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2012 ALASKA ENERGY
STATISTICS FINAL REPORT
ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY
MAY 2015
1 May 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..........................................................................................................................1
LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................................2
LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................3
PURPOSE ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
WORKBOOK CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................. 3
ENERGY REGIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 3
HIGHLIGHTS AND SUMMARY..............................................................................................................5
INSTALLED CAPACITY ...................................................................................................................................... 6
NET GENERATION .......................................................................................................................................... 6
ELECTRICITY SALES AND CONSUMPTION ............................................................................................................ 8
ELECTRICITY PRICES AND REVENUES ................................................................................................................ 11
GENERATION FUEL ....................................................................................................................................... 13
POWER COST EQUALIZATION ......................................................................................................................... 14
SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................. 15
APPENDIX A. GLOSSARY OF TERMS ................................................................................................... 17
APPENDIX B. WORKBOOK CONTENTS ............................................................................................... 26
APPENDIX C. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 28
APPENDIX D. RCA UTILITY REGULATORY CODES SUMMARY .............................................................. 29
APPENDIX E. DATA SOURCES FOR ELECTRIC ENERGY STATISTICS ....................................................... 32
ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION SURVEYS ........................................................................................... 32
ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY - POWER COST EQUALIZATION PROGRAM DATA ....................................................... 33
APPENDIX F. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................ 35
ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION ........................................................................................................ 35
POWER COST EQUALIZATION PROGRAM AND REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA ............................................ 35
2 May 2015
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1. OVERVIEW OF ALASKA’S ENERGY PORTFOLIO, 2012 .............................................................5
TABLE 2. INSTALLED CAPACITY OF CERTIFIED UTILITIES BY AEA REGION (KW), 2012 ............................6
TABLE 3. NET GENERATION BY FUEL TYPE BY CERTIFIED UTILITIES (MWH), 2012 .................................7
TABLE 4. ELECTRICITY SALES OF CERTIFIED UTILITIES (MWH), 2012 .....................................................9
TABLE 5. AVERAGE CONSUMPTION PER RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER PER MONTH IN POWER COST
EQUALIZATION COMMUNITIES, 2012 ............................................................................................... 11
TABLE 6. RATES IN PCE COMMUNITIES ($/KWH), 2012 ..................................................................... 12
TABLE 7. CERTIFIED UTILITIES REVENUE ($000), 2012 ........................................................................ 12
TABLE 8. FUEL USED FOR POWER GENERATION BY CERTIFIED UTILITIES, 2012 ................................... 13
TABLE 9. COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATING IN POWER COST EQUALIZATION PROGRAM, 2012 .............. 14
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1. ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY ENERGY REGIONS, 2012 ........................................................4
FIGURE 2. NET GENERATION BY FUEL TYPE BY CERTIFIED UTILITIES (MWH), 2012 ...............................8
FIGURE 3. DISTRIBUTION OF SALES BY CUSTOMER TYPE AND ENERGY REGION BY CERTIFIED UTILITIES
(%), 2012 ......................................................................................................................................... 10
FIGURE 4. RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICITY RATES IN POWER COST EQUALIZATION, 2012 ........................... 15
FIGURE 5. NET GENERATION BY FUEL TYPE BY CERTIFIED UTILITIES (GWH), 1971-2012 ...................... 16
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
3 May 2015
INTRODUCTION
This twenty-sixth edition of the Alaska Energy Statistics reconciles energy data from public sources and
makes that data more easily available to the public and stakeholders. It presents 2012 data on electricity
produced by primarily certified utilities in Alaska. It includes a brief introduction, a summary of Alaska’s
energy portfolio, and highlights of changes and trends observed in the year. This report contains only
highlights of the complete information provided in the data tables. The data tables are available for
download at the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) website. The data tables are also searchable and
selected data may be downloaded at the Alaska Energy Data Gateway (AEDG) database, where other
Alaska data has also been gathered, such as community information and population statistics. Links to
those sources are provided below.
A collection of appendixes define terms, list references, and describes data sources. This report presents
data for the state and for the 11 Alaska Energy Authority energy regions. In the accompanying
workbook, we also present data by U.S. census areas, Alaska Native corporation regions, and regions
used in earlier Alaska Electric Energy Statistics reports.
Purpose
This Alaska Energy Statistics Report is assembled to be a comprehensive and single source of electrical
generation information across Alaska. Two primary sources of energy data are available to the public,
though each is only a partial data set. Larger Alaska electric utilities report to the U.S. Energy
Information Administration, which publishes the data. But the majority of Alaska utilities are under the
size threshold required for reporting to EIA. The Power Cost Equalization program, administered by AEA,
gathers energy data from these smaller utilities. This report combines the two datasets to produce a
statewide electrical generation summary.
This report, and particularly the accompanying workbook and information published in the AEDG
database, is intended for decision makers, project managers, utility managers and others to have access
to statewide energy data to drive policy and project decisions. It also serves as Alaska’s measure of
progress against the goal of 50 percent renewable energy by 2020.
Workbook Contents
The workbook containing detailed data tables is available on the AEA website at
(http://www.akenergyauthority.org/Publications). The data presented in this report are also available
for viewing and downloading through the AEDG (https://akenergygateway.alaska.edu). Refer to
Appendix B for a list of all data tables available in the MS Excel workbook.
Energy Regions
Figure 1 on the following page shows the areas of Alaska that fall within each of the Alaska Energy
Authority’s eleven energy regions.
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
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Figure 1. Alaska Energy Authority Energy Regions, 2012
Source: Alaska Energy Authority
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5 March 2015
HIGHLIGHTS AND SUMMARY
This report features information that may be of general interest on electricity produced primarily by
certified utilities in Alaska in 2012. The report is not intended to provide detailed analysis of energy
production and consumption or to make suggestions about how Alaska should manage its energy
portfolio. The detailed data sets of the information summarized here are available on the AEA website
(http://www.akenergyauthority.org/Publications).
Table 1 provides an overview of generation, capacity, and population within each energy region and
statewide.
Table 1. Overview of Alaska’s Energy Portfolio, 2012
AEA Energy Region
Installed
Capacity
Net
Generation
Share of
Net
Generation
Share of
Population
Aleutians 37,485 67,073 1% 1%
Bering Strait 39,433 55,971 1% 1%
Bristol Bay 27,903 55,918 1% 1%
Copper River/Chugach 57,344 120,639 2% 1%
Kodiak 67,107 155,892 2% 1%
Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 57,409 100,527 2% 3%
North Slope 40,200 82,279 1% 1%
Northwest Arctic 25,919 37,664 1% 1%
Railbelt 1,455,375 5,042,565 75% 77%
Southeast 418,862 924,533 14% 10%
Yukon-Koyukuk/Upper Tanana 30,316 36,104 1% 1%
Total 2,257,353 6,679,165 100% 100%
Sources: Energy Information Administration; Alaska Energy Authority Power Cost Equalization program data;
authors’ calculations.
One of the most fundamental characteristics of Alaska is that the vast majority of the state’s population
and energy activity is concentrated in one region known as the Railbelt. This region generally comprises
the areas surrounding the Alaska Railroad including Fairbanks, Anchorage, Homer and all of the
communities in between. The Southeast region, which includes the capitol city of Juneau, has the
second largest concentration of the state’s population. Accordingly, most of Alaska’s energy is produced
and consumed in these regions. In 2012, only about 11% of statewide net generation occurred in the
other nine regions.
Compared to 2011, total installed capacity increased by 2.7% and total net generation increased by
1.9%. This change occurred at the same time that statewide population increased by 1.1%.
