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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-01-30 AEA Board Meeting Minutes813 West Northern Lights Boulevard, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 T 907.771.3000 Toll Free 888.300.8534 F 907.771.3044 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AKENERGYAUTHORITY.ORG Alaska Energy Authority Board Meeting Agenda - Updated January 30, 2026, 9:00 am The Megan Room OR Microsoft Teams Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 269 843 313 836 47 Passcode: yH2T6uY9 1.CALL TO ORDER2.ROLL CALL BOARD MEMBERS3.AGENDA APPROVAL4.PRIOR MINUTES – October 30, 20255.PUBLIC COMMENTS (2 minutes per person) see call in number above6.OLD BUSINESS – None7.NEW BUSINESSA.Resolution 2026-01 FY27 Operating and Capital Budget Submissions RatificationB.Resolution 2026-02 Amending the Bylaws -Chair and Vice Chair Serve TwoConsecutive Terms8.DIRECTOR COMMENTSA.FY2025 Budget to ActualsB.Project Financing UpdateC.Owned Assets UpdateD.Planning UpdateE.Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency UpdateF.Rural Programs UpdateG.Railbelt Transmission Organization (RTO) UpdateH.IT updateI.IIJA Update – Federal Spending TrackerJ.Legislative Update and Legilsative Submittals (Statutorily Required Reports)K.Community OutreachL.Articles of InterestM.Next Regularly Scheduled AEA Board Meeting – Thursday, April 16, 2025, 9:00am.9.EXECUTIVE SESSION – Discuss confidential:A.AEA Strategic Planning10.BOARD COMMENTS11.ADJOURNMENT Public Comment Guidelines Members of the public who wish to provide written comments, please email your comments to publiccomment@akenergyauthority.org by no later than 4 p.m. on the day before the meeting, so they can be shared with board members prior to the meeting. Alaska Energy Authority Page 2 of 2 On the meeting day, callers will enter the teleconference muted. After board roll call and agenda approval, we will ask callers to press *9 on their phones if they wish to make a public comment. This will initiate the hand-raising function. We will unmute callers individually in the order the calls were received. When an individual is unmuted, you will hear, “It is now your turn to speak.” Please identify yourself and make your public comments. 813 W Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99503  Phone: (907) 771-3000  Fax: (907) 771-3044  Email: info@akenergyauthority.org REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AKENERGYAUTHORITY.ORG Alaska Energy Authority BOARD MEETING MINUTES Thursday, October 30, 2025 Anchorage, Alaska 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Koplin called the meeting of the Alaska Energy Authority to order on October 30, 2025, at 8:32 am. 2. ROLL CALL BOARD MEMBERS Members present: Clay Koplin (Public Member); Duff Mitchell (Public Member); Tony Izzo (Public Member); Ingemar Mathiasson (Public Member); Llewellyn Smyth (DOR); and Julie Sande (Commissioner DCCED) (arrived late). Members absent and excused: Robert Siedman (Public Member). A quorum was established. 3. AGENDA APPROVAL MOTION: A motion was made by Vice Chair Mitchell to approve the agenda. Motion seconded by Mr. Izzo. A roll call was taken, and the agenda was approved unanimously, with Commissioner Sande not present. 4. PRIOR MINUTES – July 10, 2025 Chair Koplin requested to modify the minutes to list Vice Chair Mitchell as absent and excused. There was no objection. MOTION: A motion was made by Mr. Izzo to approve the Minutes of July 10, 2025, with the amendment of listing Vice Chair Mitchell as absent and excused. Motion seconded by Mr. Smyth. A roll call was taken, and the Minutes of July 10, 2025, with the amendment of listing Vice Chair Mitchell as absent and excused, were approved unanimously. 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS (2 minutes per person) There were no members of the public online or in-person who requested to comment at this time. 6. PRESENTATION A. Alaska Energy Authority 2025 DRAFT Financial Statements Alaska Energy Authority Page 2 of 21 Executive Director Curtis Thayer Bikky Shrestha, BDO auditor, and Pam Ellis, AEA Controller, to review the status of the 2025 Financial Statements and audit. Mr. Shrestha expressed his appreciation to Ms. Ellis and staff for providing all of the information necessary to complete the audit. Mr. Shrestha indicated that the financial statement audit is substantially completed and will be issued tomorrow. The federal single audit is not yet ready for issuance. Mr. Shrestha explained that uniform guidance provided by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has to be followed for federal program audits. That compliance supplement for 2025 is not finalized yet. There is only a draft version of the compliance supplement. All of the programs have been audited based on the draft version. However, the federal single audit will be released after the compliance supplement is finalized. Mr. Shrestha advised that the information in his presentation can be provided to members after the meeting. He reiterated that the audit has been substantially completed. The objective of an audit is to retain reasonable, but not absolute assurance whether the financial statements are free from material misstatements. The audit revealed an unmodified and clean opinion on the financial statements and no findings on the Government Auditing Standards. All records and information requested by BDO were freely available for inspection, and management cooperation was excellent throughout the whole process. Mr. Shrestha discussed that one of the significant risks reviewed is the management override of controls. Additionally, much attention was focused on revenue recognition, specifically grant revenue recognition, and any State appropriation recognition. Mr. Shrestha noted there were no corrected or adjusted items. The audit reviewed the internal control over the financial reporting processes. No items were deemed as significant deficiencies or material weakness. Mr. Shrestha indicated that one major change in the financial statements due to the separation from Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) is the movement of AIDEA contract employees to employees of AEA. As of the beginning of 2024, the pension liability and the related pension assets and deferred inflows and outflows of resources had to be brought into the financial statements. This is presented as an extraordinary item since it is new this year. The State of Alaska provides the allocation of the pension liability and other information. Approximately 52% of the liability is booked on AEA’s financial statements this year. Mr. Shrestha gave a brief overview of the draft financial statements. The Statement of Net Positions lists the difference between AEA’s assets, liabilities, and deferred outflows of resources. New items this year include the net other post-employment benefits (OPEB) assets, the deferred inflow and outflow of resources related to the pension and OPEB assets and liabilities, and net assets and liabilities. The total assets at the end of the year were $1.7 billion, of which $1.1 billion is in the Governmental Activities and $614 million in the Business-Type Activities. Out of the total assets, $325 million was cash and cash equivalents. The restricted investments in the Governmental Activities were $960 million. The capital assets in the Business-Type Activities were $375 million. Mr. Shrestha reviewed AEA’s liabilities for Governmental Activities totaling $116 million and Alaska Energy Authority Page 3 of 21 Business-Type Activities totaling $212 million. The total net position for the Governmental Activities is over $1.23 billion and the total net position for the Business-Type Activities is $402 million. Mr. Shrestha noted that almost all of the net positions are either invested in capital assets or restricted for operations as guided by the legislation or by third-party agreements. Mr. Shrestha discussed the Extraordinary Item, Note 14, of $2.4 million, which is the net effect of all assets and liabilities brought in at the beginning of the year. Any changes that happened during the year to the assets and liabilities are running through the expenses in the current year. Mr. Shrestha explained that the Governmental Fund Balance Sheet does not include the pension assets and liabilities. He reviewed the Statement of Revenues, Expenditures, and Changes in Fund Balances for the Governmental Fund. The total revenue for the year was $138 million of which $12.8 million was from federal grants, $24.4 million was from state appropriation, and $98 million was from the investment income. The expenditures mostly followed the revenue, other than the investment income. The change in fund balance totaled $12.6 million and is primarily dependent on the investment income during the year. Mr. Shrestha reviewed the Statement of Revenue and Expenses, and Changes in Net Position for the Enterprise Fund. The total revenue was $32 million, most of which was derived from the revenue from operating plants. The expenditures basically followed the revenue at $25.8 million. The investment income totaled $8.6 million. The change in net position totaled almost $3 million for the year. Mr. Shrestha indicated that after the note pages in the report, there are combining schedules that show the activity of the different funds. The note pages this year have increased by about 10 pages due to the pension-related disclosures. Mr. Shrestha highlighted that beginning last year, AEA’s investments are invested through the Alaska Permanent Fund. All of the information detail regarding the investment portfolios is included in the financial statements. Mr. Shrestha noted that BDO does not audit the Permanent Fund’s statements that were received. Vice Chair Mitchell asked if the timing expectations for the completed audits are in synchronization with the needs of management. Mr. Shrestha explained that financial statements are being produced tomorrow and are within the timeline for the requirements of the bond covenants. The federal single audit is a separate report that ensures compliance with their requirements and will be released at a later date. Vice Chair Mitchell expressed appreciation for the report and the clean audit. There were no other comments or questions. MOTION: A motion was made by Mr. Izzo to accept the AEA Fiscal Year 2025 Draft Financial Statements, as presented. Motion seconded by Vice Chair Mitchell. A roll call was taken, and the motion to accept the AEA Fiscal Year 2025 Draft Financial Statements, as presented, passed unanimously. Alaska Energy Authority Page 4 of 21 7. COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Special Committee of Project Finance • Orrick Summary on AEA Finance Options • Resolution 2025-05 Authorizing Executive Director to submit LPO application Mr. Thayer discussed that the Special Committee on Project Financing primarily reviewed the Bradley Expansion Dixon Diversion Project and the Cook Inlet Power Link (CIPLink) Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Project. The linked Orrick Summary on AEA Finance Options memorandum was a result of this Committee’s work. Mr. Thayer summarized that AEA has very broad authority to take out loans and very broad authority with bonding. There is no capped amount, and legislative approval is not needed. AEA has the opportunity to submit an application to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Program Office (LPO) to borrow much of the funding needed for the Bradley Lake Expansion Project and the CIPLink Project. Additional information must be obtained from the DOE before moving forward. The Orrick Summary shows AEA’s financing options and limitations. Mr. Thayer explained that applicants for LPO must be invited to apply and normally the threshold is $1 billion. However, AEA has been working through the process and was recently invited to apply with its current information submitted. Mr. Thayer invited Mark Billingsley, AEA General Counsel, to continue the presentation. Mr. Billingsley explained that during the public meeting of AEA’s Finance Subcommittee a few months ago, much was discussed regarding financing for the two large projects: Dixon Diversion and CIPLink Project. One option for the Board to consider is a loan through the DOE’s LPO. This loan has a much lower comparative interest rate. Mr. Billingsley reiterated that the usual loan minimum is $1 billion. However, AEA is working with the LPO to access loaned monies at under $1 billion total. Mr. Billingsley explained that Resolution 2025-05 gives written Board authorization for the Executive Director to submit the LPO application under Title 17, and to make attestations, representations, and commitments as may be required by the LPO, and to take all actions necessary or appropriate to effectuate the submission and processing of the application. He noted that the Finance Subcommittee is working through the discussions regarding financing the projects. Vice Chair Mitchell asked if Resolution 2025-05 meets the requirements outlined by the LPO Office. Mr. Billingsley agreed. There were no other comments or questions. MOTION: A motion was made by Vice Chair Mitchell to approve Resolution 2025-05 authorizing the Executive Director to submit applications and addenda to the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office, as presented and included in the Board packet. Motion seconded by Mr. Izzo. A roll call was taken, and the motion to approve Resolution 2025-05 passed unanimously. Alaska Energy Authority Page 5 of 21 8. OLD BUSINESS – NONE 9. NEW BUSINESS A. 2026 Board Meeting Schedule Mr. Thayer reviewed the proposed quarterly meetings for 2026. He suggested rescheduling the October 29, 2026, meeting to the Thursday after the election in November. He requested members send any conflicts for the proposed schedule to Jennifer Bertolini, AEA. There were no comments. 10. DIRECTOR COMMENTS A. FY2025 Budget to Actuals Mr. Thayer noted that one of the commitments he has made is to keep the Board regularly updated on the budget. He discussed that the budget documents look different from private sector budget documents. Mr. Thayer explained that the budget consists of four components. The employees are set in one or two of those components, depending on the size of the program, but not all four of the components. The final budget for FY 2025 was approximately $65 million. The actual budget for FY 2025 was $56 million. The under budgeted amount was primarily due to less than anticipated work completed for the CIPLink because of the two pauses to the project. It is back to a go status. Mr. Thayer also indicated that the under budgeted amount includes the 35% personnel vacancy factor. Part of the reason for the high vacancy relates to the CIPLink project and not hiring for those positions at this time. Mr. Thayer reviewed that the final budget for AEA Owned Facilities was $1.2 million. The actual budget was a little over $1 million. The final budget for the AEA Power Cost Equalization was $48.2 million. The actual budget was $47.2 million. The difference is related to the fluctuations in fuel. The final budget for Alternative Energy & Efficiency was $6.3 million. The actual budget was just under $1 million. These projects included some of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding and the timing of those projects. There were no comments or questions. B. Regulatory Requirement Reduction Project (AO360) Mr. Thayer requested that Mr. Billingsley provide the status update regarding AO360, the Regulatory Requirement Reduction Project issued by the Governor. The goal is to reduce regulations by 15% by the end of 2026, and by 25% by December 31, 2027. Mr. Billingsley explained that the Governor issued Administrative Order 360, and it requires all agencies to review their regulations and cut them by 15% by the end of next year, and by 25% by the end of the following year. AO360 also includes review of the agencies’ guidance documents. Mr. Billingsley noted that this is a big undertaking for all of the agencies and some agencies are overwhelmed. AEA staff has identified all of the guidance documents. The required reduction is based on page numbers or word count. The reduction requirement is not in the number of regulations, but rather Alaska Energy Authority Page 6 of 21 a reduction in the number of regulatory requirements that are discretionary. If the regulatory requirement is mandatory, then no reduction is required. AEA staff has counted all of their regulatory requirements and determined how many of those were discretionary versus statutorily required. The next step is to develop a plan for reducing the discretionary requirements by 15% and 25% in the year after that. Additionally, Mr. Billingsley discussed that the process of receiving stakeholder input was completed. Two hour-long public meetings were held at the beginning of this month. No members of the public called in. Two public comments were received encouraging AEA to reduce the number of regulatory requirements. AEA staff are taking the comments into account and reviewing them in detail. A determination will be made to see how to incorporate their recommendations into the plan for reducing the regulatory requirements. Mr. Billingsley discussed that AEA’s plan is due to be presented to Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) at the end of December and will go to the Governor’s Office on January 5th. AEA will then proceed with reducing the number of regulatory requirements and the Department of Law has to process the reduction. The Department of Law must review all of the regulatory modifications. Mr. Izzo asked if there is coordination between other agencies. He commented on a current issue that the Department of Transportation (DOT) is not issuing permits, and the question about what they have done is under statute. This affects the ability for utilities to recover costs of relocations in the future, which directly affects the cost of energy to consumers, and touches on AEA’s mission. Mr. Izzo noted that the issue is being addressed with the agency and with the Commissioner. He asked if there is any crossover between various State agencies and State corporations. Mr. Billingsley discussed that AEA is meeting jointly with the other DCCED subunits to discuss implementation. Additionally, DCCED is coordinating and meeting with other agencies within the State of Alaska, and the information is then submitted to the Governor. AEA’s coordination is mainly sharing experiences going through the process and learning from each other. Additionally, input can be provided to agencies regarding any issues or suggestions on how their regulations could be streamlined. Mr. Billingsley commented that the Governor and the people running the program are encouraging the public to provide input. Chair Koplin asked if AEA’s financials flow up to DCCED or Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Mr. Thayer explained that AEA’s financials flow up to the State financials because AEA is an independent corporation. It then rolls up as a component of the State’s consolidated accounting. There were no other comments or questions. C. Snettisham AEA-AIDEA MOU Mr. Thayer discussed that back in 1991, AEA entered into an agreement with multiple parties, including the State of Alaska, Municipality of Anchorage, Chugach Electric Association, Matanuska Electric Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. National Marine Fisheries, relative to Eklutna and Snettisham Projects. The Eklutna issue has been mostly resolved and only has a few outstanding studies remaining. Mr. Thayer explained that the agreement states that AEA shall be Alaska Energy Authority Page 7 of 21 responsible for the consultation, study, and implementation provisions applicable to the Snettisham Project. He noted that AEA does not have a relationship to the Snettisham Project. AEA does not own the Snettisham Project. It is an owned asset by AEA’s sister agency Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA). Mr. Thayer believes the agreement predated AIDEA’s ownership of Snettisham. AEA created a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AIDEA transferring all of AEA’s responsibilities within the 1991 agreement to AIDEA, thus making AIDEA responsible for the study and implementation of their assets. The 1991 agreement did not establish who would pay for all of the work that needed to be completed by AEA. However, the Snettisham Project is clearly an AIDEA asset. The MOU and the back-up documents are included in the Board packet. Mr. Izzo asked for background clarification if there was transfer of ownership from AEA to AIDEA for the Snettisham Project since the 1991 agreement refers to AEA. Mr. Thayer explained that AIDEA was in existence in 1991, but their ownership of Snettisham had not yet occurred. He discussed that no documents have been found to identify why AEA was invited to be part of the Snettisham Project. However, now that AIDEA owns the Snettisham Project and has legal rights to it, then they need to be responsible for the activities with the agreement. Mr. Izzo asked if there is a document transferring ownership of Snettisham from AEA to AIDEA. Mr. Thayer agreed. He pointed out that Snettisham was originally federally owned and that is how AIDEA received it. Additionally, Anchorage Municipal Light and Power (AML&P) operate Snettisham and receives the power from it. However, AEA’s Bryan Carey was only involved in an hour or two a month worth of work regarding the dam operation. There were no other comments or questions. D. Federal Awards Tracker Mr. Thayer noted that AEA’s internal Federal Awards Tracker was used previously and was restarted since the change of Administration. The document lists all of the federal projects from which AEA receives money. It includes the award amounts, the source of the award, the program name, the required match, outstanding balances, and comments on the projects. Mr. Thayer noted that the document changed considerably right after the new Administration, and he hopes that the current status will not change that much. He directed the Board’s attention to the status of the programs highlighted in blue that are pending review and remain opportunities for AEA for federal funding. The terminated projects are listed near the end. The awards listed as conditional awards totaling approximately $74 million were granted in the previous Administration and are anticipated to move forward. Additional information from the project manager on those