing you!

Happy celebrating,
The Alaska Center

Energizing Change: Reflections on Chugach Electric Board Elections and Future Goals

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Early this spring, we endorsed two pro-renewable, pro-union incumbent candidates for the Chugach Electric Association Board: Mark Wiggin and Sam Cason. We worked hard alongside volunteers and partners to knock nearly 3,000 of our neighbors’ doors, call over 15,000 community members, and send over 4,500 texts to friends, family, and other voters about the candidates. 

This year’s total turnout was 14%. While this is slightly lower than last year’s record-breaking turnout, it is still significantly higher than the historic average of about 10% participation. As we spoke with folks in person and on the phones, we heard our hopes confirmed: many of our community members are aware that they have a right to vote in utility elections. We are thrilled to see this greater awareness, and hope the trend continues.

One of our endorsed candidates, Mark Wiggin, won his seat for another four years, while opponent Dan Rogers beat out our other endorsed candidate, former Board Chair Sam Cason. At the first Board meeting after the election, Mark Wiggin was voted in as the new Chair of the Board in a 5-2 vote. 

We are eager to see Chair Wiggin continue his leadership on this Board, and for the entirety of Chugach Electric Association to move forward with its work to get more renewable energy online. After we have rested and recharged, it is time to support the Directors in charting the course that is best for our communities and achieves the triple bottom line of reliability, affordability, and sustainability. Member-owners of the utility are always permitted to attend and comment at the public meetings of the Board, which you can find listed on the Chugach website. 

Some of the Board’s current focus areas include: the new 500-kilowatt community solar project that will start taking subscriptions later this year; a potential wind power development which could provide 20% of Chugach’s total power needs; updating its facilities to include solar panels on site; and the One Campus plan which will bring all former Municipal Light & Power employees onto the same working campus as the pre-existing Chugach Electric teams. 

Additionally, the Board is hearing from experts on emerging technologies, like tidal power. At the most recent Board meeting, Ocean Renewable Power Company presented about the potential in Alaska, which is home to the vast majority of tidal energy in the United States. 

If you are interested in getting more involved with your electric utility, but aren’t sure where to start, contact Alex Petkanas at alex@akcenter.org to figure out the best way for you to plug in. Board elections are over – now it’s time to get to work!

With Renewable Enthusiasm,
The Alaska Center

Legislative Highlights: Celebrating Wins and Community Action in Alaska

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Is it just us, or does spring feel extra busy this year? In a week with multiple elections closing, we hope you are celebrating Suzanne LaFrance’s significant lead in the Mayoral runoff and plan on joining us Friday for the Chugach Electric Annual Meeting! – we also watched closely as the 2024 Alaska state legislative session came to a close. 

During the final few days of the session, we saw many of our clean energy and climate priorities across the finish line. We’ll have more to come on what this means for our next steps, but for now, we’re excited to share this brief recap. 

PASSED! Community Solar (SAVE Act)
The Alaska Center has worked closely with Alaska Public Interest Research Group outwardly and behind the scenes over the past year to move a community solar bill forward. The goal of the legislation is to allow more people to access clean energy, by subscribing to solar arrays or other clean energy generation that is centrally located rather than placed on individual properties.  We informed the public about community energy, testified ourselves, and encouraged supporters to call or write in to provide testimony, and met with legislators to answer specific questions and concerns about community energy programs. The bill went through many iterations and ultimately became known as the SAVE Act (Saving Alaskans money with Voluntary community Energy). 

In late April, the SAVE Act passed the Senate unanimously, with Senators from various parties and districts speaking in favor of the legislation on the floor. We celebrated but knew we had to keep working to get the word out about the bill and clarify any concerns raised on the House side. Finally, this week, the bill passed the House and will head to Governor Dunleavy’s desk for his signature. 

We are so excited to see community energy programs launch in Alaska and view this as one step toward a more equitable energy future. 

PASSED! Green Bank 
Late Wednesday night, before gaveling out for the year, the legislature passed a bill with language to create a Green Bank. A Green Bank is a financial entity that leverages private financing and invests in renewable energy technology like heat pumps, electric vehicle charging stations, and more critical new infrastructure that a traditional financial institution is less likely to finance. The bill states that the entity “serves a public purpose benefitting the people of the state” by financing sustainable energy development. 

Alaska’s Green Bank will be housed under the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, a community-oriented agency, that will strive to invest in renewables in a way that best serves the people of Alaska. We look forward to finding opportunities to collaborate with the Green Bank to ensure a transparent and just process. 