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
6 March 2015
Installed Capacity
Table 2 lists the inventories of installed capacity within each energy region by prime mover. In 2012 the
state had a total installed capacity of nearly 2.3 gigawatts. Over 57% of that capacity is from turbines
which are located mostly in the Railbelt. The most prevalent type of capacity in the rest of the state is
internal combustion totaling to just over 20%. Hydroelectric power makes up another 20% of capacity
and is located in regions where the resource is available.
Table 2. Installed Capacity of Certified Utilities by AEA Region (kW), 2012
AEA Energy Region
Fossil
Fuel
Turbines
Reciprocating
Internal
Combustion
Engine Hydroelectric Wind
Regional
Total
Percent
of
Statewide
Total
Aleutians 0 34,945 800 1,740 37,485 2%
Bering Strait 0 36,833 0 2,600 39,433 2%
Bristol Bay 0 26,879 800 224 27,903 1%
Copper River/Chugach 8,100 30,044 19,200 0 57,344 3%
Kodiak 0 35,232 22,875 9,000 67,107 3%
Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 0 53,709 0 3,700 57,409 3%
North Slope 17,300 22,900 0 0 40,200 2%
Northwest Arctic 0 20,959 0 4,960 25,919 1%
Railbelt 1,198,900 28,200 184,675 43,600 1,455,375 64%
Southeast 70,900 138,277 209,685 0 418,862 19%
Yukon-Koyukuk/Upper Tanana 0 30,316 0 0 30,316 1%
Total 1,295,200 458,294 438,035 65,824 2,257,353 100%
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Alaska Energy Authority’s Village Assessment Preliminary Dataset, and
authors’ calculations.
The year 2012 saw about a 3% gain (60.3 MW) in statewide installed capacity from the previous year.
The most significant regional gains were realized in the Kodiak region which saw a 7% increase in total
capacity. This change was a result of Kodiak Electric Association doubling their capacity at the Pillar
Mountain wind farm.
Several regions completed construction of new wind capacity in the year with installed capacity
increasing by an astonishing 375% statewide. The most notable regional gains were an additional 100%
in Kodiak, 250% in Northwest Arctic, 400% in Bristol Bay, and over 4200% in the Railbelt.
Net Generation
Table 3 lists the 2012 net generation in each energy region for specific fuel types.
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
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Table 3. Net Generation by Fuel Type by Certified Utilities (MWh), 2012
AEA Energy Region Oil Gas Coal Hydro Wind Total
Percent of
Statewide
Total
Aleutians 64,252 0 0 2,821 0 67,073 1%
Bering Strait 54,190 0 0 0 1,781 55,971 1%
Bristol Bay 51,465 0 0 4,259 194 55,918 1%
Copper River/Chugach 59,730 0 0 60,909 0 120,639 2%
Kodiak 7,483 0 0 132,096 16,313 155,892 2%
Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 96,460 0 0 0 4,067 100,527 2%
North Slope 31,282 50,997 0 0 0 82,279 1%
Northwest Arctic 34,544 0 0 0 3,120 37,664 1%
Railbelt 603,271 3,444,104 416,715 546,088 32,387 5,042,565 75%
Southeast 24,397 0 0 900,136 0 924,533 14%
Yukon-Koyukuk/Upper Tanana 36,104 0 0 0 0 36,104 1%
Total 1,063,178 3,495,101 416,715 1,646,309 57,862 6,679,165 100%
Percent of Total 16% 52% 6% 25% 0.9% 100%
Sources: Energy Information Administration; Alaska Energy Authority Power Cost Equalization program data ; authors’ calculations.
The state generated a total of 6,679 gigawatt-hours from all sources. Just over half of that electricity was
generated with natural gas in the North Slope and Railbelt regions- currently the only regions with
ample access to this resource. Almost another quarter was generated at hydroelectric facilities across
the state. Coal, constituting 6% of all net generation, is used for generation only in the Railbelt region
where a large coal mine ships the fuel up and down the rail line. The statewide distribution of
generation by fuel type is illustrated in Figure 2.
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Figure 2. Net Generation by Fuel Type by Certified Utilities (MWh), 2012
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Power Cost Equalization program data and authors’ calculations.
Total net generation gained modestly from 2011 with an increase of 1.9% (126.9 GWh). The only fuel
type with reduced generation in 2012 was natural gas at a loss of about 8%. Correspondingly, the
Railbelt was the only region with a decrease, generating about 1% less electricity. Hydroelectric and
wind total generation experienced considerable growth with gains of 23% and 173% respectively.
Electricity Sales and Consumption
Table 4 shows electricity sales in megawatt-hours within each region of the state. The table also
delineates sales by customer class. Residential sales constituted 34% at a total of 2,160 gigawatt-hours.
Nearly 44% of gigawatt-hours were sold to commercial customers with a total of 2,769. Other sales
made up 22% of statewide sales with a total of 1,428 gigawatt-hours. All electricity sales within the state
in the year 2012 summed to 6,356 gigawatt-hours.
Oil
16%
Gas
52%
Coal
6%
Hydro
25%
Wind
1%
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9 March 2015
Table 4. Electricity Sales of Certified Utilities (MWh), 2012
AEA Energy Region Residential Commercial Other Region Total
Percent of
Statewide
Total
Aleutians 9,162 43,225 10,003 62,388 1%
Bering Strait 18,160 22,427 13,276 53,863 1%
Bristol Bay 14,901 26,239 11,253 52,392 1%
Copper River/Chugach 23,570 79,116 8,588 111,275 2%
Kodiak 36,270 23,072 87,666 147,007 2%
Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 33,264 42,291 17,748 93,304 1%
North Slope 17,753 62,679 1,619 82,050 1%
Northwest Arctic 13,530 13,641 8,653 35,825 1%
Railbelt 1,653,812 2,123,090 1,071,000 4,847,902 76%
Southeast 326,472 322,961 188,608 838,046 13%
Yukon-Koyukuk/Upper Tanana 12,655 9,963 9,361 31,980 1%
Total 2,159,549 2,768,704 1,427,775 6,356,032
Percent of Total 34% 44% 22% 100%
Source: Energy Information Administration, Alaska Energy Authority’s Power Cost Equalization program data, and authors’
calculations.
Figure 3 shows the distribution of electricity sales to each customer class for each energy region. The
Yukon-Koyukuk/Upper Tanana region had the highest share of residential sales at 40%. The North Slope
region had the highest share of commercial sales at 76%. The Kodiak region had the highest share of
other sales at 60%.
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
10 March 2015
Figure 3. Distribution of Sales by Customer Type and Energy Region by Certified Utilities (%), 2012
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Power Cost Equalization program data, and authors’ calculations.
Note: The category “Other” includes sales to industrial customers, public lighting service, public authority service to
public authorities, railroad and railway service, and interdepartmental services.
Table 5 uses data from communities participating in the Power Cost Equalization program in 2012 to
show minimum, maximum, and mean of community average residential electricity consumption at a
range of effective rates.1 PCE only applies to the first 500 kilowatt-hours of residential electricity
consumed per household so there is a strong incentive for customers to keep their monthly
consumption below that threshold, particularly in communities with higher rates. The far right column in
the table shows the percentage of kilowatt-hours that were eligible for PCE according to this and other
criteria. The table also breaks out these measures into semiannual seasons to illustrate the changes in
consumption due to the changes in temperature, daylight, and price variability associated with winter.