conditional awards is expected. There were no comments or questions. E. Owned Assets Update • Bradley Lake Expansion Project Mr. Thayer invited Ryan McLaughlin, AEA Infrastructure Engineer, to discuss the status of the Bradley Lake Expansion Project. Mr. McLaughlin noted that work is ongoing to meet the next major milestone of submitting the draft license amendment application in late January 2026. That Alaska Energy Authority Page 8 of 21 effort is on schedule. During the process, the need to standardize nomenclature was necessary. The overall project is now called the Bradley Lake Expansion Project. The Dixon Diversion subcomponent is comprised of the diversion dam, the tunnel, and the inlet and outlet portal. The Bradley Pool Raise subcomponent is comprised of the spillway crest modifications and the raise of the dam. Mr. McLaughlin discussed that the last couple of months have been busy, including mobilizing a drill crew at the Bradley Dam in September and demobilizing the drill crew about a week ago. The plan was to drill nine bore holes, however, not all of the planned holes were drilled. At least one hole was drilled in each of the critical areas. The activity of downloading and processing the data is occurring now. The process was both challenging and successful. The crew dealt with much snow in the last couple of weeks. Mr. McLaughlin discussed the pictures included in the presentation, particularly the picture that gives perspective to how big the dam is compared to the drill rig and the trucks. The second picture shows the drill crew working on the dam with specialized equipment necessary due to the constraints when working in the spillway gallery. Mr. McLaughlin noted that on September 17, 2025, he went with DOWL to complete the annual operator training and annual safety inspection of Bradley Dam. The trip also included a site visit to the Dixon Diversion Dam site for the project engineers to evaluate the current design related to the site conditions. Mr. McLaughlin discussed that a Board of Consultants (BOC) meeting occurred with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) yesterday. Items discussed included the design documents and the studies on Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) and Probable Maximum Flood (PMF). The PMP/PMF study was originally conducted in the 1980’s. The new study will include the 40 years of weather data since the original study. Mr. McLaughlin discussed that an Inflow Design Flood (IDF) recommendation and hazard classification recommendation was submitted for the Dixon Diversion Dam. The request is that the Dixon Diversion Dam is classified as a low-hazard dam, and that the IDF correlates to the 100-year flood at 7,900 cfs. Mr. McLaughlin indicated that FERC responded and agreed with those recommendations. Mr. McLaughlin explained that one of the first upgrades is to the power that goes from the powerhouse up to the dam. It is currently single phase and will be upgraded to 3-phase. The contractor EPS is designing the package that will go out to bid. Additionally, the transformers will need to be ordered soon because of their long lead time. The remaining equipment is expected to be ordered in the spring or summer. The goal is for installation to occur in the summer of 2027. Mr. McLaughlin continued the update noting that there have been other big design decisions, including the decision to fully line the Dixon Tunnel. This will have minimal cost impacts to the project compared to previous cost estimates, improve worker safety inside the tunnel, improve hydraulics, and reduce construction risk for the contractor. The design criteria have been established for a 14-foot minimum finished inside diameter. This is comprised of a 16-foot diameter tunnel with a 1-foot concrete liner, which will provide a maximum flow of 1,650 cfs. Mr. McLaughlin discussed that the final year of environmental studies was completed in the Alaska Energy Authority Page 9 of 21 summer. The final study reports are currently being produced and will be reviewed with the agencies this winter. There is one more stream gauging trip that needs to occur and the Department of Fish and Game has to return to remove equipment. Mr. McLaughlin reviewed that the stream gauging trip on August 29, 2025, measured the Martin River at 2,490 cfs. This is the highest spot measurement taken and will be good for building out the stage-discharge relationship. Mr. McLaughlin noted that the flow was 220 cfs in the picture included in the presentation. The flow variations are not uncommon in this river system. Approximately 1,500 sockeye salmon were counted through Red Lake. This was the highest count in the three years of monitoring. Mr. Smyth asked for an estimate of the long lead time for the transformers. Mr. McLaughlin indicated that the expectation is a lead time of 18 to 24 months. Vice Chair Mitchell asked if the proposed Request for Proposals (RFP) include the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act or if foreign equipment can be utilized. Mr. Thayer indicated that there are no federal dollars in this project. Mr. McLaughlin agreed and noted the project is not subject to the BABA Act restrictions. Mr. Izzo asked regarding the size of the transformer and inquired if it is a transmission transformer. Mr. McLaughlin believes it is a distribution transformer and noted that he would have to confirm with EPS and provide the answer to Mr. Izzo at a later time. Mr. Izzo commented that lead times for transmission transformers are averaging three to four years, and price increases have been from 36% to 272%. He noted that distribution transformers are different from transmission transformers. Mr. McLaughlin reiterated that he believes it is a distribution transformer and will confirm. Commissioner Sande commented that she believes it is important for the public record to discuss the value of the project and why AEA is pursuing the project. She requested Mr. Thayer to briefly address why the project is important in terms of the expected increase in output, and to briefly report if any outreach was completed during the summer. Mr. Thayer noted statistically that the project will potentially increase the output of Bradley by 50%. Currently Bradley provides 10% of the Railbelt, and the project would increase that to 15%. Additionally, the time schedule is to have water flowing at the end of 2030, which is pertinent with the natural gas situation in Cook Inlet. This project will supply 7.5% of the unmet requirements and displace 1.5 BCF of natural gas. Mr. Thayer indicated that two outreach trips were conducted, and members of the Chugach Board, a FERC Commissioner, and legislators were able to attend. Additional trips were cancelled due to the freeze on travel. Commissioner Sande requested that the reporting include a few sentences for the general public who may not be familiar with the project to highlight the reasons the project is valuable. Commissioner Sande expressed strong support for the project, and she noted that the flight over the site and spending time at the project helped her understand its importance. She thanked Mr. Thayer for facilitating that visit. Commissioner Sande commented on the studies that occurred prior to the project and the opposition and worry that the project could harm the salmon. She noted that the studies now indicate ways that the project actually helped the habitat. Alaska Energy Authority Page 10 of 21 Commissioner Sande said that she would like to get more information to the general public regarding the positive nature of so many of AEA’s projects. Mr. Thayer commented that trips are normally conducted in June, July, and August. Those trips are budgeted and approved. He would like to again host Board members and others. Chair Koplin indicated that there are also videos on AEA’s website that help explain the value of the project and contain good visuals of the project. There were no other comments or questions. • Cook Inlet Power Link (CIPLink) Jim Mendenhall, Owned Assets Director, reviewed the CIPLink project. Mr. Mendenhall discussed that the DOE has a skeleton crew and they have not made any public announcements regarding which projects have been approved. On October 9, 2025, the DOE issued a letter that there was termination of 223 projects and a rescinding of about $7.5 billion. Mr. Mendenhall noted that CIPLink was not on that list. Discussions continue with DOE, and AEA recommended that the project move to the next phase. The first phase ended on June 30, 2025. The DOE has authorized to begin the renegotiations, and an answer is expected around Thanksgiving. Mr. Mendenhall noted that the DOE issued a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) permit for environmental studies to occur in the Cook Inlet. The contract has been awarded to HDR for environmental services in the Inlet. That field work is expected to occur in 2026. In order to stay on schedule, AEA authorized Stantec to continue preparing the documents for procurement of the long lead items, specifically the cable and the converter stations. In addition to reviewing pricing and ongoing solicitations, AEA has been working on a Railbelt strategic transmission plan and how that coordinates with the CIPLink project. The plan is nearly completed. Mr. Mendenhall discussed that the funding has not changed and still totals $64.2 million in combined state appropriations and Bradley bond proceeds. An additional $142 million must be raised. Approximately $1.5 million has been expended on the project to date. Mr. Izzo followed up on Commissioner Sande’s comments and believes it is important to note for the public record how the CIPLink Project is interconnected to the Bradley Expansion Project. He explained that the transmission line has a 5-megawatt (MW) capacity and Bradley is larger than 75 MW. He stated that hydro is nature’s best energy storage and delivers firm power. The CIPLink will provide a second transmission line to utilize the Bradley energy most efficiently and to facilitate the offset of 1.5 BCF of natural gas. Mr. Mendenhall agreed with Mr. Izzo’s comments. He explained that Bradley has a nameplate capacity of about 120 MW. The current transmission coming up the Sterling Highway and the Seward Highway have a capacity of about 75 MW. At that transmission level, there is approximately 10% in losses. The Kenai uses less than 20 MW, and 100 MW has to come off of Bradley when it is at full power. Mr. Izzo commented that it is called a grid, however, it is often referred to within the Railbelt Alaska Energy Authority Page 11 of 21 electrics as an extension cord. He recalled that the single line that exists today was capacity constrained during the Swan Lake Fire and was out. The power consumers north of the Peninsula paid an extra $12 million over those three months for their energy because more natural gas had to be burned. Mr. Izzo reiterated that both of the projects are critically linked and critically important. There were no other questions. • SQ and SS Line Bill Price, AEA Senior Infrastructure Engineer, provided the update on the Sterling to Quartz Creek Substation (SQ) Line and Soldotna Substation to Sterling Substation (SS) Line upgrade projects. Mr. Price indicated that the SS Line upgrade project went overbudget and was tabled. The project is still loosely planned but not budgeted and not scheduled. The SQ Line upgrade project received its steel bids in October, and the steel bids were slightly overbudget, but close enough to continue to move forward. The project is on schedule to complete the SQ Line upgrades. The Environmental Assessment (EA) has been finalized and submitted. There were no comments or questions. • Battle Creek Bond Subsidies from IRS Mr. Thayer reminded the Board of the previous difficulties regarding the receipt of two checks from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) due to address issues, direct deposit issues, and U.S. Bank lockbox issues. To date, all of the checks have been received. The total amount is over $1 million. Mr. Thayer publicly acknowledged Senator Dan Sullivan’s Office for engaging the IRS and working to resolve the issue. Mr. Thayer advised that some of the concerns, however, were with the bank that holds the bonds, U.S. Bank. The original representative retired and the subsequent representative was not as attentive as they should have been. A meeting was held with U.S. Bank and AEA will have a new representative for the account, and U.S. Bank will cover all of the lost interest while the checks were in transit for the last 10 months. Additionally, the payments are back to direct deposit status at U.S. Bank. Mr. Thayer expressed appreciation to U.S. Bank for being responsive to AEA’s claim. There were no comments or questions. • Letter from FERC Mr. Thayer noted that the letter included in the Board packet is from Commissioner Judy Chang expressing her compliments of AEA while visiting the Bradley Lake Project on June 30. Mr. Thayer indicated that Commissioner Chang is extremely supportive of the project. She is the second commissioner to visit the project. There were no comments or questions. F. Rural Programs Update • Denali Commission Awards Update Mr. Thayer introduced Chris McConnell, AEA, to provide the Denali Commission update. Commissioner Sande asked Mr. Thayer to comment on the status of the DOE representatives who approached AEA at SelectUSA and were interested in helping support the projects in Alaska. She asked if there has been an improvement or change in that level of interest. Mr. Thayer believes Alaska Energy Authority Page 12 of 21 there has been a change and improvement. He noted that the previous Administration handed out lots of money but was lacking in the technical aspects. He believes this Administration is focused on the technical aspects and how to make things happen. Mr. Thayer gave the example that Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued to FERC that non-governmental organizations (NGO) cannot stop a project. They can be considered in the process of a FERC license, but they are not a veto. Mr. Thayer noted that a small group of AEA representatives are traveling to D.C. next month to meet with the Grid Deployment Office, with the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Office, with the Loan Office, and with FERC. These offices requested AEA return and discuss the projects. There are a few opportunities through the DOE for technical assistance for which AEA is applying, ranging from $5 million to $20 million. Mr. Thayer relayed that he is seeing a different tone at the DOE in the last seven months, and there is definitely more interest in Alaska. Mr. McConnell reviewed that there is approximately $20 million remaining funding for the Denali Commission bulk fuel, powerhouses, and M&I projects. Substantial completion in the bulk fuel upgrade project in Scammon Bay occurred recently. Additionally, the powerhouse project in Nelson Lagoon is near completion. Mr. McConnell discussed the ongoing projects and the new projects planned for next spring. He advised that there is a new Denali Commission award that helped kickstart the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) for five bulk fuel projects around the state. The first subaward should be released at the end of this week. The total award is $50 million over three years. There were no comments or questions. • Power Cost Equalization (PCE) Endowment Fund Update Mr. Thayer explained that the Independent Auditors’ Report regarding PCE is included in the Board packet for informational purposes since the PCE Endowment Fund is managed by the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation (APFC). There were no comments or questions. • Typhoon Hylong Update Mr. McConnell indicated that he has been giving reports at the daily briefings of the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) meetings. He gave credit to the Circuit Riders and to the Rural Assistance Manager Justin Tuomi for utilizing the comprehensive and deep relationships with the folks on the ground to get daily updates. Work is ongoing with the most affected communities of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. Their utility crews and leadership are coming to the office to align with the contractors that DOT has brought in to complete the work. Most of the damage is to the distribution. Mr. McConnell complimented the engineers and the folks that constructed the powerhouses, as all of the powerhouses held up pretty well. He discussed that Kipnuk lost most of their residential housing and it will be quite an effort to get their distribution running. Kwigillingok lost the south end of town. The contractors working onsite anticipate that power to the school will be restored first and then power to the residences. Mr. McConnell discussed that Akiak experienced a non-storm-related outage that is still out. The power is anticipated to be back on by Saturday. There have been storm delays as far as getting engines in place. AEA has been working closely with that crew to get them back up and powered. Alaska Energy Authority Page 13 of 21 Mr. Thayer asked who provided the engine. Mr. McConnell noted that AEA provided freight and Circuit Rider assistance, and the Tribe has paid for the engine. Mr. McConnell commented that Typhoon Hylong came on the heels of three emergencies and critical situations, including an engine barged out to Adak, and a stand-by engine in Tuluksak. Mr. Thayer noted that AEA lent Cordova Electric a standby generator 20 years ago, and Cordova Electric will be sending that generator back to AEA for refurbishment since AEA is out of operational generators for rural Alaska. There are a couple of old FEMA generators that AEA is also in the process of refurbishing. He stated the Administration has been helpful as AEA has already expended the allotment for electrical emergencies for the year. The Governor’s budget is entertaining a supplemental amount to help cover the costs. Mr. McConnell commented that Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) also donated transformers that are being taken to Kipnuk. He believes they will be crucial in the coming months to get Kipnuk back on power. Mr. Thayer expressed appreciation to MEA for the 70 transformers they are installing in rural Alaska to prepare for the winter season. Vice Chair Mitchell commented that these circumstances show how Alaskans pull together when tough times occur. He lauded AEA’s team for helping coordinate the cooperation with all of the other utilities involved to provide the basic services and to get the electrical service back running. He believes this is a testament to Alaska values. Vice Chair Mitchell noted that this may not be the last time that something like this happens. Alaska is endowed with great blessings, but there are also natural disasters such as earthquakes and tidal waves. He asked when things settle down, that an after-action review be completed to determine what went well, what could have worked better, and lessons learned. The review may be a proactive impetus for additional legislative funding or other budgeting so that better preparation is made for the next round. Mr. McConnell acknowledged the request and noted that Mr. Thayer has already requested that staff begin their review of the emergency response. More details will be forthcoming. There were no other comments or questions. G. Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Update • Electric Vehicles / NEVI Audrey Alstrom, AEA Director Alternative Energy and Energy Efficiency Programs, provide the Renewable Energy & Efficiency update. Ms. Alstrom summarized the information provided in the Board packet. She explained that AEA is partnering with Alaska DOT regarding the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program. Ms. Alstrom discussed there have been many changes since the last meeting, during which time the NEVI program was suspended. Since then, the Federal Highway Administration issued new guidance that basically reduced plan requirements and gave states 30 days to provide an updated NEVI plan. Alaska Energy Authority Page 14 of 21 Ms. Alstrom is happy to share that the team was able to submit the updated plan in September and received approval which gives AEA access to NEVI funds for implementation from FY 2022 through FY 2026. Ms. Alstrom indicated that program activities are moving forward. The copy of the approval letter and the approved plan are included in the Board packet and can also be found on the website. Ms. Alstrom noted that the DOE grant funds for the Alaska Rural EVSE Deployment (ARED) project supporting EV charging equipment in rural Alaska is moving forward. She discussed that AEA hosted an Alaska Electric Vehicle Working Group (AKEVWG) meeting and gave an update on the NEVI Program and upcoming outreach activities. Ms. Alstrom discussed that the information regarding the Solar For All Program has also changed since the previous meeting. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) terminated the Solar For All Program nationwide and AEA staff is working through the closeout process for that federal award. Ms. Alstrom reviewed that the programs on Energy Efficiency and the State Energy Program (SEP) are moving toward completion. These are the grants that are partnered with Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), including SEP training for residential energy contractors, home efficiency rebates, home electrification and appliance rebates, and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). Ms. Alstrom reported that through SEP and EECBG, AEA is planning to open request for applications for efficiency projects and more details are forthcoming. Staff will provide an update at the next Board meeting. Ms. Alstrom discussed that the Biomass Program supported training for cord wood boiler operators during the summer. AEA has received two new US Forest Service awards to conduct engineering designs for several biomass projects throughout the state, and to design and construct the biomass project in Tok, which will support the school. Mr. Thayer commented that AEA’s NEVI plan was approved as submitted. He noted this is a big step forward since AEA was waiting three years for approval under the previous Administration and the NEVI plan was approved within a couple of months with the current Administration. Vice Chair Mitchell noted that when the NEVI Program funding was cut, he thought that all of the great planning and the public meetings that were undertaken regarding the main route between Anchorage and Fairbanks, and the route in Southeast Alaska would be gone. He asked if the new information regarding the FY 2022 through FY 2026 planning funds still include the Alaska Marine Highway chargers. Ms. Alstrom agreed that those funds do include highways outside the alternative fuel corridor, which is the highway between Anchorage and Fairbanks. She explained that approval has to be given that the corridor is built out before any off-corridor activities occur. Ms. Alstrom believes there should be more than enough funds to move to that next phase. Vice Chair Mitchell expressed appreciation to Ms. Alstrom. He indicated that the off-corridor subject has been important during the public meetings he has attended in Southeast Alaska. He believes it is even more critical now because of the recent private barge companies deciding not Alaska Energy Authority Page 15 of 21 to transport electric vehicles. The only means now to many of Alaska’s communities is through the Marine Highway System, which does allow the transport of electric vehicles (EV). Vice Chair Mitchell asked if the AEVWG has taken any positions or concerns regarding the shipment of vehicles to and from Alaska. Ms. Alstrom noted that AEA has shared information on how people can transport EVs. She understands that the ferry system is limiting transport to two vehicles per sailing. How AEA gets involved is still up for discussion. Vice Chair Mitchell noted for the Board’s situational awareness that this issue is already being discussed and letters are being written by legislators because some communities have really high per capita of electric vehicles. This would have a chilling effect. Vice Chair Mitchell stated that the Subaru dealer in Juneau is either ranked one, two, or three in the country for electric vehicle sales, and their sales have completely stopped. Vice Chair Mitchell commented that there is a high demand for vehicles that are still out there and it cannot be met. A few of the other smaller dealers have said they will try to route them through Skagway to try to get on the Alaska Marine Highway. It is a difficult situation. He expressed appreciation to Ms. Alstrom for all she is doing with the Working Group and will continue to watch how this situation evolves. Ms. Alstrom indicated that Josie Hartley, AEA, is in attendance today and she is the one who usually provides the NEVI Program update. She has been a significant leader in making sure the plan is updated and approved, as well as conducting the outreach activities. Vice Chair Mitchell thanked Ms. Alstrom and Ms. Hartley for their efforts. Mr. Smyth noted that it is mentioned on page six, under the Independent Site Deployment, the Tesla charging stations may or may not count as NEVI-creditable. He asked when AEA anticipates knowing if the Tesla charging stations are creditable. Ms. Alstrom requested Ms. Hartley discuss the issue. Ms. Hartley explained that the Tesla sites were originally selected under the preliminary solicitation for the alternative fuel corridor. There were nine sites and four of those were awarded to Tesla. Given the uncertainty around the NEVI program, Tesla elected to move forward with the construction of those sites absent the NEVI funding. A couple of those sites are already commissioned between Anchorage and Fairbanks, which has been a great benefit for EV drivers. The sites were built to more or less the same specification of design within the NEVI Program. Under the previous Administration, there were strict requirements applied to sites that were to be deemed creditable along an alternative fuel corridor. In addition, there were different requirements tied to the spacing between sites, which have more or less been removed under the program guidance for this administration. Staff believe there is a path forward for those sites to be included along the alternative fuel corridor suite of sites that will count at creditable. This has to be addressed with Federal Highways. There seems to be more flexibility with this Administration. It appears as though they are not so tied to the previous program’s guidance. The focus is on getting the funds distributed and getting the sites constructed. There were no other comments or questions. H. Planning Update • Net Metering Pilot Program Update Alaska Energy Authority Page 16 of 21 Mr. Thayer invited Conner Erickson, AEA Director of Planning, to give the update on the Planning Department. Net Metering Pilot Program. Mr. Erickson gave an update on the net Metering Program. He discussed that the program was launched earlier this summer. The intent of the program was to have those net metering participants who are currently enrolled through their utility programs compensated at a rate that is equivalent as if they were effectively receiving that energy at the prevailing residential rate under the utility tariff. The utilities that are eligible under the program are those that are required to have a program under Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) regulation. Additionally, the program was also voluntary and there is a general absence of interest in the program. Staff are conducting an internal review of the program and looking to coordinate with the utilities to propose structural changes to the program, while maintaining the ultimate intent which is to understand how increased participation may impact future utility rate structures and may affect utility operations. Mr. Erickson discussed one possible change is to have an initial subsidy to help defray the high capital cost of the net metering installations on consumer property. Another possible change is offering additional preference to those where a battery would be incorporated along with the structure, giving more value to both the consumer and the utility in terms of when that energy may be used and made available for purposes of defraying some of the more expensive natural gas generation. Vice Chair Mitchell asked Mr. Erickson if the analysis of the Net Metering Pilot Program reviewed other states’ programs and their processes that could be tailored to Alaska. Vice Chair Mitchell also asked Mr. Erickson for feedback regarding the current status listed in the report of little participation in the program. Mr. Erickson explained that the Net Metering Pilot Program is a Governor’s initiative that was assigned to AEA. Staff have been working to meet the needs of the Governor’s priorities, while in coordination with the utilities. Mr. Erickson discussed that issues were identified, and ultimately, the program was carried out in its current form. Mr. Erickson requested that the utilities comment on their lack of participation. However, the memorandum does outline the primary reasons for their hesitancy to participate. One reason is the administrative burden of the costs that are not recoverable by the utilities and would have to be incorporated into the rate base. Another concern regards the longevity of the program and the financial impacts and risks to the ratepayers and to the utilities if the available funding is exhausted. An additional suggestion was that it may be wiser to offer the program as part of a cap-ex offset rather than a short-term subsidized rate for participants. The high capital cost of the net metering installations is a hurdle for residential consumers. Mr. Izzo commented on behalf of Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) that they are interested in the program. They have seen quite a bit of growth in net metering overall. The program by which homeowner residents and businesses utilize primarily rooftop solar installations. Mr. Izzo explained that he would like to see the old rate-making constructs changed, because under these old constructs, when the installations are generating power for themselves, they are not contributing to the overall system on a per kilowatt-hour basis. This means that there is a subsidy because the utility is a not-for-profit cooperative. Mr. Izzo noted that subsidy for MEA averages about $54 per month. This amounts to over $300,000 a year that every other member is paying Alaska Energy Authority Page 17 of 21 more to cover the net metering installations. Mr. Izzo gave an oversimplification of the program that it is intended to offset that subsidy and determine the impacts to growth and usage. He believes that Mr. Erickson’s report outlines many of the concerns. Other concerns include the RCA open docket looking at expanding net metering up to 20%. He noted that the Railbelt utilities file approximately 5%. The minimum is 1.5% of the overall annual demand. Mr. Izzo reiterated the administrative burden of the subsidy and the possibility that the funding is no longer provided. This puts the not-for-profit cooperative in the position of potentially having to tell those members that the program is being taken away because there is no more funding. Mr. Izzo noted that these program issues are being discussed and he is confident that solutions can be found to make the program work successfully. Chair Koplin indicated that the purpose of a pilot program is to determine what type of structure will work best for a final program. • Power Project Fund Update Mr. Erickson explained that the Power Project Fund (PPF) has seen a significant increase in interest over the past couple of months. The Loan Committee recently approved a loan for the electric utility Puvurnaq Power Company in the community of Kongiganak. This serves as a critical means by which the utility is able to pay a large bill for services that were rendered on generated assets within their powerhouse. Absent the program, the rates would have been raised in the short-term to recover costs. Mr. Erickson noted they have astutely reduced the cost of that project by taking a loan with AEA and amortizing the cost over a five-year term. Mr. Erickson announced that since the drafting of the included memorandum, the Native Village of Kipnuk has sought to leverage the PPF Program to act as a bridge loan while they await the arrival of Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA) funds to complete work on the restoration of electrical service within the community to assist with the recovery efforts. While the powerhouse has largely survived in good operation, the distribution infrastructure took a significant hit due to the catastrophic damage inflicted by Typhoon Hylong. The PPF Loan Committee will meet this afternoon to review the approval of the request. Mr. Erickson discussed that the Native Village of Atka has informed AEA that they are looking to leverage the PPF Program for a loan of approximately $4.9 million to finance the cost of a hydrogen battery to provide grid stability. The excess energy from the hydroelectric facility will be used to power the hydrogen battery. This project’s success will be a proof of concept for hydrogen batteries in rural Alaska. AEA is looking forward to working with the community on this project. Mr. Erickson reviewed the final pending application with Old Harbor Native Corporation (OHNC). They were the recipient of a large federal grant under the prior Administration, which was paused, and then ultimately freed up again. OHNC plans to use their fresh water drinking source to install a run-of-river hydroelectric facility. A power purchase agreement will be structured with the incumbent utility Alaska Village Electric Cooperative (AVEC). The current total estimated project costs are $36 million. Multiple funding sources will be utilized, including the federal grant and Alaska Energy Authority Page 18 of 21 AIDEA, with the remaining $4.9 million sought from the PPF Loan Program. AEA is looking forward to working with the community on this project. Mr. Erickson noted that the Program’s available funding is approximately $10 million. If the above two prospective loans are fully processed, the Program will then only be able to finance smaller projects less than $100,000. The Program will then look to options to replenish the fund. Mr. Erickson discussed that the City of Atka was late on their semi-annual loan payment. This has not been a recurring issue. The community contacted staff yesterday and the payment was received today. Mr. Erickson commended loan services staff in their diligence with this matter. Vice Chair Mitchell asked for the timeline regarding the pending three Power Project Funds applications. He specifically indicated that Old Harbor has an onerous notice to proceed FERC deadline and requested feedback on how AEA can facilitate that Old Harbor can meet the deadline. Vice Chair Mitchell commented that his understanding is that the congressional delegation has requested the extension of FERC deadlines. However, that legislation has not yet been passed. Mr. Thayer stated that Old Harbor has to file an application before AEA can consider it. The timing of the filing is the responsibility of Old Harbor. The Loan Committee can approve applications up to $2 million. Amounts ranging from $2 million to $5 million that are approved by the Loan Committee come before the AEA Board for approval and amounts over $5 million also have to be approved by the Legislature. Mr. Thayer discussed that if Old Harbor submitted their application tomorrow, staff would begin working through the process immediately, and subject to the call of the Chair, a meeting could be called to discuss it and possibly approve or disapprove it. Additionally, the program is first come, first served. In the event that another application is submitted before Old Harbor, there is the possibility that the limited funding is no longer available. Once an application is received, the funding is set aside until the process is complete and a decision is made. Mr. Erickson added that the Native Village of Atka stated they were going to submit an application in October. Evidently, that has been delayed, but he expects it will be submitted in the fourth quarter. Likewise, OHNC’s timeline for submittal is similar. Mr. Erickson noted that OHNC has outside consultants helping to finalize their overall capital stack. As far as he understands, AIDEA has not yet been approached regarding their potential financing portion. He believes that OHNC is looking to avoid undue delays to their project financing. Vice Chair Mitchell expressed appreciation to Mr. Thayer and Mr. Erickson for providing clarification. He now understands that application pending means they have not yet actually turned in their application. • Renewable Energy Grant Fund Update Mr. Erickson indicated that the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) is in Round 18. The Request for Applications (RFA) received 35 applications. Of those, 33 have progressed to stage two, Alaska Energy Authority Page 19 of 21 representing a total grant request of approximately $54 million. The current stage two review includes staff and a third-part economist to consider the economic and technical feasibility of the projects. The successful stage two applications will then move to stage three phase during which time the project will be evaluated and ranked based on structured factors. Mr. Erickson explained that stage four involves staff meeting with the Renewable Energy Fund Advisory Committee (REFAC) for their input and timely submittal to the Legislature. There were no comments or questions. I. Railbelt Transmission Organization (RTO) – Update Mr. Thayer introduced Karen Bell, RTO Program Manager, and requested she provide the RTO Update. Mr. Thayer emphasized that staff have been focused on the RTO for over a year. Ms. Bell noted that since the July Board meeting, the RCA has suspended the RTO’s initial Open Access Transmission Tarriff (OATT) filing and invited interested parties to intervene. There are 15 parties and the matter is progressing quickly on a rapid timeline. Five witnesses submitted testimony to support the tariff, and reply testimony from five entities has also been received. A three-week hearing is scheduled in February 2026, if needed. The final decision from the RCA is due by June 4, 2026. Mr. Izzo provided context that the idea of the Railbelt Transmission Organization (RTO) is based on an urgent need to centralize key functions of Railbelt utilities that have developed over time and now are next to each other. The concept was for a generation and transmission entity focused on and ensuring backbone legislation. Mr. Izzo supports such a structure and believes it will benefit consumers. The analysis shows that economic dispatch could be conducted with the addition of transmission, not only CIPLink, but extending up to Healy and creating two transmission paths serving 75% to 80% of the population, which would reduce overall fuel cost by estimations of 10% to 15%. Mr. Izzo explained that the total of about $2 billion was estimated to complete all of the proposed projects, including CIPLink, and the transmission to Healy. It is clear that these kinds of structures will provide benefits to the consumer in the future and will provide the ability to bring on large loads like data centers. He expressed appreciation to Ms. Bell and to AEA for their efforts and leadership. There were no other comments or questions. J. IT Update Mr. Thayer introduced Leonard Robertson, AEA IT, to provide the IT Update and explain the recent status of the system. Mr. Robertson commented that the staff of AEA and AIDEA have been very adaptable during these slow, but major changes. AEA has completed the conversion from SharePoint and Exchange being on premise to the embrace of software as a service to the cloud. The phone system and network are undergoing an upgrade. The contract was signed under AIDEA for the building to upgrade the switching gear. All of the upgrades have the intent to clearly bifurcate costs and operations for AEA and AIDEA. Standardization across the process is being utilized to save money on support and the operations are segmented which is good for security. Alaska Energy Authority Page 20 of 21 The upgrades have created more resilience across the organization. Mr. Robertson noted his previous cybersecurity experience. He described that the approach to cyber security focuses primarily on four core controls: multi-factor authentication, cybersecurity training, network and risk segmentation, and endpoint hardening through patching and security templates. Mr. Robertson expressed appreciation to Microsoft and OIT for their support provided during this process. Chair Koplin asked if the SCADA systems are control systems for utilities. Mr. Robertson indicated that issue is outside of the realm of the IT team. The discussion today regards building control for this facility. There were no other comments or questions. K. Community Outreach Mr. Thayer discussed that the community outreach information is included in the Board packet. There were no comments or questions. L. Articles of Interest Mr. Thayer highlighted that the articles of interest are included in the Board packet. M. Next Regularly Scheduled AEA Board Meeting – January 29, 2026, 9:00 am. Mr. Thayer indicated that the location for the next regularly scheduled Board meeting on January 26, 2026, is to be determined. He commented that it might be helpful to conduct a Board retreat offsite. There were no comments or questions. MOTION: A motion was made by Vice Chair Mitchell to enter into executive session to discuss confidential: 1) financial matters related to the fiscal year 2027 budget, 2) attorney-client communications, 3) information related to AEA’s strategic planning, 4) personnel matters, 5) Internal Revenue Code Section 6417 direct pay provisions for Bradley Expansion. This is supported by the Open Meetings Act, AS44.62.310, which allows a Board to consider confidential matters in executive session. In this case, the Board believes that these are subjects which would have an adverse effect upon the finances of AEA or are protected by law due to rules protecting personal privacy, certain business information, and deliberative process. No action will be taken in executive session. Action may occur after closure of the executive section. Motion seconded by Mr. Smyth. A roll call was taken, and the motion to enter into executive session passed unanimously. 11. EXECUTIVE SESSION – 10:53 am. Discuss confidential: A. Financial Matters (FY27 budget) B. Attorney-Client Communications C. AEA Strategic Planning Alaska Energy Authority Page 21 of 21 D. Personnel Matters The Board reconvened its regular meeting at 12:29 pm. Chair Koplin advised that the Board did not take any action on the matters discussed while in Executive Session. 12. BOARD COMMENTS Vice Chair Mitchell commented on the great meeting. He expressed appreciation to staff for being well prepared. Mr. Thayer echoed the sentiments of appreciation to the staff. He commented that the way the Board interacts is a new process. He explained that the staff is conducting a noon call with DOE on a potential opportunity regarding owned assets. Mr. Thayer gave special thanks to Jennifer Bertolini, AEA, and Mr. Billingsley. Chair Koplin commented on the good and informative meeting. He looks forward to strategic planning. 13. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business of the Board, the AEA meeting adjourned at 12:30 pm. ___________________________________ Clay Koplin, Chair ___________________________________ Curtis Thayer, Secretary ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY RESOLUTION NO. 2026-01 RESOLUTION OF THE ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY RATIFYING GOVERNORS’ SUBMISSION OF FY26 OPERATING BUDGET & CAPITAL BUDGET WHEREAS, the operating and capital budget of the Alaska Energy Authority (“the Authority”) are subject to the Executive Budget Act; WHEREAS, the FY27 operating and capital budget submissions for the Authority are included in the Governor’s State operating and capital budget submissions to the Alaska State Legislature (“the Legislature”) and are set out in Attachment A; WHEREAS, the Governor’s State operating and capital budget submissions, including the Authority’s operating and capital budget submissions, are subject to appropriation by the Legislature; and WHEREAS, the Board provides oversight for the Authority and its finances. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The Authority’s FY27 operating and capital budget submissions are ratified by the Board. The final FY27 operating and capital budget are subject to approval and appropriation by the Legislature. Dated at Anchorage, Alaska, this 30th day of January 2026. ____________________________________ Clay Koplin, Chair ______________________________________ Curtis W. Thayer, Secretary Notes: Project Name Governor's Budget FY27 FUND CODE/DESCRIPTION CIPLink - Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership Grant - State $ - 1004-State UGF Rural Power Systems Upgrades - Federal $ - 1002 - Fed Receipts Rural Power Systems Upgrades - State $ - 1003 G/F Match Electrical Emergency Response $ 350,000 1169 - Power Cost Equalization Fund Bulk Fuel Upgrades - Federal $ - 1002 - Fed Receipts Bulk Fuel Upgrades -State $ - 1003 G/F Match Hydroelectric Development: Bradley Lake Dixon Diversion - State $ - 1012 - Railbelt Energy Fund Strategic Plan for Railbelt Assets $ - 1012-Railbelt Energy Fund Renewable Energy Grant Fund - Round 18 $ - 1004-UGF State Match for Indirect costs - New DOE policy for Indirect computations. $ - 1255- Reappropriation Federal Tax Credits TBD Included in Governor's Cruise Ship Terminal Port Electrification $ 15,300,000 1205-Ocn Ranger Total $ 15,650,000 Project Name Governor's Supplemental Budget Bulk Fuel Upgrades - EPA funds to Denali Commission through ANTHC to AEA. $ 25,000,000 1002 Fed Receipts * Note 1 State Match for Indirect costs - New DOE policy for Indirect computations. $ 650,000 1255- Reappropriation Bulk Fuel RUS - High Cost of Energy Grant $ 5,000,000 Total $ 30,650,000 $ 46,300,000 ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY FY2027 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST - FY27 GOVERNOR'S * Note 1: $25M in federal bulk fuel program receipt authorization EPA funds awarded through the Denali Commission and ANTHC as well as an additional $5M of USDA RUS funds for bulk fuel maintenance and improvement will be included in the Governor's Supplemental budget released in January/February. Alaska Energy Authority - Budget Component FY26 Mngt Plan FY27 Governor Change JUSTIFICATION - See Notes AEA Facilities: Travel 88.8 88.8 - Services 1,087.2 1,087.2 - Commodities 18.0 18.0 - Capital Outlay 5.0 5.0 - Total AEA Facilities 1,199.0 1,199.0 - Rural Energy Assistance: Personal Services 8,726.8 9,074.6 347.8 Alaska Care Rate Adj/Salary Adjustment Travel 252.3 222.3 (30.0) transfer to RTO Services 5,555.1 4,603.6 (951.5) Data Library $192.0 CIP; less data library $250.0 EETF; less 893.5 transfer to RTO. (Gov does not include $650.0 for building lease) Commodities 168.0 168.0 - Capital Outlay 10.0 10.0 - Grants, Benefits 100.0 100.0 - Total Rural Energy Assistance 14,812.2 14,178.5 (633.7) note: Governor = -923.5 transfer to RTO + 347.8 AKCare Rate Adj/Salary Adj less fy difference in data library of $58.0) Power Cost Equalization: Travel 5.4 5.4 - Services 583.5 583.5 - Grants, Benefits 47,694.8 44,279.0 (3,415.8) Total Power Cost Equalization 48,283.7 44,867.9 (3,415.8) Gov adjusted to amount required to fund through PCE statutory calc. Statewide Project (IIJA) Personal Services 4,454.7 4,631.7 177.0 Alaska Care Rate Adjustment / Salary Adjustment Travel 78.5 78.5 - Services 1,678.0 1,678.0 - Total Statewide Project 6,211.2 6,388.2 177.0 Railbelt Transmission Organization (NEW COMPONENT): Travel - 30.0 30.0 trans receipt authorization to RTO $30.0 ugf to AEA receipts Services - 2,199.7 2,199.7 trans receipt auth $893.5 UGF to AEA receipts + 1306.2 railbelt Total Railbelt Transmission Organization:- 2,229.7 2,229.7 difference is transfer of FN amount for RTO from REA to RTO TOTAL ALL COMPONENTS 70,506.1 68,863.3 (1,642.8) Funding Sources: 1002 Federal Receipts (Fed)535.1 542.0 6.9 1004 General Fund (UGF)3,812.6 2,958.4 (854.2) 1005 GF/Program Receipts (DGF)50.0 50.0 - 1007 I/A Receipts (Other)1,982.9 2,058.6 75.7 1061 CIP Receipts (Other)11,342.5 11,877.9 535.4 1062 Power Project Fund (DGF)1,039.9 1,045.3 5.4 1107 AEA Receipts (Other)1,199.0 2,122.5 923.5 1108 Stat Design (Other)150.0 150.0 - 1169 PCE Endowment (DGF)48,680.0 45,270.1 (3,409.9) 1210 Renewable Energy Fund (DGF)1,464.1 1,482.3 18.2 1012 Railbelt Energy Fund (UGF)- 1,306.2 1,306.2 1219 Emmg Tech (Other)250.0 - (250.0) 70,506.1 68,863.3 (1,642.8) Alaska Energy Authority FY26 Supplemental and FY27 Operating Budget Governor In Thousands ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY RESOLUTION NO. 2026-02 A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BYLAWS TO PERMIT THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR TO SERVE UP TO TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS WHEREAS, Article II, Section 8 of the Alaska Energy Authority (Authority) Bylaws provides for the election and two-year term of the Chair and Vice Chair; WHEREAS, Exhibit A to the Bylaws (Rules for Election of Chair and Vice Chair) presently prohibits consecutive terms for the Chair and Vice Chair; WHEREAS, the Board of Directors finds that permitting the Chair and Vice Chair to serve up to two consecutive terms enhances continuity of leadership, allows the board to benefit from accumulated experience and institutional knowledge, and provides stability for long-term initiatives, while preserving accountability and opportunities for new leadership; WHEREAS, Article VI of the Bylaws authorizes the Board to amend the Bylaws at a regular or special meeting with appropriate notice; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Directors of the Alaska Energy Authority: Section 1. Article II, Section 8 of the Bylaws is amended to read as follows: Section 8. Election of Chair and Vice Chair. The Chair and Vice-Chair shall be elected by the Board of Directors from its members at its annual meeting and shall hold office for two years or until their successors are elected as provided by law under AS 44.83.040(a). A Chair may serve up to two consecutive terms. The procedures for the election of the Chair and the Vice Chair are attached hereto as Exhibit A. Section 2. Exhibit A, Section 2 is amended to read as follows: Section 2. The Chair and Vice Chair shall serve for a term of two years or until his or her resignation or removal, if earlier. The Chair and Vice Chair may serve up to two consecutive terms. After serving two consecutive terms, the Chair or Vice Chair shall not be eligible for re-election to the same position until at least one intervening term has passed. Section 3. The Executive Director, acting as Secretary/Treasurer, is authorized and directed to update and publish the Bylaws and Exhibit A to reflect these amendments, and to circulate the updated Bylaws to Board members and post them for public inspection pursuant to Article V. Section 4. These amendments shall take effect immediately upon adoption of this Resolution. DATED at Anchorage, Alaska, this ___ day of __________, 2026. ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY ____________________________________ Chair ___________________________ Curtis W. Thayer, Secretary Corporate seal Alaska Energy Authority FY26 Operating BudgetOperating Budget to Actuals through 9/30/2025 with projectionsIn ThousandsAlaska Energy Authority - Budget Components FY26 Management Plan (Budget) FY26 Actuals FY26 Obligated Projected Remaining Projected Total Budget Less Projected Remaining % ProjectedOwned Facilities:Personal Services 1,123.9 243.1 243.1 729.3 972.4 151.5 87%Travel52.1 2.52.53.66.146.0 12%Services- - - - - - 0%Commodities18.0 - - - - 18.0 0%Capital Outlay5.0- - - - 5.0 0%Grants, Benefits- - - - - - 0%Total Owned Facilities1,199.0 245.6 245.6 732.8 978.5 220.5 82%Rural Energy Assistance:Personal Services8,923.9 1,563.8 1,563.8 4,691.3 6,255.0 2,668.9 70%Travel252.3 21.6 21.6 30.3 51.9 200.4 21%Services5,358.0 548.1 1,627.1 393.2 2,020.3 3,337.7 38%Commodities168.0 34.4 34.4 48.2 82.7 85.3 49%Capital Outlay10.0 0.60.61.72.27.822%Grants, Benefits100.0 - - - - 100.0 0%Total Rural Energy Assistance14,812.2 2,168.5 3,247.5 5,164.7 8,412.1 6,400.1 57%Power Cost Equalization:Personal Services420.0 110.0 110.0 310.0 420.0 - 100%Travel5.42.12.13.05.10.395%Services163.5 32.8 163.5 - 163.5 - 100%Commodities- - - - - - 0%Capital Outlay- - - - - - 0%Grants, Benefits47,694.8 13,127.5 13,127.5 34,232.9 47,360.4 334.4 99%Total Power Cost Equalization48,283.7 13,272.5 13,403.2 34,545.9 47,949.1 334.6 99%Statewide Projects (IIJA including CIPLink)Personal Services4,658.1 215.9 215.9 647.7 863.7 3,794.4 19%Travel78.5 - - - - 78.5 0%Services1,474.6 - - - - 1,474.6 0%Commodities- - - - - - 0%Capital Outlay- - - - - - 0%Grants, Benefits- - - - - - 0%Total Statewide Projects (IIJA including CIPLink)6,211.2 215.9 215.9 647.7 863.7 5,347.5 14% TOTAL ALL COMPONENTS70,506.1 15,902.5 17,112.2 41,091.2 58,203.4 12,302.7 83% Financing AEA’s Large Capital Projects Curtis W. ThayerExecutive Director AEA Board Meeting January 30, 2026 ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY 1 1 Dixon Diversion Expand the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric facility by diverting water from the Dixon Glacier into Bradley Lake, increasing energy output by approximately 180,000 MWh/year and displacing 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas annually. Project components include a diversion dam, a 4.7-mile tunnel, reservoir modifications, and access road construction. Project status as of January 2026: Fiscal Year 2026 funding secured, environmental studies in progress; FERC feedback under review; Board of Consultants meeting October 2025; design work and permitting activities ongoing. Cook Inlet PowerLink ±100 kV High Voltage Direct Current transmission system connecting the Bernice Lake and Beluga substations across Cook Inlet, designed for transfer bidirectionally of up to 200 megawatts to improve grid stability, redundancy, and renewable integration. Project status as of January 2025:Cook Inlet PowerLink has completed its Preliminary Engineering Design Basis Report and environmental routing studies. The project now advancing into detailed design, permitting, and procurement, with early vendor engagement confirming feasibility and alignment with DOE GRIP program timelines Large Capital Projects AEA BOD | January 30, 2026 2 AEA has secured initial funding for both projects, which are actively progressing through early development. However, substantial capital investment is still required to fully execute each initiative. Funding Status Overview Cook Inlet PowerLink Total cost: $413MM Funds raised to date: $270.7MM Funds still needed: $142.3MM Dixon Diversion Total cost: $361.7MM Funds raised to date: $19.7MM Funds still needed: $342MM AEA BOD | January 30, 2026 3 $3,600,000 $6,850,000 $13,084,000 $99,280,000 $86,391,000 $106,521,000 $9,352,000 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 $618,243 $881,757 $63,825,000 $63,825,000 $100,330,977 $99,565,091 $41,896,396 $42,057,536 $- 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Dixon Diversion ($342,000,000) Start of Construction: May 2027 Commissioning: December 2030 Target Date to Secure Funding: Q3 2026 Cook Inlet PowerLink ($413,000,000) Start of Construction: January 2029 Commissioning: April 2032 Target Date to Secure Funding: Q3 2026 Construction Cost Timeline AEA BOD | January 30, 2026 813 W Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99503  Phone: (907) 771-3000  Fax: (907) 771-3044  Email: info@akenergyauthority.org REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AKENERGYAUTHORITY.ORG MEMORANDUM TO: AEA Board of Directors THROUGH: Curtis Thayer, Executive Director FROM: Jim Mendenhall, P.E., Director of Owned Assets DATE: January 19, 2026 SUBJECT: Owned Assets Update Cook Inlet Power Link (CIPLink) 1) Environmental Review and 2026 Marine Survey Planning AEA issued a Task Order to HDR to advance environmental permitting and marine survey planning to support the summer 2026 field season. HDR and Stantec are coordinating to ensure that the marine survey data collected in summer 2026 will be sufficient to: • Define the HVDC cable route and landfall locations • Reduce technical uncertainty for cable suppliers • Enable accurate OEM pricing and risk allocation during procurement The 2026 marine survey scope of work emphasizes early geophysical characterization and will include: • High resolution bathymetry and geophysical surveys • Limited grab sampling to characterize seafloor conditions • Survey corridors wider than the final cable route to account for cable spacing, water depth, cable recovery, and installation tolerances • Daily survey data delivery to allow adaptive field adjustments At cable landfalls, the team is evaluating HDD versus open cut trenching based on thermal performance, constructability, and soil conditions. Lidar and desktop studies are being considered to support design and permitting. AEA is pursuing an ASCE Nationwide Permit approach for survey activities. Informal ESA consultation is underway with beluga whale consideration addressed through low impact survey methods. The expected agency review period is 8-12 weeks with permits targeted to be in hand by April 2026. Geotechnical drilling is not planned for the 2026 marine season. One onshore borehole per landfall location is anticipated later in the year. 2) Major Equipment Procurement Strategy (HVDC Converters and Cable) Stantec is supporting AEA to develop the procurement strategy and solicitation documents for long lead HVDC equipment. These components are expected to have multiyear lead times and represent a critical path for the project. Future contract packages will include HVDC converters Alaska Energy Authority Page 2 of 5 (near-term), HVDC submarine cable (near-term), overhead AC transmission, substations and terminations (later). AEA intends to issue RFIs and prequalification packages to cable and converter suppliers in early 2026 to gauge market interest and capability, understand delivery schedule, and inform the supplier arrangement type. Recent market information indicates that the cable market is more open than converters, though still constrained. Converter OEMs require a preferred supplier or negotiated arrangement before committing engineering resources. Firm pricing is typically available only after 30% design is complete. Stantec’s current task order includes preparation of procurement documents for OEM delivery, under which the OEM would design, manufacture, and install the equipment. Stantec’s procurement planning will include the development of budgetary pricing, delivery schedules, technical assumptions, and a 10-year O&M cost projection for major equipment. 3) System Configuration AEA has convened meetings with Stantec and EPS to focus on AC system constraints, reliability standards, and implications for overall project cost and configuration. Items discussed include: • Existing 115 kV lines between Soldotna and Bernice Lake including their capacity and thermal limits Note: Summer operating conditions constrain available line capacity. • VSC-based HVDC systems perform better than LCC-based systems in weak AC networks; however, they still require sufficient system strength and OEM-specific control tuning to manage oscillations and ensure stable operation. CIPLink is designed as a VSC system. Based on the discussions, AEA is considering the option of terminating the HVDC system at Soldotna instead of Nikiski. This configuration supports an initial 100 MW installation while preserving the ability to expand system capacity in the future. 4) Financial Status and DOE Coordination AEA has secured $64.2 million in combined state appropriations and Bradley Lake bond proceeds and continues to pursue additional funding to close project funding requirements of $142.3 million. Project expenditures through June 30, 2025, totaling $1,150,569.80 have been reimbursed by DOE. An additional $271,692 has been incurred thorough September 30, 2025. Following execution of Budget Period 2 (BP2) negotiations, AEA will submit an invoice for work completed from July 1, 2025, to date. AEA is actively collaborating with DOE to finalize the BP2 scope and budget. As part of these discussions, DOE has requested that BP2 reflects credits associated with work eliminated following the cancellation of Community Benefit Plan (CBP) requirements. AEA has developed a Alaska Energy Authority Page 3 of 5 revised estimate for BP2 that reallocates previously dedicated CBP funds to other eligible project activities, subject to DOE review and approval. Bradley Lake Expansion Project Design and licensing efforts are ongoing, with submittal of the FERC Draft License Amendment Application (DLAA) anticipated in early February 2026. The DLAA will include a 16’ pool raise. AEA will be hosting a workshop with the utilities on January 22nd to compare different raise configurations, and operational changes that will have to occur for those scenarios to avoid spilling water in average, low, and high water years. Invitations have been sent to O&D committee members and can be forwarded to interested parties at the utilities. AEA will also be holding a construction sequencing & scheduling workshop on January 27th to review and refresh the overall project schedule. Interested O&D members or utilities can reach out for an invitation. AEA is considering pursuing a Construction Manager / General Contractor (CM/GC) project delivery strategy for the Bradley Lake Expansion Project. This would involve bringing on a construction contractor early in the design phase to provide preconstruction services including constructability reviews, scheduling, logistics planning, and risk identification and mitigation. The Bradley Lake Expansion Project is a remote and complex project that would benefit from early contractor involvement. CMGC would increase upfront project cost but improve cost certainty. AEA responded and submitted to FERC, 61 comments from the Board of Consultants (BOC) following BOC meeting 2 discussing Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) and Seismic Hazard studies at Bradley. During the PMF study, it was discovered that the drainage area into Bradley Lake is much larger than calculated during the 1982 study resulting in a 44% larger PMF. Although the spillway was constructed with excess capacity, the new PMF would put the flood peak 2.5’ over the dam crest, into the parapet wall. In the absence of a pool raise, it is very likely FERC would require modifications to the dam or spillway during relicensing. Purchase of the 3-phase transformer is working through AEA procurement. This item has a 2- year lead time and is expected to cost around $500,000. The design for remaining power upgrades is 90% complete and that procurement is targeted for July 1, 2026. 2026 subsurface investigation plan is coming together, which will target 2 deep boreholes along the tunnel alignment. This drilling will take place in late June / early July. An onsite BOC meeting will be scheduled to overlap the drilling investigations. An updated construction cost estimate is expected by the end of January 2026. Design progressed significantly in 2025, and the updated estimate will reflect the design submitted in the DLAA and current and anticipated market conditions. Alaska Energy Authority Page 4 of 5 AEA is reviewing and will be soon publishing the following study reports: Wildlife Habitat Evaluation, Vegetation Mapping, Bradley Wetlands Report, and Bradley Lake Shoreline Erosion. Transmission Upgrades – Sterling to Quartz Creek & Soldotna to Sterling The Sterling Substation to Quartz Creek Transmission Line (SQ Line) Overall length of the SQ Line is 39 miles. The project is broken into three phases, each of the projects needs to have approximately a 40-day outage of the transmission line. • Phase 1 -The section is the 8 miles between Sterling and Johns Road was completed during the winter of 2024/2025. Field conditions for Phase 1 were difficult due to the warm weather and required ground matting to support the equipment. The section was as completed and energized to 115kV on February 28, 2025 • Phase 2 – Upgrade 17 miles through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. This section will be constructed in the winter 2026/2027. o Engineering  Final Geotechnical Report has been issued  90% Design Package in progress  Construction bid package is scheduled to be issued in May 2026 o Permitting  Finding of No Significant Impact for Right of Way Authorization signed by USFWS and USFS  Decision Record for Right of Way Authorization signed by USFWS  Working construction permit authorization with USFWS  All other permit applications have been submitted o Materials  Steel Pole Structures  Contract has been executed  Vendor calculations have been approved  Vendor drawings in development  Remaining materials to be purchased in Q1 2026 • Phase 3 (previously 3 & 4) – Upgrade 14 miles from The Russian River to the Quartz Creek Substation (CEA). This section will be constructed during the winter 2028/2029 o Engineering  Geotechnical engineering field work has been completed  Draft Geotechnical Report in progress  Preliminary foundation design in progress  Construction bid package is scheduled to be issued in February 2027 o Permitting  Finding of No Significant Impact for Right of Way Authorization signed by USFWS and USFS  Decision Record for Right of Way Authorization signed by USFWS Alaska Energy Authority Page 5 of 5 • $88,085,000 - Total estimate cost for SQ line upgrades • $14,200,000 – Phase 1 cost • $73,885,000 – Remaining work to be completed The Soldotna to Sterling Substation Transmission Line (SS Line) • This section is owned by HEA. • This project was planned to be constructed in the 2025/2026 winter. However, the project was put on hold due to the extremely high steel quotes for the structures and piling. In addition, the delivery window of the steel components did not fit with the anticipated construction window. • The original planned cost of the SS Line upgrades was $24.4M, the revised cost estimate with contingency is $36.1M. • With the SS line being postponed, the construction schedule has no work is planned for this winter. • The SS line upgrades are tentatively scheduled for winter of 2028/2029 • $36,135,000 -Total cost for SS upgrades $124,220,000 – Estimated cost of transmission upgrades. $ 49,704,955 - Estimated cost of substation upgrades. $173,924,955 – Estimated cost of transmission & substation upgrades 813 W Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99503  Phone: (907) 771-3000  Fax: (907) 771-3044  Email: info@akenergyauthority.org REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AKENERGYAUTHORITY.ORG MEMORANDUM TO: Alaska Energy Authority Board THRU: Curtis. W. Thayer, Executive Director FROM: Conner Erickson, Director of Planning DATE: January 21, 2026 RE: Planning Update Renewable Energy Fund (REF) • REF Round 17 – Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Update o