STILL WORK TO BE DONE! Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)
Although multiple versions of renewable or clean energy standards were introduced this session, they ultimately did not move forward. Utility providers themselves were heavily involved in the conversation, as both Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) and Chugach Electric Association (CEA) took up the issue in their own Board meetings. CEA passed a formal resolution in support of a general RPS, but raised issues with the specifics of the legislative proposals. Utility providers generally expressed concerns about the grid’s transmission capacity and limitations, the exact percentages included in proposals, and the enforcement mechanisms associated with standards. 

Grid transmission capacity ultimately became a major focus of the session (more on that below).  In terms of enforcement, we spoke with partners about alternatives to fines or penalties, which utilities said risked raising rates for consumers. One option is to provide significant incentives for meeting goals. Either way, we believe it will only be possible to actually meet these goals if there is some related consequence for achieving them or failing to do so. 

The Alaska Center will continue to advocate for a state standard to be set to ensure we are on track to reduce our overall carbon output. 

PASSED! Railbelt Transmission 
We wrote to you last month to update you on the shift to transmission that took place in the energy space this year. With various bills and conflicting views on the most efficient way forward, this was a complex legislative issue. We weighed in by providing testimony and written analysis throughout the process, as well as meeting directly with legislators about the various transmission issues being addressed. 

First, $30 million was included in the budget as the first phase of a state match for GRIP (Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships) funding. This federal grant of $206 million requires a state match, and will be used to upgrade elements of our transmission system, which is key to our ability to send renewable energy from wherever it is generated to wherever the power is needed at that moment. 

The final transmission legislation got rid of duplicative charges to reduce the overall costs of sending energy up and down the railbelt, updated requirements for commissioners to serve on the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, and addressed the taxation of new power projects. It also created a new organization under the Alaska Energy Authority called a railbelt transmission organization (RTO) but left planning in the hands of the existing Railbelt Reliability Council. Instead, this RTO will focus on cost recovery of transmission operations. 

An efficient and upgraded transmission system is a critical part of our clean energy infrastructure, and we look forward to thinking about the next steps in the coming year. 

STILL WORK TO BE DONE! Voting Rights 
Voting rights were a hot topic this session and both the House and the Senate attempted to pass substantial updates to our current systems and policies. HB 4 (the repeal of open primaries and ranked choice voting (RCV)) had a hearing on day one of the session, and HB 129 (purging voter rolls), moved quickly out of the House and into the Senate for consideration. The Senate then turned HB 129 from a bad voting rights bill into a good voting rights bill by adding a provision to remove the witness signature requirement on mail-in ballots, adding a system to fix mistakes on ballots, and allowing Alaskans to register to vote on election day. 

Unfortunately, the House would not support these provisions and this bill did not make it over the finish line. What does this mean for voting rights? It means that many of our leaders and community members want to see voting rights expanded, and that next year we will work even harder to pass positive voting reforms. The repeal of ranked-choice voting and open primaries will likely be on the ballot this November, so we will continue to update you on how you can take action to protect our democracy. 

PASSED! Juneteenth Bill
Finally, at 11:05pm the House voted to pass SB 22 – establishing Juneteenth Day as a legal holiday. Juneteenth is a crucial recognition of our shared history, emphasizing the central role of Black leaders. Specifically in Alaska, many of those leaders were brought up to build both the physical and the political infrastructure of this state, moving Alaska toward statehood. By officially recognizing Juneteenth, we honor the labor and sacrifice Black communities contribute and we join the rest of the nation in one day of celebration and liberation. Thanks to our leaders and community members for helping this get across the finish line! If you are in Anchorage, stop by and say hi at our booth at the Anchorage Juneteenth Celebrations on June 15 and 16!  

We are grateful to the many elected officials who worked hard this session to move forward highly technical, politically charged, and crucial bills for our climate and our communities. We are looking forward to a summer full of advocacy to prepare for what the next session has in store for us! Stay tuned!

Powering forward together,
The Alaska Center

Murky Waters Ahead, Troubled Waters Behind: What’s Happening with the Eklutna River?

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I can’t say how many times I’ve seen a headline recently asking what is going on with the Eklutna River (Well, actually I can. Twice. Check out Emily Goodykoontz’ and Alex DeMarban’s article or Nat Herz’ podcast. I highly recommend checking out these pieces for a lay of the land understanding of what’s occurred.) 

But, my question, and one many people are asking now is: what just happened? And what’s next?

On April 15, the Matanuska Electric Association Board of Directors approved a resolution to send the Final Fish and Wildlife Program to the Governor.

On April 24, the Chugach Electric Association Board of Directors did the same.