1 The effective rate is simply the pre-PCE residential rate less the PCE level in a particular community.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Residential Commercial Other
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
11 March 2015
Table 5. Community Average Consumption per Residential Customer per Month in Power
Cost Equalization Communities, 2012
Summer 2012 (April - September) Percentage
Residential
Consumption
Eligible for PCE
Community Average kWh
per Customer per Month
Effective Rate Min Mean Max
Less than $0.19 147 433 827 69%
$0.20 - $0.29 122 365 800 77%
$0.30 - $0.39 77 314 543 76%
$0.40 - $0.49 112 302 477 80%
$0.50 - $0.59 106 140 196 100%
More than $0.60 53 157 231 93%
Winter 2012 (October - March) Percentage
Residential
Consumption
Eligible for PCE
Community Average kWh
per Customer per Month
Effective Rate Min Mean Max
Less than $0.19 200 533 1,138 60%
$0.20 - $0.29 136 435 957 70%
$0.30 - $0.39 57 378 693 74%
$0.40 - $0.49 81 307 732 77%
$0.50 - $0.59 59 291 449 77%
More than $0.60 64 202 267 87%
Note: All averages are weighted. Percentages of residential consumption may seem
lower than expected because some communities eligible to receive PCE participated in
the program for only a portion of the year. If during a given month a utility did not
participate and did not receive a PCE payment, then its eligible PCE consumption is 0% of
sales for that month.
In nearly every case, an increase in the effective rate is associated with a decrease in consumption. The
percentage of kilowatt-hours consumed that were eligible for PCE was as low as 69% in the summer and
60% in the winter. At the higher end of effective rates, the maximum eligibility rates ranged from 100%
in the summer to 87% in the winter.
Electricity Prices and Revenues
Table 6 shows the weighted average price components for a range of effective rates in PCE
communities. The average residential rate in PCE eligible communities equaled 50 cents per kilowatt-
hour in 2012. The same measure including all communities in the state averaged at 18 cents per
kilowatt-hour.
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12 March 2015
Table 6. Rates in PCE Communities ($/kWh), 2012
Effective Rate
($/kWh)
No. of PCE
Communities
Average Rate ($/kWh)
Residential PCE Effective
Less than $0.19 43 0.38 0.21 0.17
$0.20 - $0.29 116 0.58 0.36 0.23
$0.30 - $0.39 22 0.73 0.38 0.35
$0.40 - $0.49 6 0.82 0.40 0.42
$0.50 - $0.59 0
More than $0.60 3 1.01 0.35 0.66
Total No. of
Communities 190
Note: All averages are weighted.
Total number of communities does not match the total in Table 9 because one
community participating in the PCE program did not report residential rate data.
Table 7 provides revenues from each of the recorded customer classes to all certified utilities by energy
region. The share of revenues in the Railbelt is considerably lower than the share of sales in the Railbelt
simply because those utilities can sell electricity at lower rates. The same is true for Southeast, though
to a lesser extent.
Table 7. Certified Utilities Revenue ($000), 2012
AEA Energy Region Residential Commercial Other Regional Total
Percent of
Statewide
Total
Aleutians 5,068 22,626 5,830 33,525 3%
Bering Strait 8,287 9,164 6,215 23,665 2%
Bristol Bay 8,317 14,072 6,486 28,874 3%
Copper River/Chugach 8,094 22,477 2,310 32,882 3%
Kodiak 7,071 4,402 15,105 26,576 3%
Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 20,134 23,749 10,875 54,753 5%
North Slope 2,235 7,305 233 9,774 1%
Northwest Arctic 7,331 6,603 5,254 19,186 2%
Railbelt 276,119 249,968 183,696 709,783 67%
Southeast 41,945 39,456 20,830 102,242 10%
Yukon-Koyukuk/Upper Tanana 7,711 6,151 5,920 19,784 2%
Total 392,312 406,973 262,754 1,061,044
Percent of Total 37% 38% 25% 100%
Source: Energy Information Administration, Alaska Energy Authority Power Cost Equalization program data and authors’
calculations.
Note: Commercial and Other revenues are estimated using the average pre-PCE residential rate from each region.
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
13 March 2015
The year 2012 saw a statewide revenue increase of 3.3% in the residential class and 10% in the other
class while commercial revenues remained nearly flat. Outside of the Railbelt, however, all but one
region actually saw gains in commercial revenues. The most notable increases were in the Aleutians
(17.4%), Bristol Bay (17.1%), Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim (22.2%), and Yukon-Koyukuk/Upper Tanana
(36.7%) regions.
Generation Fuel
Most communities in Alaska still rely, at least partially, on fossil fuels for electricity generation. Outside
of the North Slope and Railbelt regions, fuel oil is the only utilized generation fuel source. In 2012,
natural gas was the most prevalent fuel source statewide. By energy content, gas constituted 68% of all
fuel burned. This was followed by oil at 18% and coal at 14% of fuel used in 2012.
Table 8. Fuel Used for Power Generation by Certified Utilities, 2012
AEA Energy Region Oil2 Gas Coal
(Gallons) (Mcf) (Short Tons)
Aleutians 4,398,182 0 0
Bering Strait 3,686,912 0 0
Bristol Bay 3,716,995 0 0
Copper River/Chugach 5,462,214 0 0
Kodiak 616,864 0 0
Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 7,325,240 0 0
North Slope 2,221,340 767,833 0
Northwest Arctic 2,555,571 0 0
Railbelt 39,663,918 38,069,783 425,095
Southeast 2,053,950 0 0
Yukon-Koyukuk/Upper Tanana 2,777,730 0 0
Total (Physical Units) 74,478,916 38,837,616 425,095
Conversion Factor3(MMBtu) 0.139 1.025 19.536
Total MMBtu 10,352,569 39,808,556 8,304,656
Source: Energy Information Administration, Alaska Energy Authority’s Power Cost Equalization
program data, and authors’ calculations.
2 Utilities in Alaska use a variety of fuel oil types including distillate fuel oil, jet fuel, residual fuel oil, naphtha, and
heavy atmospheric gas oil (HAGO). Each type of fuel has different characteristics and Btu content; all these fuels
are included here under the label “oil.” For detailed information, please refer to Table 2.3c—Generation, Fuel Use,
Fuel Cost and Efficiency—in the workbook accompanying this publication.
3 Thermal conversion factors can be used to estimate the heat content in British thermal units (Btu) of a given
amount of energy measured in physical units. The conversion factors shown correspond to the average Btu
content in barrels of petroleum fuel (oil), Mcf of natural gas, and short tons of coal, respectively, as published by
the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
14 March 2015
In 2012, statewide use of oil and coal for electricity generation increased by about 7% each. At the same
time, natural gas usage decreased by 5%. Two oil-dependent regions significantly decreased their use in
2012. Kodiak consumed 65% less oil than in 2011 and Southeast oil usage declined by nearly 24%.
Power Cost Equalization
The PCE program provides economic assistance to communities throughout the state by subsidizing
their local electricity rates, so long as they are eligible and active. Community eligibility for PCE is mostly
contingent on whether or not a community benefits from any of a number of major energy investments
that the State of Alaska made in the Railbelt and Southeast regions. Community activity requires utilities
to regularly report a number of statistics concerning power production and distribution and to submit all
residential and community facility bills for the calculated reimbursement.
Table 9. Communities Participating in Power Cost Equalization Program, 2012
AEA Energy Region
PCE Eligible
Active
PCE Eligible
Inactive
PCE
Ineligible
Percent Active
in PCE program
Aleutians 12 0 0 100%
Bering Strait 16 0 0 100%
Bristol Bay 26 1 0 96%
Copper River/Chugach 8 0 15 100%
Kodiak 4 1 5 80%
Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 47 1 0 98%
North Slope 7 0 2 100%
Northwest Arctic 11 0 0 100%
Railbelt 0 0 95
Southeast 22 0 6 100%
Yukon-Koyukuk/Upper Tanana 38 4 1 90%
Total 191 7 124
Note: Some utilities, in both urban and rural Alaska, serve multiple communities. Please refer to the
“Community List” table in the accompanying workbook for detailed information about communities served
by each utility.