The $6.3 million in funding as appropriated by the Legislature in support of those top six recommended projects as selected for award in Round 17 became effective as of September 11, 2025. It was found that the retroactivity clause found in the capital budget bill, Senate Bill 57, does in fact apply to the REF appropriation language and as such, these funds can be applied to grant reimbursements for in-scope project activities occurring on or after July 1, 2025. Five of the six grant agreements have been fully executed with the sixth agreement currently being refined between AEA and the grantee, with the grant agreement to be finalized in the near term. • REF Round 18 – Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Update o AEA issued its Request for Applications on July 14, 2025 with a corresponding submission deadline of September 12, 2025. As of the deadline, AEA received 34 applications comprising eight energy regions, seven renewable technologies and total grant request of $54.3 million. o In AEA’s stage one review for project/applicant eligibility and application completeness, two applications were rejected. The first was rejected for late submittal, and the second was determined to be a duplicate submission. Upon AEA’s completion of its stage one review, 32 applications have progressed onto stage two, representing a total grant request of $49.9 million. o The stage two review was completed in early December 2025, inclusive of the timely receipt of those independent application reviews by both the third-party consultant economist, and the State of Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources. During the stage two review, four applications were rejected on the basis of not securing over 40 points to advance onto stage three. Two of those rejected filed appeals for reconsideration whereupon both rejections were upheld upon further review by AEA. Alaska Energy Authority Page 2 of 3 o The rejection of those four applications in stage two has yielded a total of 29 applications recommended for funding in Round 18, for a total REF grant request of $41.1 million. On January 6, AEA met and conferred with the Renewable Energy Fund Advisory Committee (REFAC) concerning those 29 applications as reviewed, evaluated, and recommended for Round 18. REFAC members wholly concurred with AEA’s recommendations as presented. o AEA has provided a copy of REF Round 18 transmittal documents and corresponding project information concerning the 29 recommended projects to the Governor’s Office for review. AEA remains ready to submit its Round 18 recommendations in advance of the statutory deadline of January 30, 2026. Power Project Fund (PPF) Loan Program • The current PPF loan portfolio is comprised of 15 loans with an aggregate loan balance of $29.6 million. The current uncommitted loan balance is $10.3 million, which is anticipated to be used to finance two future PPF loans based on an anticipated loan request of nearly $5 million per loan. AEA remains in contact with several interested parties who intend to utilize the PPF loan program as part of the overall capital stack in financing their electric power projects; additionally, another borrower has expressed their intent to payoff their prevailing loan balance. • In November 2025 the following two PPF loans were fully paid off: o Loan no. 40901118 – Alaska Environmental Power LLC - $1.9 million (principal)  Proceeds for financing of Delta Wind Farm o Loan no. 40901101 – City of Atka - $706k (principal)  Proceeds for financing of Chuniisax Creek Hydroelectric facility • In November 2025, the two following PPF loans were fully disbursed: o Loan no. 40901158 – Puvurnaq Power Company (Kongiganak)  $81k for repairs and upgrades to gensets in utility powerhouse. o Loan no. 40901159 – Kipnuk Light Plant (Kipnuk)  $146k for the repair and restoration of electric service in Kipnuk owing to the infrastructure damage as a result of Typhoon Halong. 40101(d) Grid Resilience Formula Grant Program • AEA has secured $39.8 million in federal formula funds to date under this program to fund competitively-selected electric grid resilience projects. In order to access these federal funds, a 15% state match is required, for which AEA has successfully secured $9 million in state cost match. As of October 1, 2025 all three phase one sub-award agreements have been fully executed, funding three grid resilience projects along the Railbelt in an amount of $20.9 million. In early June 2025, AEA issued a second solicitation for grid resilience projects to competitively select and award under its second federal allocation. In Sept. 2025 AEA completed its review of applications received via this second solicitation and made preliminary selections of three projects for a total award of $17.7 million, which will fund resilience grid resilience projects within the Alaska Energy Authority Page 3 of 3 Railbelt and Southeast regions. In mid-October AEA’s selected projects were forwarded onto DOE for official review and approval. DOE’s review remains ongoing with final DOE approval anticipated by end of Q1 CY2026. AEA understands that a third and final allocation will be made available, estimated to be upwards of $20 million, but the timing of this final federal formula allocation is not known at this time, but would likely . AEA has $3.1 million in secured cost match to put towards the 15% requirement for the final allocation, additional state cost match may be required dependent on actual amount of this final allocation. Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund (EE RLF) Program • A new Memoradum of Agreement (MOA) between AEA and ASEC was executed on November 17, 2025, which includes and reflects programmatic changes approved by DOE in Oct 2025, in addition to a re-negotiated allocation of federal funds between AEA and the Alaska Sustainable Energy Corporation (ASEC), the new Alaska Housing Finance Corporation’s (AHFC) green bank entity, although created legally separate from AHFC. AEA & ASEC are working on closing out the initial RSA which supported the initial MOA, and issuing a new RSA using the new budget allocations agreed to in the new MOA with ASEC. • AHFC initially sought to leverage $4.7 million in EE RLF funds as awarded to AEA, and sub-awarded to AHFC via an MOA, to enable lower blended interest rates under its existing Energy Efficiency Interest Rate Reduction (EEIRR) program. As a result of the subsequent loss of IIJA/IRA funds for which AHFC had intended to use as capitalization for ASEC, these EE RLF funds will now be utilized to establish a new RLF within ASEC that will provide loans for residential properties to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy costs, while partnering with private capital lenders to de-risk loans. Owing to significantly increased cost for ASEC in establishing this new loan program, AEA and ASEC also re-negotiated the allocation of available admin funds (10% of total award) in the MOA. PAYMENTS RECEIVED LATE FEES RECEIVED INTEREST + LATE FEES ($573,996)$587 $229,980 15 TOTAL # OF PPF LOANS LOAN DASHBOARD REPORT For Board Meeting on 1/30/2026 AEA POWER PROJECT LOAN FUND FISCAL YEAR-TO-DATE LOAN PORTFOLIO ACTIVITY (07/01/2025 - 12/31/2025) LOAN ACTIVITY EARNINGS LOAN CATEGORY STARTING BALANCE FUNDS DISBURSED ENDING BALANCE INTEREST RECEIVED AEA Power Project Fund $29,293,893 $226,555 $28,946,453 $229,393 LOAN PROGRAM SUMMARY Outstanding Loans $28,946,452.50 Uncommitted Cash Balance $12,114,579.41 Loan Commitments $490,143.78 Total Loan Program $41,551,175.69 0 $0 0.000% TOTAL # OF DELINQUENT LOANS LOANS DELINQUENT AMOUNT ($) % OF DELINQUENT LOANS ($) Page 1 TOTAL ($) $1,736,083 $350,904 $876,507 $7,045,202 $17,391,304 $2,036,597 $29,436,596 AEA POWER PROJECT FUND LOANS BY ENERGY REGION & PROJECT TYPE OUTSTANDING BALANCES & NEW ACTIVITY ENERGY REGION AEA PPF LOAN BALANCE REMAINING LOAN COMMITMENTS NEW APPLICATIONS IN PROCESS # OF AEA PPF LOANS ALEUTIANS $1,736,083 --2 BRISTOL BAY $350,904 --1 LOWER YUKO- KUSKOKWIM $876,507 --4 RAILBELT $7,045,202 --4 SOUTHEAST $17,391,304 --1 YUKON-KOYUKUK/U TANA $1,546,453 $490,144 -3 TOTAL $28,946,452 $490,144 -15 AEA PPF LOANS BY PROJECT TYPE AEA PPF LOANS BY PROJECT TYPE - BALANCE (NEW & OUTSTANDING) PROJECT TYPE # OF PROJECTS PROJECT TYPE BALANCE DIESEL 6 HYDRO $20,301,003.01 HYDRO 3 SOLAR $5,466,267.12 SOLAR 3 TRANSMISSION $1,966,667.00 DIESEL $1,258,583.90WIND1 WIND $405,318.89BIOMASS1 TRANSMISSION 1 BIOMASS $38,756.36 Page 2 LOAN NUMBER ENERGY REGION PROJECT TYPE BALANCE PRINCIPAL INTEREST CHARGES DELINQUENCY STATUS ORIGINAL LOANAMOUNT REMAINING COMMITMENTS PAYMENTPERIOD 40901099 ALEUTIANS WIND $405,318.89 $815,575.00 ($618,623.75)$0.00 Current $815,575.00 $0.00 SemiAnnually 40901112 RAILBELT HYDRO $1,578,934.63 $2,082,978.54 ($1,123,387.58)$0.00 Current $2,082,978.54 $0.00 SemiAnnually 40901115 TERM SOUTHEAST HYDRO $17,391,304.40 $20,000,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 Current $20,000,000.00 $0.00 Quarterly 40901132 ALEUTIANS HYDRO $1,330,763.98 $1,422,803.00 ($452,655.43)$0.00 Current $1,422,803.00 $0.00 Quarterly 40901133 LOWER YUKO-KUSKOKWIM DIESEL $115,181.48 $235,138.96 ($70,254.62)$0.00 Current $235,138.96 $0.00 Monthly 40901137 YUKON-KOYUKUK/U TANA BIOMASS $38,756.36 $117,000.00 ($22,037.23)$0.00 Current $117,000.00 $0.00 Monthly 40901139 BRISTOL BAY DIESEL $350,903.64 $498,185.78 ($123,147.76)$0.00 Current $498,185.78 $0.00 Quarterly 40901140 TERM YUKON-KOYUKUK/U TANA DIESEL $31,173.68 $57,196.79 ($6,561.41)$0.00 Current $57,196.79 $0.00 Monthly 40901143 RAILBELT SOLAR $476,071.99 $814,233.52 ($119,207.49)$0.00 Current $814,233.52 $0.00 SemiAnnually 40901148 LOWER YUKO-KUSKOKWIM DIESEL $534,770.10 $703,275.70 ($67,564.00)$0.00 Current $703,275.70 $0.00 Monthly 40901149 YUKON-KOYUKUK/U TANA TRANSMISSION $1,476,523.22 $1,476,523.22 ($166,801.60)$0.00 Current $1,966,667.00 $490,143.78 Monthly 40901151 RAILBELT SOLAR $4,544,995.00 $4,994,500.00 ($284,393.88)$0.00 Current $4,994,500.00 $0.00 Quarterly 40901153 RAILBELT SOLAR $445,200.13 $504,000.00 ($50,439.40)$0.00 Current $504,000.00 $0.00 Monthly 40901158 LOWER YUKO-KUSKOKWIM DIESEL $80,600.00 $80,600.00 $0.00 $0.00 Current $80,600.00 $0.00 Monthly 40901159 LOWER YUKO-KUSKOKWIM DIESEL $145,955.00 $145,955.00 $0.00 $0.00 Current $145,955.00 $0.00 Quarterly Total: $28,946,452.50 $33,947,965.51 ($3,105,074.15)$0.00 $34,438,109.29 $490,143.78 LOANS BY ENERGY REGION 71 POWERPR 71 POWERPR 71 POWERPR 711 PPF AP 711 PPF AP 711 PPF AP ENERGY REGION # OF AEA PPFLOAN (ACTIVE)AEA PPF LOANBALANCE REMAINING LOANCOMMITMENTS NEW APPLICATIONS INPROCESS # OF NEW APPS INPROCESS TOTAL # OF LOANS TOTAL ALEUTIANS 2 $1,736,082.87 $0.00 0 2 $1,736,082.87 BRISTOL BAY 1 $350,903.64 $0.00 0 1 $350,903.64 LOWER YUKO-KUSKOKWIM 4 $876,506.58 $0.00 0 4 $876,506.58 RAILBELT 4 $7,045,201.75 $0.00 0 4 $7,045,201.75 SOUTHEAST 1 $17,391,304.40 $0.00 0 1 $17,391,304.40 YUKON-KOYUKUK/U TANA 3 $1,546,453.26 $490,143.78 0 3 $2,036,597.04 TOTALS 15 $28,946,452.50 $490,143.78 0 15 $29,436,596.28 LOANS BY PROJECT TYPE 71 POWERPR 71 POWERPR 71 POWERPR 711 PPF AP 711 PPF AP 711 PPF AP PROJECT TYPE # OF AEA PPFLOAN (ACTIVE)AEA PPF LOANBALANCE REMAINING LOANCOMMITMENTS NEW APPLICATIONS INPROCESS # OF NEW APPS INPROCESS TOTAL # OF LOANS TOTAL BIOMASS 1 $38,756.36 $0.00 0 1 $38,756.36 DIESEL 6 $1,258,583.90 $0.00 0 6 $1,258,583.90 HYDRO 3 $20,301,003.01 $0.00 0 3 $20,301,003.01 SOLAR 3 $5,466,267.12 $0.00 0 3 $5,466,267.12 TRANSMISSION 1 $1,476,523.22 $490,143.78 0 1 $1,966,667.00 WIND 1 $405,318.89 $0.00 0 1 $405,318.89 TOTALS 15 $28,946,452.50 $490,143.78 0 15 $29,436,596.28 AEA POWER PROJECT FUND LOANS BY ENERGY REGION DESCRIPTION ALEUTIAN WIND ENERGY, LLC SOUTHFORK HYDRO, LLC HAIDA ENERGY, INC CITY OF KING COVE NEWTOK VILLAGE COUNCIL DBA UNGUSRAQ POWER COMPANY NATIVE VILLAGE OF TANACROSS TANALIAN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC PENINSULA SOLAR, LLC PUVURNAQ POWER COMPANY KIPNUK LIGHT PLANT TAKOTNA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ALASKA RENEWABLE ENERGY PARTNERS, LLC CITY OF CHEFORNAK CITY OF GALENA ENERGY 49, LLC Page 3 LOAN NUMBER FUND NUMBER ENERGY REGION PROJECT TYPE TOTALLOAN AMOUNT BALANCE PRINCIPAL DELINQUENCY STATUS PAYMENT AMOUNT CHARGES NEXT PAYMENT DATE PAYMENT PERIOD 40901099 E2801 ALEUTIANS WIND $815,575.00 $405,318.89 $815,575.00 Current $32,516.80 - 1/1/2026 SemiAnnually 40901112 E2801 RAILBELT HYDRO $2,082,978.54 $1,578,934.63 $2,082,978.54 Current $55,518.09 - 7/1/2026 SemiAnnually 40901115 TERM E2801 SOUTHEAST HYDRO $20,000,000.00 $17,391,304.40 $20,000,000.00 Current $108,695.65 - 4/1/2026 Quarterly 40901132 E2801 ALEUTIANS HYDRO $1,422,803.00 $1,330,763.98 $1,422,803.00 Current $19,354.24 - 4/1/2026 Quarterly 40901133 E2801 LOWER YUKO-KUSKOKWIM DIESEL $235,138.96 $115,181.48 $235,138.96 Current $1,851.60 - 2/1/2026 Monthly 40901137 E2801 YUKON-KOYUKUK/U TANA BIOMASS $117,000.00 $38,756.36 $117,000.00 Current $1,179.22 - 2/1/2026 Monthly 40901139 E2801 BRISTOL BAY DIESEL $498,185.78 $350,903.64 $498,185.78 Current $9,014.33 - 4/1/2026 Quarterly 40901140 TERM E2801 YUKON-KOYUKUK/U TANA DIESEL $57,196.79 $31,173.68 $57,196.79 Current $552.28 - 2/1/2026 Monthly 40901143 E2801 RAILBELT SOLAR $814,233.52 $476,071.99 $814,233.52 Current $14,091.30 - 7/1/2026 SemiAnnually 40901148 E2801 LOWER YUKO-KUSKOKWIM DIESEL $703,275.70 $534,770.10 $703,275.70 Current $5,746.02 - 2/1/2026 Monthly 40901149 E2801 YUKON-KOYUKUK/U TANA TRANSMISSION $1,966,667.00 $1,476,523.22 $1,476,523.22 Current $3,573.99 - 2/1/2026 Monthly 40901151 E2801 RAILBELT SOLAR $4,994,500.00 $4,544,995.00 $4,994,500.00 Current $85,269.39 - 4/1/2026 Quarterly 40901153 E2801 RAILBELT SOLAR $504,000.00 $445,200.13 $504,000.00 Current $5,951.92 - 2/1/2026 Monthly 40901158 E2801 LOWER YUKO-KUSKOKWIM DIESEL $80,000.00 $80,600.00 $80,600.00 Current $1,886.47 - 1/1/2026 Monthly 40901159 E2801 LOWER YUKO-KUSKOKWIM DIESEL $145,500.00 $145,955.00 $145,955.00 Current $7,400.76 - 1/1/2026 Quarterly $34,437,054.29 $28,946,452.50 $33,947,965.51 $352,602.06 - PPF LOAN BALANCE # OF DELINQUENT LOANS $ % OF DELINQUENT LOAN TO PPF BALANCE No Payment Due 0 $28,946,452.50 0 0.000%Loan Current 15 Loan Past Due 0 Total Loans 15 AEA POWER PROJECT FUND LOAN - DELINQUENCIES DESCRIPTION ALEUTIAN WIND ENERGY, LLC SOUTHFORK HYDRO, LLC HAIDA ENERGY, INC CITY OF KING COVE NEWTOK VILLAGE COUNCIL DBA UNGUSRAQ POWER COMPANY NATIVE VILLAGE OF TANACROSS TANALIAN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC TAKOTNA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ALASKA RENEWABLE ENERGY PARTNERS, LLC CITY OF CHEFORNAK CITY OF GALENA ENERGY 49, LLC 15 PENINSULA SOLAR, LLC PUVURNAQ POWER COMPANY KIPNUK LIGHT PLANT # OF LOANS Page 4 Loan Number Commited Amount Amount Dispersed Remaining Amount Date Commited LOC Maturity Date 40901149 $1,966,667.00 $1,476,523.22 $490,143.78 4/14/2020 12/31/2026 $1,966,667.00 $1,476,523.22 $490,143.78 CITY OF GALENA Total: UNDISBURSED FUNDS OR PROJECTS NOT COMPLETED USING POWER PROJECT LOAN FUND Borrower Name DOCUMENTS COMPLETED Page 5 Loan Number Date Received Project Location Region Project Description Amount Requested Total: UNCOMMITTED POWER PROJECT LOAN APPLICATIONS Borrower Name Page 6 $13,540,190.15 + Unposted PPF AIM $31,380.77 + Unposted Ops AIM $0.00 -Remaining FY25 Budget Commitment $0.00 -Remaining FY26 Budget Commitment ($966,847.73) $12,604,723.19 -Undisbursed Loan Commitments per attached ($490,143.78) $12,114,579.41 Uncommitted Cash Balance $12,114,579.41 - Pending applications per attached $12,114,579.41 Outstanding Loans $28,946,452.50 Uncommitted Cash Balance $12,114,579.41 Loan Commitments $490,143.78 Total Loan Program $41,551,175.69 UNCOMMITED CASH BALANCE POWER PROJECT LOAN FUND Cash balance per G/L 10236 Adjusted Cash Balance Uncommited Cash Balance Page 7 813 West Northern Lights Boulevard, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 T 907.771.3000 Toll Free 888.300.8534 F 907.771.3044 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AKENERGYAUTHORITY.ORG DATE: January 20, 2026 TO: Alaska Energy Authority – Board of Directors THROUGH: Curtis Thayer, Executive Director FROM: Audrey Alstrom, Director – Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency SUBJECT: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (REEE) Program Update Electric Vehicles AEA continues to lead the Alaska Electric Vehicle Working Group (AKEVWG), a forum for convening stakeholders to advance electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure planning and share information across the state. The group met this past quarter with a panel of experts on EV battery safety and shipping to discuss the recent changes to EV shipping policies impacting Alaska. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program Funding Agency: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Total Budget: $52,415,294 Status: Active Scope: Construct EV charging stations in compliance with 23 CFR 680 standards, prioritizing major corridors. Update: FHWA issued updated NEVI guidance in August 2025, and Alaska’s revised plan was approved in October 2025. With approval, FY26 funds are available, and project activities are moving forward. AEA’s proposed budget has been approved by DOT&PF, and both entities are re-engaging prospective awardees to finalize agreements in compliance with Section 680, aiming for a fully built-out status and transition to Phase II (off-corridor site development). Alaska Rural EVSE Deployment (ARED) Project Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Vehicle Technologies Office Total Budget: $2,087,479 Status: Active Scope: This project supports the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across rural Alaska through community outreach, technical assistance, site host training, and installation of EVSE. Update: AEA is continuing engagement with rural communities and organizations to identify viable sites for charger deployment. Sites have been selected in Valdez and Cordova pending grant agreements, with installation underway and complete in Delta Junction and Glenallen, Alaska Energy Authority Page 2 of 5 respectively. Targeted outreach and technical assistance are planned for Bethel, Galena, Kotzebue, Sitka, Skagway, and Tok to complete site identification. Hydroelectric In December 2025, AEA initiated a statewide survey of small hydro utilities to assess their current use of renewable energy credits (RECs). The results will help AEA determine if it's feasible to aggregate utility MWh for participation in a REC marketplace, allowing AEA to leverage collective scale to reduce brokerage costs. AEA will complete the analysis of the survey responses and present the finalized findings in the next reporting period. Fivemile Creek Hydroelectric Project (AEA-managed) Funding Agency: Denali Commission, DOE, AEA REF Budget: $11,395,000 Status: Active Scope: 250 kW run-of-river hydroelectric generator to be installed on Fivemile Creek, providing power to Chitina, AK. Update: DOE approved modification #3 on their award to Chitina Electric, enabling the project to move forward with procurement activities. Complete Environmental Assessment has been submitted and approved by the Denali Commission, with DOE’s NEPA approval outstanding. Construction activities are targeted for summer 2026, pending NEPA approval. Energy Efficiency and State Energy Program (SEP) AEA’s Energy Efficiency Program provides statewide technical assistance, outreach, education, and grant support aimed at improving energy efficiency and increasing energy awareness. AEA receives annual formula funding through the federal State Energy Program (SEP), which is allocated 50/50 with the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) for residential energy initiatives. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), AEA has also received several additional formula-funded awards, summarized in the sections below. PY25 SEP Formula (Annual) Funding Agency: DOE Budget: $515,430 Status: Active Scope: Program management and development, outreach and education, building monitoring, data management & analysis, rater and inspector training. Funds are split with AHFC. Update: AEA’s portion of the funds will support the management and improvement of the AEA data library, as well as the continuation of energy efficiency outreach and education through programs such as REAP’s Power Pledge Challenge and Clean Energy Olympics. SEP-BIL Alaska Funding Agency: DOE Alaska Energy Authority Page 3 of 5 Budget: $3,661,930 Status: Active Scope: Energy construction projects, energy program development, energy security plan development, training and workforce development, outreach and education, grid planning, state energy plan, AKWarm. Funds are split with AHFC. Update: A portion of the SEP-BIL funds was used to develop and execute strategies outlined in the Alaska State Energy Security Plan and the Energy Security Task Force Report. Additionally, $1 million was set aside to support RE-VEEP projects. We recently launched a RE-VEEP Request for Applications (RFA) to support energy efficiency projects for community and public facilities across the state. The application is open through February 27, 2026, and more information can be found on AEA’s website. EECBG Funding Agency: DOE Budget: $1,627,450 Status: Active Scope: Sub-grants to eligible local governments within Alaska to finance building-scale renewable energy, energy efficiency, and conservation projects in public buildings and facilities located in rural Alaska. Update: Through RE-VEEP, funds have been awarded to rural projects in Chignik, Nenana, Kachemak, Lake and Peninsula Borough, Seldovia, Unalaska, and Whittier that are in various stages of implementing efficiency upgrades in their communities. The City of Whittier’s RE-VEEP project was recently completed, which upgraded lighting along the Whittier Harbor seawalk and the Small Boat Harbor launch ramp to High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) streetlights and compact floodlights. Home Efficiency Rebates Funding Agency: DOE Early Admin Budget (fully awarded): $934,127.96 Full Budget (awarded but conditioned): $37,293,071, including early admin Status: Active Scope: Rebates to finance single and multifamily-energy-efficient home retrofits. Early administrative funds will be used to prepare for the deployment of Alaska’s Home Energy Rebates program. AHFC to implement. Update: AEA and AHFC are currently awaiting DOE’s formal review of the application and any subsequent negotiations to lift conditions on funding. AHFC has been moving forward with programmatic work in preparation for executing full programs. Working with its technical integrator, they have developed a foundation for an online rebate application and an administrative portal and are drafting the Consumer Protection and Market Transformation Plans. Alaska Energy Authority Page 4 of 5 Home Electrification and Appliances Rebates Funding Agency: DOE Early Admin Budget (fully awarded): $928,655.94 Full Budget (awarded but conditioned): $37,150,940 including early admin Status: Active Scope: Rebates to finance high-efficiency electric projects and appliances in single-family and multifamily buildings. Early administrative funds will be used to prepare for the deployment of Alaska’s Home Energy Rebates program. AHFC to implement. Update: AEA and AHFC are currently awaiting DOE’s formal review of the application and any subsequent negotiations to lift conditions on funding. AHFC has been moving forward with programmatic work in preparation for executing full programs. Working with its technical integrator, they have developed a foundation for an online rebate application and an administrative portal, and are drafting the Consumer Protection and Market Transformation Plans. Training Residential Energy Contractors – Formula Funding Agency: DOE Budget: $1,296,870 Status: Active Scope: Supplement existing workforce development programs and create new workforce programs to (1) reduce the cost of training contractor employees; (2) provide testing and certification to contractors who are training and educated under a state program; and (3) partner with nonprofit organizations to develop and implement a state program that will achieve these goals. AHFC to implement. Update: AEA is working with AHFC and DOE to create an effective program specific to Alaskan workforce needs. Biomass The Biomass Program continues to help develop biomass energy projects in Alaska that focus on using organic material as a feedstock, including landfill gas-to-energy projects, community-scale district heating loops, and combined heat and power. AEA staff continue to co-lead the Alaska Biofuels Advisory Group with DOT&PF and the Alaska Wood Energy Development Task Group (AWEDTG) to conduct prefeasibility studies, system design, technical assistance, operator training, and outreach. 