The Final Fish and Wildlife Program does not right a historical wrong, and does not give salmon a chance to return to the lake. Instead, it relies on the previously proposed AWWU portal (now called the Eklutna River Release Facility) to restore just 11 miles of the river. The best that it does is offer extremely limited “reopeners” – opportunities for the Project Owners to revisit the project 10 years after the implementation of the proposed Final Program – this would, at the latest, take place in 2042. These reopeners are only helpful if a new technology comes along to allow for cheap fish passage (the project owners have maintained that they won’t pay for it), or inflows to the lake increase dramatically. 

We’re entering the final phases of approval of the plan. Although the plan was sent to the Governor, the ball is now in a couple of resource agency’s court: US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service now have 60 days to submit comments on the final program. After that, the owners of the project will have 30 days to submit responses to these comments. 

As it stands, all of this information will be sent to Curtis Thayer, Executive Director of the Alaska Energy Authority. Curtis will then compile a report and submit it to the governor. The governor has to make his decision by October 2nd. 

The Alaska Center will continue to call on our utility cooperative to exercise their power to right a historic wrong and restore a free-flowing river from the ocean to the lake that can support salmon – the heartbeat of Alaska.

Four out of five Alaskans who submitted comments on the draft program supported river restoration and/or fish passage. We thank you for lifting your voices throughout these last months. Stay tuned and stay with us!

Stream regards,
The Alaska Center

Shifting to Transmission

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Two weeks ago, several members of our team went to Juneau, in Á’akw Kwáan territory, for the Just Transition Summit. Over the course of four days, we heard from Indigenous leaders, youth, elders, labor movement experts, legislators, and other partners of ours about efforts to transition our economy away from extraction and toward resilience and regeneration. 

We discussed a wide swath of issues related to a just transition, including building a true multi-racial democracy, circular economies and waste, and Indigenous Knowledge. We also made time for conversations around healing, and found opportunities to connect with one another between sessions. You can watch some of the keynote panels, and see a complete list of speakers on the Just Transition website. One highlight we are especially proud of: a legislative lunch and learn about transitioning our energy system, featuring three wonderful panelists. Our Alaska Fellow, Marta Ditzler, worked tirelessly on coordinating this over the past few months with support from the rest of our team, and we are so grateful for her work.

From left to right: Sally Rue (The Alaska Center Board Chair), Leila Pyle (AYEA Program Manager), Chantal de Alcuaz (Co-ED), Alex Petkanas (Climate and Clean Energy Program Manager), Marta Ditzler (Organizing Fellow), Jenny Marie-Stryker (Political Director), Vicki Long-Leather (Co-ED)

While there, The Alaska Center staff met with twelve legislators to discuss our energy policy priorities for the remainder of this session. We outlined the importance of things like Community Solar, a Renewable Portfolio Standard, annual net metering, and opposing any new coal projects. All of our conversations, however, turned to one key topic: transmission planning and upgrades.

The “transmission system” refers to all of the infrastructure that allows us to send energy from one place to another along the railbelt – which serves about 75% of the population in Alaska. When we talk about transmission planning, we are referring to a process that currently rests with the Railbelt Reliability Council. This group has been carefully organized to include stakeholder representation of small consumers, environmental groups, labor, regulators, and utility providers. They have been tasked with the responsibility of coming up with a holistic, efficient plan for the railbelt to get energy to everyone from Fairbanks down to the Kenai Peninsula. 

Multiple issues are popping up related to this transmission system in the legislature. One current bill (SB 257) would take planning responsibility away from the Railbelt Reliability Council and create a new organization with less oversight and stakeholder input to handle planning. The Alaska Center has raised concerns about this proposal, as we believe this would result in less public input and transparency in planning. Other proposals would reduce the cost of sending energy back and forth by removing something called “wheeling fees” which utilities currently charge to one another. Another crucial issue is providing a state match for the federal Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) funding that will go toward transmission upgrades. 

As the legislative body focuses on energy and transmission, The Alaska Center strives to be a resource on energy policy. We are working collaboratively with our partners to advocate for clean energy and transparency, and have provided legislative staff with our positions on these transmission issues while continuing efforts to bring our other policy goals to the forefront. We will continue our work throughout the rest of this session and will keep our supporters updated on opportunities to provide public testimony or otherwise get involved.

Whether you write to your representatives, call in to testify during public hearings, or author op-eds about your priorities, you are a key part of making sure the Alaska state legislature is acting in the best interest of the people. Looking for ways to participate? Sign up to volunteer with us!

Together for Alaska’s Energy Future,
The Alaska Center