In 2012, just over 96% of all PCE eligible communities were active in the program. Regionally, this
number ranged from 80-100%. There were only small changes to these statistics from 2011 but all
resulted in increases to the corresponding regional activity in the program.
Figure 4 illustrates the PCE and effective rates of every PCE community that was active in the program.
The weighted average PCE reimbursement rate in eligible communities equaled 29 cents per kilowatt-
hour in 2012. The resulting effective rate equaled an average of 21 cents per kilowatt-hour in the same
year.
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
15 March 2015
Figure 4. Residential Electricity Rates in Power Cost Equalization, 2012
Source: Alaska Energy Authority, Power Cost Equalization program data, 2012, and authors’ calculations.
Summary
Figure 5 shows the historical net generation of electricity in Alaska from the years 1971 to 2012. In that
time, statewide net generation has increased over six fold from 1,071 to 6,679 gigawatt-hours. This is an
average growth rate of 136.8 gigawatt-hours per year. From 2011 to 2012, the annual change was
slightly lower than that average increasing by 126.9 gigawatt-hours.
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1.80
Residential Electricity Rates, ($/kWh)PCE Communities
Effective Rate PCE Reimbursement
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
16 March 2015
Figure 5. Net Generation by Fuel Type by Certified Utilities (GWh), 1971-2012
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Power Cost Equalization program data and authors’ calculations.
In 2009, the State of Alaska established a goal of meeting 50% of electrical demand through renewable
generation sources. At that time, utilities were producing 21.4% of electricity from renewables.4 By
2011, this statistic was nearly unchanged at 20.8%.5 The year 2012 saw major progress towards this goal
with 25.5% of generation coming from renewables. This is nearly a 25% year-to-year increase in the
share.
4 It is important to note that this report only accounts for renewable electricity generated at the utility level. While
many residential, community, commercial, and industrial consumers have installed renewable systems throughout
the state, there is no comprehensive, consistent effort to collect data from these systems.
5 Most renewable energy in the state is generated by hydroelectric sources. As a result, the annual share of
renewable generation is subject to significant natural variation depending on the amount and timing of rain,
snowfall, and snow melt.
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
Net Generation, GWhWind
Hydro
Coal
Gas
Oil
AEA | 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report
17 March 2015
APPENDIX A. GLOSSARY OF TERMS6
Alaska Energy Authority (AEA): A public corporation of the state with a separate and independent legal
existence with the mission to reduce the cost of energy in Alaska. http://www.akenergyauthority.org/
Auxiliary Generator: A generator at the electric plant site that provides power for the operation of the
electrical generating equipment itself, including related demands such as plant lighting, during periods
when the electric plant is not operating and power is unavailable from the grid. A black start generator
used to start main central station generators is considered to be an auxiliary generator.
Backup (Standby) Generator: A generator that is used only for test purposes, or in the event of an
emergency, such as a shortage of power needed to meet customer load requirements.
Barrel (bbl.): A unit of volume equal to 42 U.S. gallons.
Bituminous coal: A dense coal, usually black, sometimes dark brown, often with well-defined bands of
bright and dull material, used primarily as fuel in steam-electric power generation, with substantial
quantities also used for heat and power applications in manufacturing and to make coke. Bituminous
coal is the most abundant coal in active U.S. mining regions. Its moisture content usually is less than
20%. The heat content of bituminous coal ranges from 21 to 30 million Btu per ton on a moist, mineral-
matter-free basis. The heat content of bituminous coal consumed in the United States averages 24
million Btu per ton, on the as-received basis (i.e. containing both inherent moisture and mineral matter).
British Thermal Unit: The British thermal unit (BTU or Btu) is a traditional unit of energy equal to about
1.06 kilojoules. It is approximately the amount of energy needed to heat 1 pound (0.454 kg) of water1
°F (0.556 °C). It is used in the power, steam generation, heating and air conditioning industries. In
North America, the term “Btu” is used to describe the heat value (energy content) of fuels, and also to
describe the power of heating and cooling systems. When used as a unit of power, Btu per hour (Btu/h)
is the correct unit, though this is often abbreviated to just “Btu”.
Capital Cost: The cost of field development, plant construction, and the equipment required for industry
operations.
Climate Change: A term used to refer to all forms of climatic inconsistency, but especially to significant
change from one prevailing climatic condition to another. In some cases, “climate change” has been
used synonymously with the term “global warming”; scientists, however, tend to use the term in a wider
sense inclusive of natural changes in climate, including climatic cooling.
6 U.S. Energy Information Administration glossary posted at www.eia.doe.gov/ plus multiple sources for additional
Alaska-specific terms.
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Coal: A readily combustible black or brownish-black rock whose composition, including inherent
moisture, consists of more than 50% by weight and more than 70% by volume of carbonaceous material.
It is formed from plant remains that have been compacted, hardened, chemically altered, and
metamorphosed by heat and pressure over geologic time. It is estimated that Alaska holds about 15% of
the world’s coal resources, amounting to 170 billion identified short tons. Major coal provinces include
Northern Alaska, the Nenana area, Cook Inlet – Matanuska Valley, the Alaska Peninsula, and in the Gulf
of Alaska and the Bering River. Alaska coals exhibit low metallic trace elements, good ash-fusion
characteristics, and low nitrogen content making them favorable for meeting environmental constraints
on combustion in power plants.
Cogeneration system: A system using a common energy source to produce both electricity and thermal
energy for other uses, resulting in increased fuel efficiency.
Combined Cycle: An electric generating technology in which electricity is produced from a gas turbine in
combination with a steam turbine that uses otherwise lost heat exiting from the gas (combustion)
turbine. The exiting heat is routed to a conventional boiler or to a heat recovery steam generator for
utilization by a steam turbine in the production of electricity. This process increases the efficiency of the
electric generating unit.
Combustion: Chemical oxidation accompanied by the generation of light and heat.
Commercial Sector: An energy-consuming sector that consists of service-providing facilities and
equipment of businesses; Federal, State, and local governments; and other private and public
organizations, such as religious, social, or fraternal groups. The commercial sector includes institutional
living quarters. It also includes sewage treatment facilities. Common uses of energy associated with this
sector include space heating, water heating, air conditioning, lighting, refrigeration, cooking, and
running a wide variety of other equipment. Note: This sector includes generators that produce
electricity and/or useful thermal output primarily to support the activities of the above-mentioned
commercial establishments.
Consumer (energy): Any individually metered dwelling, building, establishment, or location.
Diesel #1: Also known as DF1 or Jet A. Diesel #1 is commonly used as a transportation and heating fuel
throughout most of northern rural AK. Diesel #1 has a lower gel temperature than Diesel #2 which is
sold as a transportation and heating fuel in warmer climates.
Diesel #2: Is commonly used throughout the US. In Alaska it is used for marine and highway diesel as
well as heating fuel in warmer regions. Diesel #2 is preferred over #1 where it is warm enough as it has
higher energy content and is typically cheaper.
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Diesel Fuel: A fuel composed of distillates obtained in petroleum refining operation or blends of such
distillates with residual oil used in motor vehicles. The boiling point and specific gravity are higher for
diesel fuels than for gasoline.
Distillate Fuel Oil: A generic name for a refined petroleum product. It can refer to diesel, heating fuel or
jet fuel.
Electricity: A form of energy characterized by the presence and motion of elementary charged particles
generated by friction, induction, or chemical change.
Energy Balance: The difference between the total incoming and total outgoing energy. When the
energy budget is balanced, the system neither gains nor loses energy.
Energy Information Agency (EIA): An independent agency within the U.S. Department of Energy that
develops surveys, collects energy data, and analyzes and models energy issues.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/
Exports: Shipments of goods from within the 50 States and the District of Columbia to U.S. possessions
and territories or to foreign countries.
Fuel: Any material substance that can be consumed to supply heat, power, or mechanical energy.
Included are petroleum, coal, and natural gas (the fossil fuels), and other consumable materials, such as
uranium, biomass, and hydrogen.
Furnished without payment (power): The amount of electricity furnished by the electric utility without
charge, such as a municipality under a franchise agreement or for public street and highway lighting. It
does not include energy consumed by the utility.
Gallon: A volumetric measure equal to four quarts (231 cubic inches) used to measure fuel oil.
Gas: A non-solid, non-liquid combustible energy source that includes natural gas, coke-oven gas, blast-
furnace gas, and refinery gas.
Grid: The layout of an electrical distribution system.
Gross Domestic Disposition: The total amount of energy available for sale in the domestic region, i.e.
energy produced for sale in the domestic region in addition to energy imported for sale within the
domestic region.
Gross Extraction: The total amount of fuel obtained or produced by a power production plant.
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Gross Generation: The total amount of electric energy produced by generating units and measured at
the generating terminal in kilowatt-hours (kWh) or megawatt-hours (MWh).
Heating Degree Days (HDD): A measure of how cold a location is over a period of time relative to a base
temperature, most commonly specified as 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The measure is computed for each
day by subtracting the average of the day’s high and low temperatures from the base temperature (65
degrees), with negative values set equal to zero. Each day’s heating degree days are summed to create
a heating degree day measure for a specified reference period. Heating degree days are used in energy
analysis as an indicator of space heating energy requirements or use.
Hydroelectric Power: The use of flowing water to produce electrical energy. Storage hydro, run-of-river
hydro, wave, river in-stream, and tidal power are all forms of hydroelectric power.
Imports: Receipts of goods into the 50 States and the District of Columbia from U.S. possessions and
territories or from foreign countries.
Industrial Sector: An energy-consuming sector that consists of all facilities and equipment used for
producing, processing, or assembling goods. The industrial sector encompasses the following types of
activity: manufacturing, agriculture, timber harvest and wood processing, fishing and fish processing,
hunting, mining, oil and gas extraction, and construction. Overall energy use in this sector is largely for
process heat and cooling and powering machinery, with lesser amounts used for facility heating, air
conditioning, and lighting. Fossil fuels are also used as raw material inputs to manufactured products.
Note: This sector includes generators that produce electricity and/or useful thermal output primarily to
support the above-mentioned industrial activities.
Injections: Natural gas injected into storage reservoirs.
Installed Capacity: The maximum theoretical production output of a plant, based either on nameplate
capacity or actual (practically determined) capacity.
Internal Combustion: The process where fuel is burned, or combusted, inside a cylinder or turbine, such
as a diesel or jet engine, producing power directly as opposed to fuel burning externally, such as in a
steam engine. The term internal combustion engine usually refers to an engine in which combustion is
intermittent, such as the more familiar four-stroke and two-stroke piston engines. A second class of
internal combustion engines uses continuous combustion: gas turbines, jet engines and most rocket
engines.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh): A unit of energy equal to one kW applied for one hour; running a one kW hair
dryer for one hour would dissipate one kWh of electrical energy as heat. Also, one kWh is equivalent to
one thousand watt-hours.
Kilowatt (kW): One thousand watts of electricity (See Watt).
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Load (Electric): Amount of electricity required to meet customer demand at any given time.
MCF: One thousand cubic feet.
Megawatt (MW): One million watts of electricity (See Watt).
Mining: An energy-consuming subsector of the industrial sector that consists of all facilities and
equipment used to extract energy and mineral resources.
Nameplate Capacity: The maximum rated output of an electric power production unit (i.e. generator,
prime mover) under specific conditions designated by the manufacturer. Capacity is usually indicated on
a nameplate physically attached to the generator.
Natural Gas: Gas in place at the time that a reservoir was converted to use as an underground storage
reservoir in contrast to injected gas volumes.
Net Capacity: The maximum load that an electrical apparatus (i.e. generating unit or station) can carry,
not including use by the electrical apparatus.
Net Domestic Disposition: The total amount of energy produced in the domestic region that is available
for sale within the domestic region, i.e. not including energy use by producers or energy exported for
sale outside of the domestic region.
Net Extraction: The total amount of fuel obtained or produced by a power production plant, not
including electric energy use by the plants.
Net Generation: The amount of gross generation not including the electrical energy consumed at the
generating station(s) for station service or auxiliaries. Note: Electricity required for pumping at pumped-
storage plants is regarded as electricity for station service and is deducted from gross generation.
Oil: A mixture of hydrocarbons usually existing in the liquid state in natural underground pools or
reservoirs. Gas is often found in association with oil (See Petroleum).
O&M: Operations and maintenance
Other: The “other” category is defined as representing electricity consumers not elsewhere classified.
This category includes public street and highway lighting service, public authority service to public
authorities, railroad and railway service, and interdepartmental services.
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Peak: The amount of electricity required to meet customer demand at its highest. The summer peak
period begins June 1st and ends September 30th, and the winter peak period begins December 1st and
ends March 31st.
Petroleum: A broadly defined class of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures. Included are crude oil, lease
condensate, unfinished oils, refined products obtained from the processing of crude oil, and natural gas
plant liquids. Note: Volumes of finished petroleum products include non-hydrocarbon compounds, such
as additives and detergents, after they have been blended into the products.
Petroleum Products: Petroleum products are obtained from the processing of crude oil (including lease
condensate), natural gas, and other hydrocarbon compounds. Petroleum products include unfinished
oils, liquefied petroleum gases, pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet fuel,
kerosene-type jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petrochemical feedstocks, special
naphthas, lubricants, waxes, petroleum coke, asphalt, road oil, still gas, and miscellaneous products
Plant: A term commonly used either as a synonym for an industrial establishment or a generating facility
or to refer to a particular process within an establishment.
Power: The rate of producing, transferring, or using energy that is capable of doing work, most
commonly associated with electricity. Power is measured in watts and often expressed in kilowatts (kW)
or megawatts (MW).
Power Cost Equalization Program (PCE): Program administered by the Alaska Energy Authority under
which participating utilities receive state funding to reduce the charge to consumers in rural areas
where prices can be three to five times higher than prices in urban areas.
Prime Mover: The engine, turbine, water wheel, or similar machine that drives an electric generator; or,
for reporting purposes, a device that converts energy to electricity directly (e.g. photovoltaic solar and
fuel cells).
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Prime Mover
Code
Prime Mover Description (U.S. EIA)
ST……….. Steam Turbine, including nuclear, geothermal and solar
steam (does not include combined cycle)
GT……….. Combustion (Gas) Turbine (includes jet engine design)
IC……….. Internal Combustion Engine (diesel, piston)
CA……….. Combined Cycle Steam Part
CT……….. Combined Cycle Combustion Turbine Part
CS……….. Combined Cycle Single Shaft (combustion turbine and
steam turbine share a single generator)
CC……….. Combined Cycle - Total Unit
HY……….. Hydraulic Turbine (includes turbines associated with
delivery of water by pipeline)
PS……….. Hydraulic Turbine – Reversible (pumped storage)
BT……….. Turbines used in a binary cycle such as geothermal
PV……….. Photovoltaic
WT……….. Wind Turbine
CE……….. Compressed Air Energy Storage
FC……….. Fuel Cell
OT……….. Other
NA……….. Unknown at this time (use only for plants/generators in
planning stage)
Pro Forma: A Latin term means “for the sake of form,” it describes a method of calculating financial
results in order to emphasize either current or projected figures.
Purchased Capacity: The amount of energy and capacity available for purchase from outside the system.
Railbelt: The portion of Alaska that is near the Alaska Railroad, generally including Fairbanks, Anchorage,
the communities between these two cities, and the Kenai Peninsula.
Refinery: An installation that manufactures finished petroleum products from crude oil, unfinished oils,
natural gas liquids, other hydrocarbons, and oxygenates.
Re-injected: The forcing of gas under pressure into an oil reservoir in an attempt to increase recovery.
Renewable Energy Fund (REF): Program established by the Alaska State Legislature and administered by
the Alaska Energy Authority to competitively award grants to qualified applicants for renewable energy
projects.
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Renewable Energy Resources: Energy resources that are naturally replenishing but flow-limited. They
are virtually inexhaustible in duration but limited in the amount of energy that is available per unit of
time. Renewable energy resources include biomass, hydro, geothermal, solar, wind, ocean thermal,
wave action, and tidal action.
Residential Sector: An energy-consuming sector that consists of living quarters for private households.
Common uses of energy associated with this sector include space heating, water heating, air
conditioning, lighting, refrigeration, cooking, and running a variety of other appliances. The residential
sector excludes institutional living quarters.
Residual Fuel Oil: A general classification for the heavier oils that remain after the distillate fuel oils and
lighter hydrocarbons are distilled away in refinery operations. It is used in steam-powered vessels in
government service and inshore power plants, and can be issued for the production of electric power,
space heating, vessel bunkering, and various industrial purposes.
Revenue (Electricity): The total amount of money received by an entity from sales of its products and/or
services; gains from the sales or exchanges of assets, interest, and dividends earned on investments; and
other increases in the owner’s equity, except those arising from capital adjustments.
Short Ton: A unit of weight equal to 2,000 pounds.
Space Heating: The use of energy to generate heat for warmth in housing units using space-heating
equipment. It does not include the use of energy to operate appliances (such as lights, televisions, and
refrigerators) that give off heat as a byproduct.
Steam: Water in vapor form; used as the working fluid in steam turbines and some heating systems.
Transmission System (Electric): An interconnected group of electric transmission lines and associated
equipment for moving or transferring electric energy in bulk between points of supply and points at
which it is transformed for delivery over the distribution system lines to consumers, or is delivered to
other electric systems.
Tonne (Ton): A unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms or 2,204.6 pounds, also known as a metric ton.
Total Disposition: The total amount of sold or transferred energy.
Turbine: A machine for generating rotary mechanical power from the energy of a moving force (such as
water, hot gas, wind, or steam). Turbines convert the kinetic energy to mechanical energy through the
principles of impulse and reaction, or a mixture of the two.
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U.S. Department of Energy (DOE): Federal department that oversees programs, such as Wind Powering
America, with the mission to advance national, economic, and energy security; promote innovation; and
ensure environmental responsibility. http://www.energy.gov/
Watt (Electric): The electrical unit of power. The rate of energy transfer equivalent to one ampere of
electric current flowing under a pressure of one volt at unity power factor.
Watt (Thermal): A unit of power in the metric system, expressed in terms of energy per second, equal to
the work done at a rate of one joule per second.
Watt hour (Wh): The electrical energy unit of measure equal to one watt of power supplied to, or taken
from, an electric circuit steadily for one hour.
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APPENDIX B. WORKBOOK CONTENTS
Summary Tables Table Description
Table 1.a
Communities Participating in Power Cost Equalization Program, 2012 by AEA Energy
Regions
Table 1.b PCE Communities and Rates ($/kWh), 2012
Table 1.c
Community Average Consumption per Residential Customer per Month in PCE
Communities, 2012
Table 1.d Installed Capacity of Certified Utilities (kW), 2012 by AEA Energy Regions
Table 1.e Net Generation by Certified Utilities (MWh), 2012 by AEA Energy Regions
Table 1.f Net Generation by Fuel Type by Certified Utilities (MWh), 2012 by Energy Regions
Table 1.g Fuel Use for Power Generation by Certified Utilities, 2012 by AEA Energy Regions
Table 1.h Electricity Sales by Certified Utilities (MWh), 2012 by AEA Energy Regions
Table 1.i Revenue by Certified Utilities ($000), 2012 by AEA Energy Regions
Table 1.j Customers by Certified Utilities (Accounts), 2012 by AEA Energy Regions
Detailed Tables
Installed Capacity
Table 2.1a Certified Utilities Installed Capacity by Prime Mover by Plant (kW), 2012
Net Generation
Table 2.2a Certified Utilities Net Generation and Total Disposition (MWh), 2012
Table 2.3a Certified Utilities Net Generation by Prime Mover (MWh), 2012
Table 2.3b Certified Utilities Net Generation by Fuel Type (MWh), 2012
Table 2.3c Certified Utilities Net Generation, Fuel Use, Fuel Cost and Efficiency, 2012
Table 2.4a Certified Utilities Net Generation, Fuel Type, Emissions, Efficiency by Certified Utilities,
2012
Revenue, Customers and Rates
Table 2.5a Certified Utilities Revenue, Sales and Customers by Customer Type ($000, MWh,
Accounts), 2012
Table 2.5b Certified Utilities Average Annual Energy Use and Rates by Customer
Type(kWh/Customer, $/Customer, $/kWh), 2012
Table 2.5c Certified Utilities Rates and PCE Reimbursements ($/kWh), 2012
Industrial and Military Self Generators
Table 2.6a Non-Utility Electric Generation by Fuel Type (kW, MWh, Gal, Mcf, Short Ton), 2012,
2012
Electric Utility Historical Tables
Table 3.1 Installed Capacity by Prime Mover by Certified Utilities in Alaska (kW, %), 1962-2012
Table 3.2 Net Generation by Fuel Type by Certified Utilities in Alaska (GWh), 1962-2012
Table 3.3 Sales, Revenue, and Customers by Customer Type by Certified Utilities in Alaska (MWh,
$000, Accounts), 1962-2012
Table 3.4 Average Annual Energy Use and Rates by Customer Type by Certified Utilities in Alaska
(kWh/Customer, $/Customer, $/kWh), 1962-2012
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Net Generation
Table 2.2a Certified Utilities Net Generation and Total Disposition (MWh), 2012
Table 2.3a Certified Utilities Net Generation by Prime Mover (MWh), 2012
Table 2.3b Certified Utilities Net Generation by Fuel Type (MWh), 2012
Table 2.3c Certified Utilities Net Generation, Fuel Use, Fuel Cost and Efficiency, 2012
Table 2.4a
Certified Utilities Net Generation, Fuel Type, Emissions, Efficiency by Certified
Utilities, 2012
Revenue, Customers and Rates
Table 2.5a
Certified Utilities Revenue, Sales and Customers by Customer Type ($000, MWh,
Accounts), 2012
Table 2.5b
Certified Utilities Average Annual Energy Use and Rates by Customer
Type(kWh/Customer, $/Customer, $/kWh), 2012
Table 2.5c Certified Utilities Rates and PCE Reimbursements ($/kWh), 2012
Industrial and Military Self Generators
Table 2.6a
Non-Utility Electric Generation by Fuel Type (kW, MWh, Gal, Mcf, Short Ton), 2012,
2012
Electric Utility Historical Tables
Table 3.1 Installed Capacity by Prime Mover by Certified Utilities in Alaska (kW, %), 1962-2012
Table 3.2 Net Generation by Fuel Type by Certified Utilities in Alaska (GWh), 1962-2012
Table 3.3
Sales, Revenue, and Customers by Customer Type by Certified Utilities in Alaska
(MWh, $000, Accounts), 1962-2012
Table 3.4
Average Annual Energy Use and Rates by Customer Type by Certified Utilities in
Alaska (kWh/Customer, $/Customer, $/kWh), 1962-2012
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APPENDIX C. REFERENCES
Alaska Center for Energy and Power. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.uaf.edu/acep/.
Alaska Energy Authority. (2012). Power Cost Equalization program data, CY2012.
Alaska Energy Authority. (2012). Village Assessment, preliminary dataset.
Black & Veatch. (2012). Southeast Alaska Integrated Resource Plan. Anchorage, AK: Alaska Energy
Authority. Retrieved from
http://www.akenergyauthority.org/PDF%20files/seirp/Section%201.pdf
Brackley, A. M., Barber, V. A., & Pinkel, C. (2010). Developing estimates of potential demand for
renewable wood energy products in Alaska. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-827. Portland, OR:
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.
Brackley, A. M., Haynes, R., & Alexander, S. J. (2009). Timber harvest in Alaska: 1910-2006. Res. Note
PNW-RN560. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest
Research Station.
Energy Information Administration. (2012). Retrieved from www.eia.gov
Fay, G., Villalobos Meléndez, A., & Schworer, T. (2012). Power Cost Equalization Funding Formula
Review. University of Alaska Anchorage. Anchorage, AK: Institute of Social and Economic
Research. Retrieved from http://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/2012_03_14-
NREL_PCEfinal.pdf
Fay, G., Villalobos Meléndez, A., Saylor, B., & Gerd, S. (2012). Alaska Energy Statistics 1960-2008,
prepared for the Alaska Energy Authority. University of Alaska Anchorage. Anchorage, AK:
Institute of Social and Economic Research. Retrieved from
http://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/AlaskaEnergyStatisticsCY2008Report.pdf
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved 2013, from
http://www.ferc.gov/industries/hydropower/gen-info/licensing/pre-permits.asp
Nicholls, D. L., Brackley, A. M., & Barber, V. (2010). Wood energy for residential heating in Alaska:
current conditions, attitudes, and expected use.Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-826. Portland, OR:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.
University of Alaska Fairbanks. (n.d.). Cooperative Extension Service, Alaska Food Survey. Retrieved from
http://www.uaf.edu/ces/hhfd/fcs/
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29 March 2015
APPENDIX D. RCA UTILITY REGULATORY CODES SUMMARY
Regulatory Code Summary Description Simplified Category (ISER)
Commission Public Interest
Exemption from 42.05.221
(42.05.711(d))
If it is found in the public interest, a utility may be
exempted by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska
from all regulation. Not regulated
Commission Public Interest
Exemption from all except
certification (42.05.711(d))
If it is found in the public interest, a utility may be
exempted from any of the following; installing
individual meters for mobile homes and individual
units in multi-unit buildings, providing efficient,
continuous service, not having differences in
service offered between localities or persons, filing
tariff rates with the commission and pubic in a
timely manner before changing rates, maintaining
continuing property records in an instate office,
being subject to the commission setting rates or the
devaluation of property value, the requirement of
having separate accounts from any other business,
the requirement of maintaining instate account
books and records and ensuring the commission
can access them upon request. A utility may also
be exempted from the provision which allows the
commission to investigate its management
practices. A utility may be exempted from paying a
regulatory charge not more than 0.7% of annual
revenue, and from the requirement to need to
apply to discontinue services Not regulated
Commission Public Interest
Exemption from rate
regulation but not service
(42.05.711(d))
In this case the utility would be required to provide
reasonably continuous service, but would not be
subject to the commission potentially fixing rates. Regulated, rate exemption
Cooperative passed
42.05.712 election
(42.05.711(h))
A cooperative may elect to be exempt from
regulation provided at least 15 percent of
subscribers return ballots, subscribers receive 60
day notice of the election which uses impartial
language, a list of all subscribers is provided to all
subscribers who request one, the ballot uses
language used in 42.05.712(g). The election may be
called either by the utility's board of directors, or by
a petition signed by 3 percent of subscribers, or
members in excess of 5,000. Not regulated
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Regulatory Code Summary Description Simplified Category (ISER)
Customer election to
terminate exemption from
regulation (42.05.712(h))
An election to terminate exemption from
regulation may be held in the same manner as an
election to exempt a utility from regulation. Regulated
Economically Regulated, no
exemption (42.05 & 42.06)
A utility regulated under 42.05 is subject to the
following; installing individual meters for mobile
homes and individual units in multi-unit buildings,
providing efficient, continuous service, providing
the same service level to all localities and persons,
filing tariff rates with the commission and pubic in a
timely manner before changing rates, maintaining
continuous property records in an instate office,
being subject to the commission setting rates or the
devaluation of property value, the requirement of
having separate accounts from any other business,
the requirement of maintaining instate account
books and records and ensuring the commission
can access them upon request. A utility may also
be subject to a commission investigation of its
management practices. A regulated utility also is
required to pay the commission an annual
regulatory charge which shall not exceed 0.7% of
revenue, and to apply to the commission to
discontinue any services. Regulated
Electric/Telephone less than
$50k revenues
(42.05.711(e))
If an electric of telephone utility grosses less than
$50k annually it is not subject to regulation by the
commission. Not regulated
Political Subdivision of the
State (42.05.711(b))
Unless competing directly with another utility,
utilities run by a political subdivision of the state is
exempted from all regulation listed under the
Commission Public Interest Exemption from
42.05.221 (42.05.711(d)), except for the
requirement to pay a regulatory fee, and to ask the
commission for permission to discontinue services. Not regulated
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Regulatory Code Summary Description Simplified Category (ISER)
Electric/Telephone with less
than $500k revenues and
passed 42.05.712 election
(42.05.711(f))
If a utility with less than $500,000 in annual
revenue passes an election under 42.05.712, the
utility is exempt from all regulation with the
exception of the following regulations. The utility is
still required to obtain certification by the
Regulatory Commission before providing services,
and to pay an annual regulatory fee which shall not
exceed 0.7% of annual revenue. Any such utility is
also required to apply with the commission in order
to discontinue service. Not regulated
Political Subdivision of the
State Competing w/ another
utility (42.05.711(b)(2))
A political subdivision of the state competing with
another utility is subject to all aspects of 42.05
including; installing individual meters for mobile
homes and individual units in multi-unit buildings,
providing efficient, continuous service, providing
the same service level to all localities and persons,
filing tariff rates with the commission and pubic in a
timely manner before changing rates, maintaining
continuous property records in an instate office,
being subject to the commission setting rates or the
devaluation of property value, the requirement of
having separate accounts from any other business,
the requirement of maintaining instate account
books and records and ensuring the commission
can access them upon request. A utility may also
be subject to a commission investigation of its
management practices. A regulated utility also is
required to pay the commission an annual
regulatory charge which shall not exceed 0.7% of
revenue, and to apply to the commission to
discontinue any services. Regulated
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APPENDIX E. DATA SOURCES FOR ELECTRIC ENERGY STATISTICS
Information on utility electricity capacity, generation, and other characteristics was gathered from
reports filed with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). The Alaska
Energy Authority collected final EIA data files for the EIA survey forms 860, 861, and 923 for all reporting
utilities in Alaska. Additionally, AEA used data collected by the Power Cost Equalization (PCE) program
and a limited number of direct contacts with electric power producers. AEA also conducted a careful
cross-check of the PCE program data. This report and accompanying tables present all final data.
All producers of electricity with installed capacity greater than one megawatt are required by law to
report their operations to the federal government. Most utilities in Alaska fall below that installed
capacity threshold.7 Information for these smaller utilities came primarily from the PCE program.
In many parts of Alaska there is no utility-produced electricity available, and any activity using electricity
requires self-generation. The number of such small installations (e.g. Point Baker, Port Protection,
Telida) is quite large, though relatively small in terms of installed capacity and net generation. It would
be a very expensive task to identify and contact individually each self-generator. As a result, total
statewide estimates do not include self-generators and are therefore incomplete. In addition to small
communities, there are industrial and military self-generators in Alaska, but few public data are
available for these producers. Hence, data for industrial and military self-generators is included for those
who report publically available data to the Energy Information Administration. The information
presented in this report includes primarily certified public utilities for which public data are available.
It is important to note that this publication is meant to serve as a general reference and broad overview
of electric power in Alaska. Because data come from a variety of sources that have imperfections,
readers may find inconsistencies across tables. For example, Table 2.5b shows average rate per kilowatt-
hour as calculated using reported revenue, sales, and customers, and Table 2.5c shows an imputed
weighted average rate per kilowatt-hour as reported monthly by the utility to the PCE program. These
two rates are sometimes slightly different.8 Data in different tables may include different cases, or may
be guided by slightly different concept definitions, depending on the data source. However, the authors
believe the data presented provide a reasonable and valuable overview of electric power and energy
across Alaska.
Energy Information Administration Surveys
7 Data for approximately 93% of utilities is from the PCE database. (For utilities that manage many isolated
systems, such as the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative (AVEC) and Alaska Power and Telephone Company (AP&T),
each isolated system is counted as a “utility.”) But as this report shows, most generation and electricity and fuel
use are in the urban centers, which are served by larger utilities that do report to EIA. Utilities such as AVEC and
AP&T also report to EIA, though for some variables only aggregated data is reported. In those cases, PCE data
provides community level information.
8 This is only applicable to PCE communities. Communities for which the data source is EIA report the same
calculated rate as in Table 2.5b.
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The primary data source for the electric power statistics are the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),
Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the Alaska Energy Authority, Power Cost Equalization
program data. Every utility and industrial (including military) electrical generating facility with a capacity
greater than one megawatt is required to report their operating characteristics to the EIA annually, and
in some instances, monthly. This information is compiled by the EIA and is available for every
generating facility on their website: (http://www.eia.doe.gov/). The forms of interest to compile this
publication are the EIA 860, 861 and 923. These are reporting forms for capacity, generation, sales and
revenues.
Following the methodology established in 2010, we continue to use the EIA database with some
modifications in order to publish this report more timely. Most utilities and industrial facilities are
required by law to report to the federal government each year on their activities using the EIA forms;
this information is then made available on the EIA website. This process causes a delay; the lag time for
the availability of the federal data is approximately two years. However, it is redundant to collect the
same information through a second questionnaire. Respondents are required by law to report to the EIA
and this should make the response rate high. In order to expedite this process, the Alaska Energy
Authority collected copies of the CY2012 EIA forms from a selective group of utilities, and created a
reduced data set. After EIA final data files are published, a cross reference review of the data is done
and a final report is produced.
Nonetheless, using EIA data poses some challenges because not all information reported in this
publication is collected via the EIA forms. First, the smallest utilities with installed capacity less than one
megawatt are not required to report to EIA and are not included in the EIA database. Second, not all
Alaska generating facilities report as required by law.
These forms collect data at different levels of aggregation; for example some at the utility level only,
while other data may be at the facility and/or generator level. This sometime causes differences in the
underlying definition of the data making reconciliation of the information in the datasets within forms,
and across the different forms sometimes difficult.
Alaska Energy Authority - Power Cost Equalization Program Data
To supplement missing data we used the database for the annual Power Cost Equalization Reports by
the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA). Also, as needed, the Alaska Energy Authority and ISER supplemented
these data sources by contacting utilities directly.
These data sources allowed us to collect information for almost all the utilities in the state without
incurring the considerable cost of conducting a complete census of all producers. A few of the smallest
utilities that were not in the EIA database nor in the Power Cost Equalization database were not
included in the data informing this report.
The 2012 Power Cost Equalization data provided data on the generation and sales (residential and
commercial) of all utilities participating in the Power Cost Equalization program, including a breakdown
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by community for those utilities that operate in multiple communities, such as Alaska Village Electric
Cooperative (AVEC) and Alaska Power and Telephone (AP&T). The EIA data for these utilities was in
some cases reported only as a total across all communities, and we used these as control totals.
The PCE database contains information collected through AEA’s PCE Utility Monthly Report which PCE
participants must file. Utilities also report to the RCA annually for fuel cost adjustments. Reporting to
both entities should be consistent; however, discrepancies are not unusual. These discrepancies may be
due to high turnover in small utilities, poor reporting and limited staff to verify the utilities’ self-reported
data.
In addition, there are data (energy loss, use by facility and energy provided without charges) that is not
included in the PCE report. Because of this, the values found in table 2.2a may not reflect a summation
of all PCE communities as reported in the PCE report. Rather they reflect what was reported to the EIA
directly as prepared by the utility itself. This same methodology was implemented in the sales and
revenues tables (2.4a) when deemed appropriate. The intent is to create as comprehensive of a table as
possible.
The summary information in the historical tables was calculated from the same sources mentioned
above. Data from these sources was calculated and re-formatted where appropriate and consolidated
into master data files from which all the tables in this report where built.
Inevitably the use of multiple data sources introduces some inconsistencies in reporting.
Notwithstanding, we believe that the 2012 Alaska Energy Statistics Report provides useful information
on the state of electric power generation in Alaska.
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APPENDIX F. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Energy Information Administration
Every utility facility with a capacity greater than one megawatt (MW) is required to report their
operating characteristics to the US Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Information Administration
(EIA) annually, and in some instances, monthly. This information is compiled by the EIA and is available
for every generating facility on their website (http://www.eia.doe.gov/). Specific reporting
requirements are determined by the Department of Energy but collected, assembled, and evaluated by
the EIA according to the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974. We obtained data for year 2012.
Three EIA forms were used in this report:
EIA-860 Annual Electric Generator Report. This report contains information on capacity and
types of fuel used. It is completed by all existing plants and proposed (5-year plans) plants that:
1) have a total generator nameplate capacity (sum for all generators at a single site) of one
megawatt or greater; and 2) where the plant is connected to the local or regional electric power
grid and has the ability to draw power from the grid or deliver power to the grid.
EIA -860M Monthly Update to the Annual Electric Generator Report. This report contains
monthly updates to the EIA-860. It is completed by those who also completed EIA-860 and
additionally indicated a proposed change in generator production within one month of the
report period. The proposed change may be due to: 1) a new generator scheduled to start
commercial operation; 2) an existing generator scheduled to retire from service; or 3) an
existing generator with a proposed modification scheduled.
EIA-861 Annual Electric Power Industry Report. This report contains information on peak
production, net generation, sales, and revenues. It is completed by electric industry distributors
including: electric utilities, wholesale power marketers (registered with the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission), energy service providers (registered with the Regulatory Commission
of Alaska), and electric power producers.
EIA-923 Power Plant Operations Report. This report contains information on electric power
generation, fuel consumption, fossil fuel stocks, and fossil fuel cost and quality. It is completed
by all electric power plants that: 1) have a total generator nameplate capacity (sum for
generators at a single site) of one megawatt or greater; and 2) where the plant is connected to
the local or regional electric power grid and has the ability to draw power from the grid or
deliver power to the grid.
Power Cost Equalization Program and Regulatory Commission of Alaska
Participants of the Power Cost Equalization (PCE) program report to the Regulatory Commission of
Alaska (RCA) for fuel and non-fuel cost adjustments to their rates. The RCA has authority to maintain
accounts and records of public utilities that fall under its jurisdiction, under Alaska Statute 42.05.451.
This responsibility allows the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to obtain information from regulated
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utilities. Additionally, all utilities that serve ten or more customers must obtain an operating certificate,
which describes the authorized service area and scope of operations of the utility. The RCA will issue a
certificate when it finds the utility to be fit, willing, and able to provide the service. The RCA maintains a
list of both regulated and unregulated certified utilities. Utilities report annually to the RCA, and file a
PCE Utility Monthly Report with AEA.