2022 – Wood Innovations Grant Funding Agency: United States Forest Service (USFS) Budget: Federal – $112,500; State – $112,500 Status: Active Project Scope: Provide operator training, technical assistance, and O&M training. Alaska Energy Authority Page 5 of 5 Update: In coordination with the AWEDTG, AEA is planning for an Alaska Wood Energy Conference, scheduled to take place April 15-16, 2026, in Fairbanks. 2025 – Wood Innovations Grant Funding Agency: United States Forest Service (USFS) Budget: Federal – $184,650.50; State – $ 184,650.50 Status: Active Scope: Conduct engineering design for cordwood biomass systems in Dillingham, Galena, Glennallen, and Elim. These four communities were selected as the best candidates for biomass systems following prefeasibility studies funded by the FY 2019 Wood Innovations Grant. In collaboration with the Alaska Wood Energy Development Task Group, AEA will establish a strategic alignment team to support and engage communities in overcoming market barriers and stimulating the expansion of wood energy. Update: AEA received the award in September 2025, approved the internal project management plan, and is moving forward with project activities. 2025 – Community Wood Grant Funding Agency: United States Forest Service (USFS) Budget: Federal – $836,723; State – $836,723; Community Match – $78,540 Status: Active Scope: AEA, in partnership with the Alaska Gateway School District (AGSD) will modernize and expand the woodchip-fired combined heat and power (CHP) system. The redesigned system will integrate with GE Vernova’s solar photovoltaic array, battery energy storage system (BESS), and multi-port converter to create a secure, reliable, and independent energy system. Update: AEA is in the procurement process for the engineering and design. Match funding for this grant was secured through the Denali Commission in December 2025, and staff are working through the grant award process. Solar State of Alaska Solar for All (AKSFA) Funding Agency: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Budget: $62,450,000 Status: Closed Scope: Community solar and residential, rooftop solar projects throughout Alaska. Funds are split with AHFC. Update: In August 2025, the EPA informed AEA that the Solar for All program was being terminated nationwide, including our SFA grant award. Staff completed and submitted the closeout documents by the December 5, 2025, deadline. 813 W Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99503  Phone: (907) 771-3000  Fax: (907) 771-3044  Email: info@akenergyauthority.org REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AKENERGYAUTHORITY.ORG MEMORANDUM TO: Alaska Energy Authority Board THRU: Curtis W. Thayer, Executive Director FROM: Chris McConnell, Rural Programs Manager DATE: January 20, 2026 RE: Rural Programs Update Winter Storm Activity: • Napaskiak outage due to distribution failure and related powerhouse issues. AEA coordinated mobilization of linemen crew who restored power on 12/10. AEA led troubleshooting of powerhouse gensets after startup and determined no significant damage to engines after outage. • Akiak continues to operate on a single engine, AEA managed install of #2 backup scheduled for end of January. Akiak experienced a one day outage unrelated to engine issues. A ground fault was determined to be cause and fixed through troubleshooting by independent contractor. Alaska Bulk Fuel Infrastructure Project (ABFIP): • Shageluk - AVEC and City co-located facility - Construction ITB went out to bid on January 16 and closes on February 3. Construction scheduled for Summer 2026. • Tuluksak - Yuppit School District added to previously completed Design documents for the Tulkisarmute Native Corporation facility. ITB planned for Spring 2026 • Russian Mission - Russian Mission Native Corporation, site control for new facility near complete as Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska has agreed to sell property. Site visit scheduled for January. • Aniak - City of Aniak signed grant for a Conceptual Design Review of city, Aniak Light and Power and Kuskokwim Corporation fuel needs in Aniak. • Eek - Geotech engineering complete and 65% design documents expected in March 2026. • Tanks procured for communities of Shageluk and Tuluksak, tanks for Eek and Shageluk out to bid through Alaska Village Electric Cooperative. $3,717 $18,619 $13,208 $5,581 $9,531 $5,708 $3,717 $22,336 $35,543 $41,124 $50,655 $56,363 $993,794 $1,003,314 $1,013,891 $1,009,413 $1,018,818 $1,014,404 0.39%1.96%1.38%0.58%0.99%0.60%0.39%2.35%3.71%4.31%5.26%5.89%0.00%1.00%2.00%3.00%4.00%5.00%6.00%7.00%$0$200,000$400,000$600,000$800,000$1,000,000$1,200,000JulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecemberPower Cost Equalization (PCE) Endowment Fund (Managed by APFC)Reporting of Investment Gain (Loss) by Month and YTD - Presented in Thousandsand Fund Balance by Month as of 12/31/2025Series1Series2Series3Series4Series5 813 W Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99503  Phone: (907) 771-3000  Fax: (907) 771-3044  Email: info@akenergyauthority.org REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AKENERGYAUTHORITY.ORG MEMORANDUM TO: Alaska Energy Authority Board THRU: Curtis. W. Thayer, Executive Director FROM: Karen Bell, RTO Program Manager DATE: January 20, 2026 RE: Railbelt Transmission Organization (RTO) Update The RTO filed a proposed open access transmission tariff (OATT) with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) on July 1st, meeting its statutory deadline. The current filing seeks approval of the OATT’s terms and conditions and a formulaic revenue mechanism that is nondiscriminatory and consistent with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission standards. The RTO did not propose an inception cost of service in this filing and requested the OATT become effective at the time the RCA approves or accepts the RTO’s future initial cost of service filing. The RCA issued order U-25-028(1) suspending the RTO's tariff filing into a docket for investigation. The RCA opened two public comment periods on the RTO’s filing, and the RTO filed responses to comments received during both public comment periods. On September 12th, the RTO filed pre-filed direct testimony from five witnesses. The RCA approved the proposed procedural schedule and granted intervention to the thirteen parties that petitioned for it. The Office of the Attorney General, Regulatory Affairs and Public Advocacy Section (RAPA), Golden Valley Electric Association, Homer Electric Association, Renewable Energy Alaska Project, and Seward Electric System filed responsive testimony on October 22nd. The RTO filed responses to issuing questions in Orders U-25-028(1) and U-25-028(7) on November 14th. The RTO filed reply testimony from its five witnesses on December 19th. The RTO filed a reply to Order U-25-028(8) that included three questions that required responses from all intervenors on January 6th. The RTO filed comments in response to Order U-25-028(9) that announced proposed decisions regarding to the Alaska Intertie Agreement on January 12th. A hearing is scheduled at the RCA from February 17th through March 6th of 2026, as necessary. A final order in the docket is due June 4th. The RTO Governance Committee held public meetings on November 7, December 5, December 17, January 8, and January 16. The three RTO subcommittees created by Resolution No. 25-01, which are finance, tariff, and the technical, have been established and are meeting on an ongoing basis. 813 W Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99503  Phone: (907) 771-3000  Fax: (907) 771-3044  Email: info@akenergyauthority.org REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AKENERGYAUTHORITY.ORG MEMORANDUM TO: Board of Directors FROM: Leonard Robertson, Chief Information Officer THROUGH: Curtis Thayer, Executive Director DATE: January 22, 2026 RE: IT Update • Zoom Phones Procurement in Progress o Contract for procurement and professional services for Zoom Phones to streamline and modernize communications and reduce long-term costs. • SharePoint & OneDrive Migration Advancements o Continuing migration of traditional on-premise network files to SharePoint/OneDrive to improve accessibility, searchability, resiliency, and data security. • Adobe Enterprise Migration o Transitioning AEA to the new Adobe enterprise platform with Single Sign-On (SSO), improving security and reducing licensing overhead. • Sylogist Upgrade: o AEA's new finance and accounting platform is almost finished being customized. Importing of historical data will begin shortly along with training. Alaska Energy Authority Federal Funding Tracker 1/21/2026 534,857,743$ 258,686,447$ 148,212,613$ Status Source Program Name Award / Request ($) Required Match (%) Required Match ($) Remaining Match Needed ($) 1-Awarded IIJA CIPLink - Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program Topic 3 - Subsea HVDC Line $ 206,500,000 100% $ 206,500,000 142,300,000$ 1-Awarded IIJA National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI) - Formula Funding FFY22-FFY26 $ 52,415,294 20% $ 10,483,059 -$ 1-Awarded IIJA Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid to States and Indian Tribes - Formula Funding FFY22-FFY26 $ 39,801,510 15% $ 9,082,895 -$ 1-Awarded Other Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot - National Defense Authorization Act - Black Rapids Training Site $ 15,602,648 0% $ - -$ 1-Awarded Other Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust 8,125,000$ 0%-$ -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1592 / Bulk Fuel Storage Upgrade - Scammon Bay, Alaska 5,971,892$ 20% $ 2,900,000 1-Awarded IJA DC 1761 / Tuluksak BFU ABFIP 5,314,810$ 0% $ - -$ 1-Awarded IIJA Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Capitalization Program - IIJA 40502 $ 4,782,480 0% $ - -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1557 / Barge Headers and Fill Lines 4,201,820$ 20% $ 1,050,455 1-Awarded IIJA State Energy Program Funding $ 3,661,930 0% $ - -$ TOTALS REPORT LAST UPDATED: 1 of 5 1/21/2026 Alaska Energy Authority Federal Funding Tracker Status Source Program Name Award / Request ($) Required Match (%) Required Match ($) Remaining Match Needed ($) 1-Awarded Other Fivemile Creek Hydroelectric Project: REF ($3.4M) + USDA High Energy Cost Grant ($2.8M) + DC Supplemental ($675k) 3,537,626$ 0% -$ -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1731 / Shungnak Bulk Fuel Upgrade 3,296,032$ 50% $ 1,800,000 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1937 / Shageluk Bulk Fuel Upgrade ABFIP 3,200,000$ $ 302,500 1-Awarded Other High Energy Cost Grant - USDA RUS - Kipnuk $ 3,000,000 1-Awarded Other High Energy Cost Grants - USDA RUS - Napaskiak $ 2,974,420 0% $ 1,601,610 -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1500 / Bulk Fuel Operator Training 2,255,000$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1575 / Nelson Lagoon RPSU 2,085,455$ $ 1,950,000 1-Awarded Other High Energy Cost Grants - USDA RUS - Manokotak $ 2,000,000 15% $ 300,000 -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1946 / Tuluksak Rural Power System (RPSU) 2,000,000$ 10% $ 524,000 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1942 / Manokotak RPSU & HR 1,800,000$ 10% $ 2,083,377 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1515 / Circuit Rider Program 1,747,306$ $ 314,461 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1576 / Remote Power System Upgrade - Rampart, Alaska 1,733,740$ 20% $ 357,310 1-Awarded Other Vehicle Technology Office FFY 2022 (ARED) $ 1,670,000 20% $ 417,500 204,737$ 1-Awarded IIJA Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant - IIJA 40552b $ 1,627,450 0% $ - -$ 1-Awarded IRA Training for Residential Energy Contractors (TREC) - Formula Funding $ 1,293,870 0% $ - -$ 2 of 5 1/21/2026 Alaska Energy Authority Federal Funding Tracker Status Source Program Name Award / Request ($) Required Match (%) Required Match ($) Remaining Match Needed ($) 1-Awarded Annual Diesel Emissions Reduction Act 2023 -2024 $ 1,230,478 50% $ 1,230,478 -$ 1-Awarded Annual Diesel Emissions Reduction Act 2019 -2020 $ 1,025,748 50% $ 1,025,748 -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1949 / Maintenance and Improvement of Rural Power Systems 1,000,000$ 20% $ 250,000 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1890 / Napaskiak Distribution Upgrades 985,015$ 20% $ 246,288 1-Awarded Annual Diesel Emissions Reduction Act 2022 -2021 $ 964,479 50% $ 964,479 -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1600 / Village Energy Efficiency Program 875,000$ $ 386,767 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC XXXX / Russian Mission Mini CDR & 65% design ABFIP 861,646$ 1-Awarded Other USFS Community Wood Energy Grant FY 2025 $ 836,723 100% $ 915,265 $ 707,876 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1830 / Kipnuk Distributions Upgrades 800,000$ 20% $ 750,000 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1964 / Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Match 790,122$ $ 1,580,245 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC XXXX / Eek BFU 65% design ABFIP 776,082$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1784 / Power Plant Operator Training 750,000$ $ 44,415 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1938 / Manokotak Electric Distribution Upgrade 667,885$ 10% $ 3,404,793 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1950 / Bulk Fuel Maintenance & Improvement 550,000$ 1-Awarded Annual State Energy Program Funding 2025 $ 515,430 0%-$ -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1983 / Bulk Fuel Project Development 500,000$ 0% $ - -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1544 / Itinerant Utility Training 500,000$ 1-Awarded Annual State Energy Program Funding 2024 $ 480,580 0%-$ -$ 1-Awarded IIJA DC 1825 / Kwethluk Emergency Generators Repairs and Replacement 350,000$ 20% $ 87,500 -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1868 / Bulk Fuel Aggregate Study 315,000$ 3 of 5 1/21/2026 Alaska Energy Authority Federal Funding Tracker Status Source Program Name Award / Request ($) Required Match (%) Required Match ($) Remaining Match Needed ($) 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1928 / Birch Creek RPSU 250,000$ $ 80,000 1-Awarded Other EETF Microgrid Technology 250,000$ 50% 250,000$ -$ 1-Awarded IIJA DC 1735 / Ruby Power Plant Leveling 200,000$ 20% $ 40,000 -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1704 / Chalkyitsik RPSU 200,000$ 1-Awarded Other USFS Wood Innovation Grant FY 2025 $ 184,651 100% $ 184,651 -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC XXXX / Aniak BFU CDR ABFIP 179,195$ 1-Awarded Other USFS Sustainable Wood Energy Systems 2022 $ 112,500 100% $ 112,500 -$ 1-Awarded Denali Commission DC 1903 - Southeast Island School District Biomass Projects 64,915$ 69% 44,845$ -$ 2-Conditional Award IRA Home Efficiency Rebate (formula funding) $ 37,293,071 0% $ - -$ 2-Conditional Award IRA Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (formula funding) $ 37,150,940 0% $ - -$ 2-Conditional Award Other High Energy Cost Grants - USDA RUS - Kipnuk $ 3,000,000 0% $ 2,421,306 -$ 3-Pending Review Other Technical Assistance Request: Cost allocation / recovery methodolgy design for AEA owned assets under RTO's OATT. -$ 0 -$ -$ 3-Pending Review Other DOE Request for Information: Speed to Power -$ 0 -$ -$ 4-Application in Progress Other CWX-018-GDO: Collaborations Advancing Rapid Load Additions (CARLA)5,600,000$ 0%-$ -$ 4-Application Pending IIJA FY26 Maritime Administration Port Infrastructure Development Program (MARAD PIDP) Grant TBD 20%* (can be reduced for projects in rural areas)TBD TBD 4-Application Pending Other EDA grant marine bulk fuel improvements 25,000,000$ 0%0 0 4 of 5 1/21/2026 Alaska Energy Authority Federal Funding Tracker Status Source Program Name Award / Request ($) Required Match (%) Required Match ($) Remaining Match Needed ($) 4-Application Pending Other US DOT - BUILD grant Dock Electrification 25,000,000$ 0% 0 0 5-Program Paused Other DOE Section 247 Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives TBD 5-Program Paused Other WaterSMART Grants: Water and Energy Efficiency Grants for FY2024 & 2025 Bureau of Reclamation No. R24AS00052 $ 5,000,000 100% $ 5,000,000 $ 5,000,000 6-Application Not Selected IIJA Transmission Acceleration Grants (TAG) Program $ 2,731,311 0% $ - -$ 7-Program Suspended Other Energy Future Grant $ 496,725 0% -$ -$ 8-Program Cancelled IJA Energy Improvements in Remote and Rural Areas 11,800,000$ 5-20% 623,000$ -$ 8-Terminated IRA Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund - Solar For All Competition - IRA 134a $ 62,450,000 0% $ - -$ 9-Complete-close out Other USFS Sustainable Wood Energy Systems 2019 $ 310,000 100% $ 155,000 -$ 5 of 5 1/21/2026 ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY 2026 DEADLINES FOR LEGISLATIVE SUBMITTALS DUE TO DCCED/GLO.DUE Report Audience Frequency Statute Responsible Status 12/12/2025 1/2/2026 Capital Reserve Fund shortfall Governor, Legislature Annually (on Jannuary 2)AS 44.83.110(f)Finance Complete 12/30/2025 1/20/2026 Susitna River Power Project Annual Report Legislature Annually (1st day of Legislative Session) AS 44.83.085 Jim Complete 1/8/2026 1/29/2026 Renewable Energy Fund recommendations Legislature Annually (10th day of Legislative Session) AS 42.45.045 (d)(3)Conner Pending w/ DCCED / GLO 1/9/2026 1/30/2026 Revised estimate of need to withdraw from Capital Reserve Fund State Bond Committee, Legislative Budget & Audit Committee Annually (by January 30)AS 44.83.110(h)Finance Pending with DCCED /GLO 1/13/2026 2/3/2026 Project status report Legislature Annually (by 15th day of Legislative Session) AS 44.83.950(b)Finance /Owned Assets Pending with DCCED /GLO 2/8/2026 3/1/2026 Annual report Governor, Legislature Annually (Before March 1) AS 44.83.940 Brandy (lead)In progress 3/1/2026 PCE Report Legislature Annually NONE Tim / Katherine In progress REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA Renewable Energy Fund Round 18 Status Report Alaska Energy Authority — Renewable Energy Fund – Round XVIII REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA SAFE, RELIABLE, & AFFORDABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS Alaska State LegislatureJanuary 2026 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA 2 SAFE, RELIABLE, & AFFORDABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS Table of Contents REF Overview Page 3 REF Statutory Guidance Page 4 REF Evaluation Process Summary Page 5 REF Funding Limits Page 9 Proposed REF Capitalization for Round 18 (FY2027) Page 10 Recommended Applications Summary Page 11 Applications Forwarded for Legislature’s Decision on Funding Page 13 Partial Funding Recommendations Page 15 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA Renewable Energy Fund (REF) Overview Established in 2008, the REF is a unique and robust competitive grant program, which provides critical financial assistance for statewide renewable energy projects. The REF’s sunset date provision was repealed with House Bill 62, signed into law by Governor Dunleavy on May 25, 2023. $333 million in REF appropriations by the State. 110+ operational projects, 49 in development, 120 million gallons displaced to date. The 34th Alaska State Legislature appropriated $6.3 million for 6 projects recommended by AEA and the REFAC for Round 17. The REF funds projects across all development phases, serving as a catalyst for the continued pursuit of integrating proven and nascent technologies within Alaska’s energy portfolio. 03 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA REF Statutory Guidance (AS 42.45.045) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS MUST: Be a new project not in operation in 2008, and -be a hydroelectric facility; -direct use of renewable energy resources; -a facility that generates electricity from fuel cells that use hydrogen from renewable energy sources or natural gas (subject to additional conditions); -or be a facility that generates electricity using renewable energy. -natural gas applications must also benefit a community that: o Has a population of 10,000 or less, and o does not have economically viable renewable energy resources it can develop. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS INCLUDE: electric utility holding a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN); independent power producer; local government; or, or other governmental utility, including a tribal council and housing authority. 04 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA REF Evaluation Process: Stage 1 Eligibility and Completeness The REF evaluation process is comprised of four stages. Stage 1 is an evaluation of the applicant, project eligibility and, completeness of the application, as per 3 AAC 107.635. This portion of the evaluation process is conducted by AEA staff. •Applicant eligibility is defined as per AS 42.45.045 (l). •“electric utility holding a certificate of public convenience and necessity under AS 42.05, independent power producer, local government, or other governmental utility, including a tribal council and housing authority;” •Project eligibility is defined as per AS 42.45.045 (f)-(h) and is provided on the preceding page. •Project completeness: •An application is complete in that the information provided is sufficiently responsive to the RFA to allow AEA to consider the application in the next stage (Stage 2) of the evaluation. •The application must provide a detailed description of the phase(s) of project proposed. Applications that fail to meet the requirements of Stage 1 are rejected by the Authority. Each applicant whose application is rejected is notified of the Authority’s decision. 5 STAGE 1 CRITERIA PASS/FAIL Applicant eligibility, including formal authorization and ownership, site control, and operation PASS/FAIL Project Eligibility PASS/FAIL Complete application, including Phase description(s)PASS/FAIL REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA REF Evaluation Process: Stage 2 Technical and Economic Feasibility Stage 2 is an evaluation concerning technical and economic feasibility. This portion of the evaluation process is conducted by AEA staff, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and contracted third-party economists. The following items are evaluated as part of the Stage 2 evaluation, as required per 3 AAC 107.645: •Project management, development, and operations; •Qualifications and experience of project management team, including on-going maintenance and operation; •Technical feasibility – including but not limited to sustainable current and future availability of renewable resource, site availability and suitability, technical and environmental risks, and reasonableness of proposed energy system; and, •Economic feasibility and benefits – including but not limited to project benefit-cost ratio, project financing plan, and other public benefits owing to the project. All Stage 2 criteria are weighted as follows as part of the evaluation process. Applications that score below 40 points in this stage are automatically rejected by the Authority, however, those projects scoring above 40 may also be rejected as under 3 AAC 107.645(b) has the Authority to reject applications that it determines to be not technically and economically feasible, or do not provide sufficient public benefit. 6 CRITERIA CRITERIA DESCRIPTION WEIGHT 1 Project management, development, and operation 25% 2 Qualifications and experience 20% 3 Technical feasibility 20% 4.a Economic benefit-cost ratio 25% 4.b Financing plan 5% 4.c Other public benefit 5% REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA REF Evaluation Process: Stage 3 Project Ranking Stage 3 is an evaluation concerning the ranking of eligible projects. This portion of the evaluation process is conducted by AEA staff in conjunction with solicitation from the Renewable Energy Fund Advisory Committee (REFAC) . The following items are evaluated as part of the stage three evaluation, as required per 3 AAC 107.655-660: •Cost of energy •Applicant matching funds •Project feasibility (levelized score from stage 2) •Project readiness •Public benefits (evaluated through stage 2 benefits) •Sustainability •Local Support •Regional Balance •Compliance All Stage 3 criteria are weighted as follows as part of the evaluation process. The Stage 3 scoring is used to determine the ranking score. 7 CRITERIA CRITERIA DESCRIPTION WEIGHT 1 Cost of Energy 30% 2 Matching Funds 15% 3 Project Feasibility (levelized score from Stage 2)25% 4 Project Readiness 5% 5 Public Benefits 10% 6 Sustainability 10% 7 Local Support 5% 8 Regional Balance Pass/Fail 9 Compliance Pass/Fail REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA REF Evaluation Process: Stage 4 Regional Spreading Stage 4 is a final ranking of eligible projects, as required per 3 AAC 107.660, which gives “significant weight to providing a statewide balance of grant money, taking into consideration the amount of money available, number and types of projects within each region, regional rank, and statewide rank.” This portion of the evaluation process is conducted by AEA staff in conjunction with solicitation from the Renewable Energy Fund Advisory Committee (REFAC). The following items are evaluated as part of the stage four evaluation, as required per 3 AAC 107.660: •Cost of energy burden = [HH cost of electric + HH heat cost] ÷ [HH income] 8 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA REF Evaluation Process: Stage 4 Regional Spreading 9 Cumulative through Round 17 Total Round 1-17 Funding Cost of Power Allocation Population Even Split Energy Region Grant Funding % Total Cost burden (HH cost/HH income) Allocation cost of energy basis Additional funding needed to reach 50% % of target allocation % Total Allocation per capita basis Allocation per region basis Aleutians $18,424,940 6%14.05%$25,358,712 ($5,745,584)73%1%$3,514,229 $27,996,444 Bering Straits $23,486,724 8%17.57%$31,702,782 ($7,635,332)74%1%$3,731,789 $27,996,444 Bristol Bay $20,728,171 7%18.59%$33,543,361 ($3,956,491)62%1%$2,717,790 $27,996,444 Copper River/Chugach $28,047,612 9%9.45%$17,063,340 ($19,515,942)164%1%$3,765,916 $27,996,444 Kodiak $16,659,519 5%12.49%$22,542,437 ($5,388,300)74%2%$5,558,437 $27,996,444 Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim $41,071,051 13%24.37%$43,980,281 ($19,080,911)93%4%$10,779,017 $27,996,444 North Slope $1,251,859 0%3.44%$6,205,573 $1,850,927 20%1%$3,865,737 $27,996,444 Northwest Arctic $32,841,133 11%19.25%$34,748,549 ($15,466,859)95%1%$3,016,401 $27,996,444 Railbelt $36,449,299 12%5.80%$10,471,779 ($31,213,410)348%78%$241,095,398 $27,996,444 Southeast $67,022,738 22%8.65%$15,607,458 ($59,219,009)429%9%$27,362,185 $27,996,444 Yukon-Koyukuk/Upper Tanana $20,941,945 7%36.98%$66,736,608 $12,426,359 31%1%$2,553,980 $27,996,444 Statewide $1,035,888 0%0.00% TOTAL $307,960,880 100%$307,960,880 100%$307,960,880 $307,960,880 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA REF Funding Limits REF Round XVII Grant Funding Limits Phase Low Energy Cost Areas*High Energy Cost Areas** Total Project Grant Limit $2 Million $4 Million Phase I: Reconnaissance Phase II: Feasibility and Conceptual Design The per project total of Phase I and II is limited to 20% of anticipated construction cost (Phase IV), not to exceed $2 Million. Phase III: Final Design and Permitting 20% of anticipated construction cost (Phase IV), and counting against the total construction grant limit below. Phase IV: Construction and Commissioning $2 Million per project, including final design and permitting (Phase III) costs, above. $4 Million per project, including final design and permitting (Phase III) costs, above. Exceptions Biofuel projects Biofuel projects where the applicant does not intend to generate electricity or heat for sale to the public are limited to reconnaissance and feasibility phases only at the limits expressed above. Biofuel is a solid, liquid or gaseous fuel produced from biomass, excluding fossil fuels. Geothermal projects The per-project total of Phase I and II for geothermal projects is limited to 20% of anticipated construction costs (Phase IV), not to exceed $2 million /$4 million (low/high cost areas). Any amount above the usual $2 million cap spent on these two phases combined shall reduce the total Phase III and IV grant limit by the same amount, thereby keeping the same total grant dollar cap as all other projects. This exception recognizes the typically increased cost of the feasibility stage due to test well drilling. REF Round XVII funding limits are governed by the requested phase(s) in the application and the technology type applied. Low vs High Cost Energy Areas: *Low Energy Cost Areas are defined as communities connected to the Railbelt electrical grid or with a residential retail electric rate of below $0.20 per kWh, before Power Cost Equalization (PCE) reimbursement is applied. For heat projects, low energy cost areas are communities with natural gas available as a heating fuel to at least 50% of residences, or availability expected by the time the proposed project is constructed. **High Energy Cost Areas are defined as communities with a residential retail electric rate of $0.20 per kWh or higher, before PCE funding is applied. For heat projects, high energy cost areas are communities that do not have natural gas available as a heating fuel. 10 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA Proposed REF Capitalization for FY2027 / Round XVIII The REFAC recommends the State of Alaska FY2027 proposed capital budget allocates $41.2 million for REF Round 18 grant funding of recommended projects, fully funding the top 29 projects. The current list of 29 recommended projects yields a total grant request of $41,164,051. The table to the right provides historical REF program funding from program inception through FY2026 (Round 17). In the FY2026 capital budget, $6.3 million was approved in support of the top six projects as recommended in REF Round 17. 11 Legislative Appropriation Fiscal Year 100,001,000$ FY2008 25,000,000$ FY2009 25,000,000$ FY2010 36,620,231$ FY2011 25,870,659$ FY2012 25,000,000$ FY2013 22,843,900$ FY2014 11,512,659$ FY2015 -$ FY2016 -$ FY2017 (3,156,000)$ FY2018 - RPSU Reappropriation 11,000,000$ FY2019 -$ FY2020 -$ FY2021 4,750,973$ FY2022 15,000,000$ FY2023 17,052,000$ FY2024 10,521,836$ FY2025 6,315,507$ FY2026 333,332,765$ TOTAL (excl. operating appropriation) REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA There are 29 recommended applications, totaling a recommended request of $41 million. Round XVIIII – Recommended Applications Summary 12 Applications by Energy Region No. of Applications REF Funds Requested Aleutians 1 $ 2,560,000 Bering Straits 4 $ 9,930,541 Bristol Bay 1 $ 312,800 Copper River Chugach 1 $ 1,490,136 Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 7 $ 7,389,670 Railbelt 10 $ 10,047,819 Southeast 4 $ 6,480,000 Yukon-Koyukuk Tanana 1 $ 2,953,085 Total 29 $ 41,164,051 Applications by Technology No. of Applications REF Funds Requested Biomass 2 $ 2,312,800 Geothermal 1 $ 1,248,029 Hydro 6 $ 8,292,136 Hydrokinetic 1 $ 707,050 Solar 6 $ 15,399,414 Storage 5 $ 5,049,095 Wind 8 $ 8,155,527 Total 29 $ 41,164,051 $0 $2,000,000 $4,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 $12,000,000 $14,000,000 $16,000,000 $18,000,000 Recommend Funding by Technology $0 $2,000,000 $4,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 $12,000,000 Chart Recommend Funding by Energy Region REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA Round XVIII Geographical Distribution of Recommended Applications 13 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AEA Recommended Applications Overview: #1-7 14 Please see related summary report for details concerning the evaluation and description of the individual applications. Recommended Projects Recommendation App. #Applicant Project Title Phase Energy Region Election District Technology Community Grant Funds Requested Matching Funds Stage 3 Score Benefit / Cost Ratio HEC State Rank Region Rank Funding Level Funding Amount 18012 Kokhanok Village Council Kokhanok Community Center Biomass Heating Project Design, Construction Bristol Bay S-37 Biomass Kokhanok $312,800 $63,200 89 1.43 $13,491 1 1 Full SP $312,800 18005 Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEAPA) SEAPA Grid Resiliency (Tyee Hydro Upgrade)Construction Southeast A-1 Hydro Petersburg, Ketchikan, Wrangell $4,000,000 $18,592,510 88 7.56 $6,251 2 1 Partial $2,000,000 18027 Allakaket Village Council Allakaket Village Community Solar and Battery IPP Design, Construction Yukon-Koyuk/Upper Tanana R-36 Solar, Storage, Natural Gas Allakaket, Alatna $2,953,085 $433,291 80 0.69 $16,319 3 1 Full $2,953,085 18001 Goat Lake Hydro, Inc. Goat Lake Hydro Reservoir Expansion - Construction Construction Southeast B-3 Hydro Haines, Skagway, Dyea, Klukwan, Chilkat Valley $2,000,000 $250,000 78 6.32 $9,430 4 2 Full SP $2,000,000 18016 Puvurnaq Power Company 500kwh BESS + Installation, Integration, including upgraded controls Construction Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim S-38 Storage Kongiganak $596,000 $152,000 76 1.24 $10,283 6 1 Full SP $596,000 18008 Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, Inc. Gambell Battery Energy Storage System Project Construction Bering Straits T-39 Wind Gambell $1,932,516 $214,724 75 0.32 $11,548 7 1 Full $1,932,516 18024 Native Village of Elim Elim Community Solar Project Design, Construction Bering Straits T-39 Solar, Storage Elim $2,987,430 $529,455 74 0.42 $10,721 8 2 Full SP $2,987,430 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AEA Recommended Applications Overview: #8-13 15 Please see related summary report for details concerning the evaluation and description of the individual applications. Recommended Projects Recommendation App. #Applicant Project Title Phase Energy Region Election District Technology Community Grant Funds Requested Matching Funds Stage 3 Score Benefit / Cost Ratio HEC State Rank Region Rank Funding Level Funding Amount 18022 Tuntutuliak Community Services Association Tuntutuliak Turbine Repair & Upgrades Construction Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim S-38 Wind, Storage Tuntutuliak $565,000 $33,000 74 5.8 $10,821 9 2 Full $565,000 18033 Alaska Renewables LLC Healy Volcanic Region Geothermal: Collaborative Data Collection and Subsurface Exploration Feasibility Railbelt O-30 Geothermal, Transmission, Storage Railbelt $1,248,029 $4,992,116 73 2.44 $6,168 10 1 Full $1,248,029 18010 Nome Joint Utility System NJUS Solar- Nome Banner Ridge Solar Farm Construction Bering Straits T-39 Solar Nome $3,950,000 $50,000 73 1.39 $9,141 11 3 Full $3,950,000 18006 Unalakleet Valley Electric Cooperative Inc. (UVEC) Unalakleet Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Project Construction Bering Straits T-39 Storage Unalakleet $1,060,595 $454,540 72 0.5 $9,494 12 4 Full $1,060,595 18013 Solid Waste Services, Municipality of Anchorage Anchorage Waste-to-Energy Facility Reconnaissance, Feasibility, Conceptual Design, and Permitting Recon, Feasibility Railbelt Anchorage (Municipality)Biomass Railbelt $2,000,000 $5,950,000 71 0.79 $6,168 13 2 Full SP $2,000,000 18020 Kongnikilnomuit Yuita Corporation Kotlik Solar Battery Project Design, Construction Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim T-39 Solar, Storage Kotlik $3,216,259 $745,801 71 0.48 $11,083 14 3 Full $3,216,259 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AEA Recommended Applications Overview: #14-20 16 Please see related summary report for details concerning the evaluation and description of the individual applications. Recommended Projects Recommendation App. #Applicant Project Title Phase Energy Region Election District Technology Community Grant Funds Requested Matching Funds Stage 3 Score Benefit / Cost Ratio HEC State Rank Region Rank Funding Level Funding Amount 18009 Native Village of Atka Atka Hydrogen Power Project Construction Aleutians S-37 Hydro, Storage Atka $2,560,000 $4,060,000 70 0.18 $10,896 15 1 Full SP $2,560,000 18034 Walker Dome Wind LLC Walker Dome Wind Final Design and Permitting Design Railbelt O-30 Wind, Transmission, Storage Railbelt $2,000,000 $8,000,000 70 1.81 $6,168 16 3 Full $2,000,000 18025 Kwig Power Company 500kwh BESS + Installation, Integration, including upgraded controls.Construction Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim S-38 Storage Kwigillingok $598,000 $153,000 68 0.65 $11,195 17 4 Full $598,000 18021 Copper Valley Electric Association, Inc. Solomon Gulch Hydroelectric Facility Pool Raise Feasibility Copper River/Chugach O-29; R-36 Hydro Valdez District, Copper River Basin District $1,490,136 $300,000 66 1.06 $6,682 18 2 Full $1,490,136 18018 Chugach Electric Association Inc.Beluga Solar Array Construction Railbelt Anchorage (Municipality)Solar CEA Serving Area $2,000,000 $24,534,000 66 0.77 $3,887 19 4 Full $2,000,000 18030 Elfin Cove Utility Commission Elfin Cove Hydro Final Permitting and Design Design Southeast A-2 Hydro, Storage Elfin Cove $130,000 $32,500 63 0.57 $9,402 20 3 Full SP $130,000 18002 Matanuska Electric Association Hunter Creek Hydro Electric Feasibility Study Project Recon Railbelt Matanuska-Susitna Borough Region Hydro Mat-Su Region $112,000 $48,000 59.88 1.05 $3,170 21 5 Full SP $112,000 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AEA Recommended Applications Overview: #21-25 17 Please see related summary report for details concerning the evaluation and description of the individual applications. Recommended Projects Recommendation App. #Applicant Project Title Phase Energy Region Election District Technology Community Grant Funds Requested Matching Funds Stage 3 Score Benefit / Cost Ratio HEC State Rank Region Rank Funding Level Funding Amount 18014 The Native Village of Scammon Bay Wind Power in Scammon Bay Design Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim T-39 Wind Scammon Bay $1,172,401 $0 58 0.61 $11,482 22 5 Full $1,172,401 18032 Chatanika Wind LLC Chatanika Wind Feasibility and Conceptual Design Feasibility Railbelt R-36 Wind, Transmission, Storage Railbelt $583,000 $80,000 56 1.62 $6,168 23 6 Full $583,000 18028 Chugachmiut Kenai Peninsula Energy Strategy Planning Project Recon, Feasibility Railbelt C-6 Hydrokinetic Seldovia, Halibut Cove, Homer $1,202,442 $416,869 56 1.1 $8,891 24 7 Partial SP $707,050 18026 Atmautluak Tribal Utilities ATU BESS Battery Replacement Project Construction Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim S-38 Storage Atmautluak $444,500 $75,000 55 1.18 $10,059 25 6 Full SP $444,500 18007 Inside Passage Electric Cooperative Hoonah Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Installation Project Construction Southeast A-2 Storage Hoonah, Kake, Chilkat Valley, Angoon, Klukwan $2,350,000 $0 53 0.53 $9,149 26 4 Full $2,350,000 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA AEA Recommended Applications Overview: #26-29 18 Please see related summary report for details concerning the evaluation and description of the individual applications. Recommended Projects Recommendation App. #Applicant Project Title Phase Energy Region Election District Technology Community Grant Funds Requested Matching Funds Stage 3 Score Benefit / Cost Ratio HEC Region Rank State Rank Funding Level Funding Amount 18015 Knik Tribe Solar in the Heart of the Railbelt Design Railbelt Matanuska-Susitna Borough Region Transmission, Solar, Storage Knik Tribal members, Mat-Su Region $292,640 $52,720 52 0.45 $3,191 27 8 Full $292,640 18019 Akiachak Native Community Akiachak Wind System Design and Integration Feasibility, Design Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim S-38 Wind, Solar, Storage Akiachak $797,510 $25,000 51 0.74 $10,539 28 7 Full SP $797,510 18023 Bald Hills Wind LLC Bald Hills Wind Feasibility and Conceptual Design Feasibility Railbelt S-37 Wind, Transmission, Storage Railbelt $528,000 $80,000 48 0.94 $6,168 29 9 Full $528,000 18004 Knik Tribe Knik Tribe Renewable Reconnaissance and Feasibility Study Recon, Feasibility Railbelt Matanuska-Susitna Borough Region Wind Mat-Su Region $1,165,000 $180,700 38 0.18 $3,170 30 10 Partial SP $577,100 REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA Round XVIII – Partial Funding Reasoning 19 App. #Project Requested Funding Recommended Funding Partial Funding Reasoning 18005 SEAPA Grid Resiliency (Tyee Hydro Upgrade)$4,000,000 $2,000,000 Based on the local cost of energy, AEA staff reviewed the application to determine the appropriate funding cap in accordance with the REF Round 18 RFA. Although the application referenced the $4 million maximum award, the project area’s cost of power is below $0.20/kWh. As a result, if the project were selected for funding, the final grant award would be required to be reduced to the $2 million maximum specified in the RFA. 18028 Kenai Peninsula Energy Strategy Planning Project $1,202,442 $707,050 Several proposed budget line items do not appear to align with the primary intent of the REF program, which is to support the deployment of renewable energy technology systems. The program is not intended to fund new, full-time dedicated positions, though eligible staff time for existing personnel is allowable. In addition, the proposed level of travel may not be fully aligned with an adjusted project scope, as coordination activities such as regional planning meetings could potentially be conducted more efficiently. As proposed, the dedicated Energy Program Manager salary, fringe, and associated travel costs are not aligned with the REF program goals. Planning workshops throughout the project term would be subject to AEA review of agendas, locations, and associated costs. As a result, if the project were selected for funding, the final grant award would be required to be reduced to $707,050 from $1,202,442 and scope items discussed here, removed. 18004 Knik Tribe Renewable Reconnaissance and Feasibility Study $1,165,000 $577,100 The recommended funding level reflects the estimated cost to complete the Reconnaissance Phase, based on the project receiving fewer than 40 points in the Stage 3 evaluation. If selected for funding and the phase is successfully completed, the applicant would be eligible to apply for additional funding under the REF program for subsequent project phases. As a result, if the project were selected for funding, the final grant award would be reduced to $577,100 from $1,165,000. As part of the evaluation process and pursuant to 3 AAC 170.655(b), 5 applications, as provided below, have been recommended for partial funding. Partial funding recommendations were made in full consideration of project phases applied for, application scoring, project scope eligibility, and household cost of energy. REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA 20 SAFE, RELIABLE, & AFFORDABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY 813 West Northern Lights Blvd. Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Phone: (907) 771-3000 Fax: (907) 771-3044 Toll Free (Alaska Only) 888-300-8534 Statewide RankRegion Rank Energy Region ID Project Name ApplicantAEA RecommendRecommend Funding Energy Source B/C RatioHousehold Energy Cost Applicant Grant Request Applicant Match OfferedRecommended Phase(s)Cumulative FundingCumulative B/C Ratio* Community 1 1 Bristol Bay18012 Kokhanok Community Center Biomass Heating Project Kokhanok Village CouncilFull SP$312,800 Biomass1.43 $13,491 312,800 $63,200 Design, Construction $312,800 1.35 Kokhanok2 1 Southeast18005 SEAPA Grid Resiliency (Tyee Hydro Upgrade)Southeast Alaska Power Agency (SEPartial$2,000,000 Hydro7.56 $6,251 4,000,000 $18,592,510 Construction$2,312,800 7.19 Petersburg, Ketchikan, Wrangell3 1 Yukon-Koyuk/Upper Tanana 18027 Allakaket Village Community Solar and Battery IPPAllakaket Village CouncilFull$2,953,085 Solar, Storage, NaturalGa 0.69 $16,319 2,953,085 $433,291 Design, Construction $5,265,885 6.35 Allakaket, Alatna4 2 Southeast 18001 Goat Lake Hydro Reservoir Expansion - ConstructionGoat Lake Hydro, Inc.Full SP$2,000,000 Hydro6.32 $9,430 2,000,000 $250,000 Construction$7,265,885 6.33 Haines, Skagway, Dyea, Klukwan, Chilkat Valley5 1 Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim18016 500kwh BESS + Installation, Integration, including upgraded contrPuvurnaq Power CompanyFull SP$596,000 Storage1.24 $10,283 596,000 $152,000 Construction$7,861,885 6.20 Kongiganak6 1 Bering Straits18008 Gambell Battery Energy Storage System ProjectAlaska Village Electric Cooperative,Full$1,932,516 Wind0.32 $11,548 1,932,516 $214,724 Construction$9,794,401 5.80 Gambell7 2 Bering Straits18024 Elim Community Solar ProjectNative Village of ElimFull SP$2,987,430 Solar, Storage0.42 $10,721 2,987,430 $529,455 Design, Construction $12,781,831 5.25 Elim8 2 Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim18022 Tuntutuliak Turbine Repair & UpgradesTuntutuliak Community Services AsFull$565,000 Wind, Storage5.8 $10,821 565,000 $33,000 Construction $13,346,831 5.26 Tuntutuliak9 1 Railbelt18033 Healy Volcanic Region Geothermal: Collaborative Data CollectionAlaska Renewables LLC Full$1,248,029 Geothermal, Transmission2.44 $6,168 1,248,029 $4,992,116 Feasibility$14,594,860 35.06 Railbelt10 3 Bering Straits 18010 NJUS Solar- Nome Banner Ridge Solar Farm Nome Joint Utility System Full $3,950,000 Solar 1.39 $9,141 3,950,000 $50,000 Construction $18,544,860 32.13 Nome11 4 Bering Straits 18006 Unalakleet Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Project Unalakleet Valley Electric CooperatFull$1,060,595 Storage0.5 $9,494 1,060,595 $454,540 Construction $19,605,455 31.13 Unalakleet12 2 Railbelt18013 Anchorage Waste-to-Energy Facility Reconnaissance, Feasibility, Solid Waste Services, Municipality oFull SP$2,000,000 Biomass0.79 $6,168 2,000,000 $5,950,000 Recon, Feasibility$21,605,455 3.14 Railbelt13 3 Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 18020 Kotlik Solar Battery Project Kongnikilnomuit Yuita Corporation Full $3,216,259 Solar, Storage 0.48 $11,083 3,216,259 $745,801 Design, Construction $24,821,714 3.12 Kotlik14 1 Aleutians18009 Atka Hydrogen Power ProjectNative Village of AtkaFull SP$2,560,000 Hydro, Storage0.18 $10,896 2,560,000 $4,060,000 Construction $27,381,714 3.09 Atka15 3 Railbelt18034 Walker Dome Wind Final Design and PermittingWalker Dome Wind LLC Full$2,000,000 Wind, Transmission, Stora1.81 $6,168 2,000,000 $8,000,000 Design $29,381,714 3.93 Railbelt16 4 Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 18025 500kwh BESS + Installation, Integration, including upgraded contrKwig Power CompanyFull$598,000 Storage0.65 $11,195 598,000 $153,000 Construction $29,979,714 3.93 Kwigillingok17 1 Copper River/Chugach18021 Solomon Gulch Hydroelectric Facility Pool RaiseCopper Valley Electric Association, Full$1,490,136 Hydro1.06 $6,682 1,490,136 $300,000 Feasibility$31,469,850 3.88 Valdez District, Copper River Basin District18 4 Railbelt 18018 Beluga Solar Array Chugach Electric Association Inc. Full $2,000,000 Solar 0.77 $3,887 2,000,000 $24,534,000 Construction $33,469,850 3.81 CEA Serving Area19 3 Southeast 18030 Elfin Cove Hydro Final Permitting and Design Community of Elfin Cove Non-ProfitFull SP$130,000 Hydro, Storage0.57 $9,402 130,000 $32,500 Design$33,599,850 3.78 Elfin Cove20 5 Railbelt18002 Hunter Creek Hydro Electric Feasibility Study ProjectMatanuska Electric Association Full SP$112,000 Hydro1.05 $3,170 112,000 $48,000 Feasibility$33,711,850 3.50 Mat-Su Region21 5 Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 18014 Wind Power in Scammon BayThe Native Village of Scammon BayFull$1,172,401 Wind0.61 $11,482 1,172,401 $0 Design$34,884,251 3.52 Scammon Bay22 6 Railbelt18032 Chatanika Wind Feasibility and Conceptual DesignChatanika Wind LLCFull$583,000 Wind, Transmission, Stora1.62 $6,168 583,000 $80,000 Feasibility$35,467,251 4.48 Railbelt23 7 Railbelt 18028 Kenai Peninsula Energy Strategy Planning Project Chugachmiut Partial SP $707,050 Hydrokinetic 1.1 $8,891 1,202,442 $416,869 Recon, Feasibility$36,174,301 4.45 Seldovia, Halibut Cove, Homer24 6 Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim 18026 ATU BESS Battery Replacement Project Atmautluak Tribal Utilities Full SP $444,500 Storage 1.18 $10,059 444,500 $75,000 Construction $36,618,801 4.45 Atmautluak25 4 Southeast18007 Hoonah Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Installation ProjectInside Passage Electric CooperativeFull$2,350,000 Storage0.53 $9,149 2,350,000 $0 Construction $38,968,801 4.44 Hoonah, Kake, Chilkat Valley, Angoon, Klukwan26 8 Railbelt18015 Solar in the Heart of the RailbeltKnik TribeFull$292,640 Transmission, Solar, Stora0.45 $3,191 292,640 $52,720 Design$39,261,441 4.43 Knik Tribal members, Mat-Su Region27 7 Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim18019 Akiachak Wind System Design and IntegrationAkiachak Native Community Full SP$797,510 Wind, Solar, Storage 0.74 $10,539 797,510 $25,000 Feasibility, Design $40,058,951 4.43 Akiachak 28 9 Railbelt18023 Bald Hills Wind Feasibility and Conceptual DesignBald Hills Wind LLCFull$528,000 Wind, Transmission, Stora0.94 $6,168 528,000 $80,000 Feasibility$40,586,951 4.98 Railbelt29 10 Railbelt 18004 Knik Tribe Renewable Reconnaissance and Feasibility StudyKnik TribePartial SP$577,100 Wind0.18 $3,170 1,165,000 $180,700 Recon$41,164,051 4.97 Mat-Su Region*Cumulative B/C Ratio is calculated based on the cumulative Net Present Value of Benefits and total Project costs (match, in-kind, and state funding) DATEROLEDESCRIPTIONLOCATIONTEAM MEMBERFriday, January 16, 2026NewsletterAlaska Electric Vehicles Working Group (AKEVWG) January Newsletter Sent to 267 Recipients EmailSara MartinchickThursday, January 15, 2026PresenterCommonwealth North: Positioning Alaska for Growth Economic ForumIn Person - Anchorage, AK Curtis W. ThayerThursday, January 15, 2026PresenterAEA Presentation to Finance SubcommitteeIn Person - Anchorage, AK Curtis W. ThayerTuesday, January 6, 2026PresenterAEA Presentation to the Renewable Energy Fund Advisory CommitteeIn Person/Virtually - Anchorage, AKDan SmithThursday, December 11, 2025 NewsletterAKEVWG December Newsletter Sent to 264 RecipientsEmailSara MartinchickThursday, December 11, 2025 PresenterAEA Presentation to the Alaska Municipal League Annual Conference Energy Panel In Person - Anchorage, AK Conner EricksonMonday-Friday, December 8-12, 2025 AttendeeAEA Team in DC for Meetings on Bradley Lake Expasion Project and Cook Inlet PowerLink (CIPLink) In Person - Washington, DC AEA TeamThursday, December 4, 2025 PresenterAEA Overview Presentation to the Alaska State LegislatureIn Person - Anchorage, AK AEA TeamTuesday, December 2, 2025HostAKEVWG Quarterly Meeting: Electric Vehicle Fire SafetyIn Person/Virtually - Anchorage, AKJosi HartleyMonday, December 1, 2025PresenterAEA Presentation to Anchorage Chamber of Commerce: Make it Monday ForumIn Person - Anchorage, AK Curtis W. ThayerWednesday, November 12, 2025 NewsletterAKEVWG November Newsletter Sent to 266 RecipientsEmailSara MartinchickMonday, November 3, 2025PresenterAEA CIPLink Go No-Go Briefing Presentation to Department of Energy Grid Deployment Office VirtuallyAEA TeamMonday, October 20, 2025PresenterAEA PCE and Funding Programs Presentation to RE+ AlaskaIn Person - Anchorage, AK Dan SmithThursday, October 16, 2025NewsletterAKEVWG Ocotber Newsletter Sent to 268 RecipientsEmailSara MartinchickTuesday, October 14, 2025PresenterAEA Presentation to Alaska Power Association Accouting and Finance WorkshopIn Person - Anchorage, AKJim Mendenhall, Ryan McLaughlin, Josi HartleySeptember 29-October 1, 2025 AttendeeData Center World POWER 2025In Person - San Antonio, TX Curtis ThayerThursday, September 25, 2025 HostAKEVWG Quarterly Meeting: FY26 NEVI PlanIn Person/Virtually - Anchorage, AKJosi HartleyThursday, September 25, 2025 PresenterAEA Update Presentation to Alaska Power Association Annual Meeting In Person - Cordova, AKCurtis ThayerThursday, September 25, 2025 AttendeePower Power Challenge hosted by the Renewable Energy Alaska ProjectIn Person - Anchorage, AK Quinlan HarrisThursday, September 25, 2025 Media InquiryMertarvik and Akiak, Evan Erickson, KYUK Public Radio Phone CallCurtis ThayerFriday, September 12, 2025Media InquiryElectric Vehicle (EV) Adoption Data, Alix Soliman, KTOOEmailBrandy DixonThursday, September 11, 2025 NewsletterAKEVWG September Newsletter Sent to 269 RecipientsEmailSara MartinchickWednesday, September 10, 2025 Media InquiryNational Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Plan Submission, James Bikales, PoliticoPhone CallCurtis ThayerMonday, September 8, 2025Media InquirySolar for All, Jean Chemnick, E&E News (by Politico)Phone CallCurtis ThayerTuesday, September 2, 2025 Media InquiryFederal funding for EV chargers unfrozen, Shelby Herbert, Alaska Public MediaPhone CallCurtis ThayerTuesday, August 26, 2025PresenterAEA Dixon Diversion Project Update Presentation to Chugach Electric Association BoardIn Person - Anchorage, AK Ryan McLaughlinTuesday, August 26, 2025Media InquiryEV Funding Restored, Alan Bailey, Petroleum NewsPhone CallCurtis ThayerMonday, August 25, 2025Media InquiryNEVI Program and Volkswagen Corridor Feedback, Alex DeMarban, ADNPhone CallCurtis ThayerWednesday, August 20, 2025 Media InquiryClean Energy Tax Credit Impacts in Cook Inlet, Zach Theiler, Cotext NewsEmailBrandy DixonTuesday, August 19, 2025NewsletterAKEVWG August Newsletter Sent to 270 RecipientsEmailSara MartinchickFriday, August 15, 2025Exhibitor BoothAlaska State Fair: Energy DayIn Person - Palmer, AKSara Martinchick, Daniel Smith, Ashley Streveler, Dawn Molina Thursday, August 7, 2025PresenterAEA Presentation to Alaska Native Science and Engineering ProgramIn Person - Anchorage, AK Quinlan HarrisWednesday, August 6, 2025PresenterAEA Dixon Update Presentation to NHA Alaska Regional MeetingIn Person - Anchorage, AK Ryan McLaughlinWednesday, August 6, 2025PanelistAnchorage Economic Development Corporation Energy Breakout SessionIn Person - Anchorage, AK Jim MendenhallTuesday, August 5, 2025Media InquirySolar for All Program, Tim Bradner, Alaska Economic Report/Alaska Legislative DigestEmailBrandy DixonWednesday, July 30, 2025Media InquiryDenali Commission, Alena Naiden, Alaska Public MediaEmailBrandy DixonAEA COMMUNITY OUTREACHLast Updated on January 20, 2025 (6-Month Look Back) 813 W Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99503 • Phone: (907) 771-3000 Fax: (907) 771-3044 • Email: info@akenergyauthority.org • Website: akenergyauthority.org COMMENTARY Nuclear energy, reconsidered: What’s changed, and why it matters for Alaska GWEN HOLDMANN JANUARY 16, 2026 2:12 PM  Townhall attendee in Fairbanks reviews informational handout in 2022. (Photo by Jeff Fisher/ACEP) For much of the past half-century, nuclear energy in the United States has occupied an uneasy space between a technology of the past and a technology of the future — but not quite one of the present. That is beginning to change, and Alaska is part of that shift.  A couple of months ago, Project Janus, an initiative led by the Department of the Army, identified Fort Wainwright as one of nine candidate sites for deploying a new generation of small, advanced nuclear reactors. While the announcement received little public attention in Alaska, the program is significant. Janus is designed not only to support the energy security of military installations, but also to move advanced nuclear from isolated pilot projects toward repeatable, “nth-of-a-kind” deployments, where costs are expected to become more predictable and decline over time relative to first-of-a-kind efforts. This follows on the heels of a June 2025 announcement that Oklo Inc. was selected to move forward on a planned microreactor deployment at Eielson Air Force Base. Taken together with 1/20/26, 10:15 AM Nuclear energy, reconsidered: What’s changed, and why it matters for Alaska | Alaska Beacon https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/16/nuclear-energy-reconsidered-whats-changed-and-why-it-matters-for-alaska/1/4 other demonstrations and commercial proposals now moving through testing and licensing, these projects point to a broader shift: new nuclear is no longer hypothetical — it is beginning to move into real-world deployment. Why nuclear stalled Nuclear power in the United States generates roughly 20% of the nation’s electricity — about the same share as all renewable sources combined — yet it is often perceived as static and outdated. While wind, solar and battery storage have seen rapid, highly visible innovation and have dominated conversations about the energy future, nuclear has largely been associated with aging plants, long development timelines and high costs. From time to time, talk of a nuclear renaissance has resurfaced. But for years, that renaissance seemed perpetually just out of reach — always promised, but not delivered. Large projects such as the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia came to symbolize this tension. Built around conventional, large-scale reactor designs developed decades earlier, Vogtle’s long delays and multibillion-dollar cost overruns ultimately hardened public skepticism about whether nuclear still had a role to play in the nation’s future energy supply. For many observers, the question became not whether nuclear power could work, but whether it still made sense in an energy landscape increasingly shaped by shorter build times and greater flexibility in how capacity is sized and deployed. Wind, solar and natural gas plants can often be built quickly, with far less up-front capital and can be scaled incrementally. Against that backdrop, large, conventional nuclear projects increasingly appeared obsolete. Reimagining nuclear This new generation of nuclear technologies is not trying to solve old problems by building better versions of the same systems. Instead, it represents a fundamental rethinking of how nuclear power is designed, built and used. New designs emphasize smaller-scale, standardized systems that can be factory-assembled and rapidly deployed to a site. This shift reflects an effort to adapt nuclear technology to the practical realities of today’s energy landscape. A major focus of this new wave of nuclear innovation has been safety. Traditional nuclear plants rely on multiple engineered systems, layers of redundancy and highly trained operators to manage risk. By contrast, many advanced reactor designs place greater emphasis on inherent or passive safety: Both the reactor and its fuel are designed to remain stable under extreme conditions. These more accident-tolerant approaches are being put into practice. A major milestone occurred a few months ago, when the first fuel shipment designed specifically for these advanced reactors arrived at Idaho National Laboratory. The fuel, known as TRISO, is configured differently from conventional nuclear fuel. In TRISO fuel, uranium is encapsulated 1/20/26, 10:15 AM Nuclear energy, reconsidered: What’s changed, and why it matters for Alaska | Alaska Beacon https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/16/nuclear-energy-reconsidered-whats-changed-and-why-it-matters-for-alaska/2/4 within multiple ceramic layers designed to withstand extreme heat and physical stress. As a result, a significant portion of the safety function is built directly into the fuel itself.  This initial production run will support the first advanced reactors to be tested at Idaho National Laboratory in several decades. Commercial demonstrations are expected to follow, with multiple vendors seeking access to the laboratory’s limited testing infrastructure, including Oklo Inc. What Alaskans are saying Surveys conducted by Strategies 360 on behalf of the Alaska Center for Energy and Power at UAF over several years show that Alaskans across a broad spectrum of communities and political views consistently favor greater diversification of the state’s energy systems. Respondents support expanding hydroelectric, solar and wind resources while reducing reliance on gas and coal. Views on nuclear energy remain more mixed, though they are evolving. In the most recent poll, a slim majority of respondents said they would be open to greater use of nuclear energy in Alaska, while the share of those strongly opposed has dropped below 10 percent. Support increases when respondents are provided with additional information: Those who report greater familiarity with nuclear energy tend to be more supportive overall, and among less familiar respondents, interest rises substantially after hearing a brief, neutral description of advanced nuclear technologies. Taken together, these results suggest that many Alaskans are receptive to learning more and engaging on the issue as new information becomes available. Taking stock: Where are we now? While progress is encouraging, we still have a way to go before these technologies are available off the shelf. Even the vendors closest to market remain in design, licensing or early demonstration phases. New nuclear technology is no longer purely theoretical, but it is still far from an established technology. There are also important unresolved questions: how these systems will perform over time; how they will be financed, owned and operated; how regulatory frameworks will adapt; and how issues such as waste management and emergency planning will be addressed. These questions can only be answered through experience — by moving projects from concept to operation and learning from them along the way. And that’s exactly what’s happening. One reason this moment feels different is the level of sustained federal involvement and investment — an area of rare continuity in U.S. energy policy. Support for advanced nuclear has continued across both the Biden and Trump administrations, enabling momentum in addressing long-standing barriers that have kept these technologies from moving beyond paper studies and early prototypes. 1/20/26, 10:15 AM Nuclear energy, reconsidered: What’s changed, and why it matters for Alaska | Alaska Beacon https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/16/nuclear-energy-reconsidered-whats-changed-and-why-it-matters-for-alaska/3/4 Alaska is already playing an important role. Through defense-led demonstrations, research activities and early commercial proposals, it is reasonable to expect continued discussion and activity in the coming years. Decisions about how far Alaska ultimately leans into a new nuclear era will rest with Alaskans themselves. In the near term, the state clearly has a seat at the table. The question ahead is not whether nuclear can be developed, but when — and under what conditions — Alaskans will decide whether it belongs as part of the state’s future energy mix. Where to learn more In that spirit, on Jan. 27–28, the Alaska Center for Energy and Power at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will host a free, online workshop bringing together national experts and Alaskans to explore where nuclear energy actually stands today — technically, regulatory-wise and programmatically. The goal is not to advocate for a particular outcome, but to ensure Alaskans have access to clear, current information as these conversations continue. For more information, visit www.uaf.edu/acep/news. 1/20/26, 10:15 AM Nuclear energy, reconsidered: What’s changed, and why it matters for Alaska | Alaska Beacon https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/16/nuclear-energy-reconsidered-whats-changed-and-why-it-matters-for-alaska/4/4 Home Dr. Daisy Huang Sets Her Sights On Lowering Alaskan Energy Costs  DR. DAISY HUANG SETS HER SIGHTS ON LOWERING ALASKANENERGY COSTS  BY GREG HERRIGEL Dr. Daisy Huang is a tenured associate professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she also got her PhD in mechanical engineering and applied physics. Previously, the San Francisco native studied mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her bachelor’s degree, and at Santa Clara University, where she earned her master’s. After working at a variety of semiconductor and power control companies in California, designing mechanical components, she decided to move to Alaska amid a whirlwind of global and personal events, including the dot-com bubble burst and bad relationships.  After driving to Alaska in her old Subaru with her two rabbits in tow, Dr. Huang bought a dry cabin, but she immediately discovered the challenges of living in such a northern state. “I very quickly learned that shoveling the driveway is a lot of Photo Courtesy Alaska Center for Energy and Power 1/16/26, 1:28 PM Dr. Daisy Huang Sets Her Sights On Lowering Alaskan Energy Costs https://thebusinessdownload.com/dr-daisy-huang-sets-her-sights-on-lowering-alaskan-energy-costs/1/6 work, and staying warm is a lot of work,” she said while giving a presentation ten years ago. In Silicon Valley, she did not have to think about where her power came from, and any outages were resolved in under an hour. In Alaska, she faced high energy bills amid skyrocketing oil prices and the need to keep herself and her two newly adopted retired sled dogs warm. Others in the state suffered from hunger and even died from extreme temperatures.  Photo Courtesy Dr. Daisy Huang, ACEP/UAF Dr. Huang switched to burning wood to save money. When she began working as a research engineer at the university’s Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP), she found that “wood heat, as it benefitted me, also benefitted communities.” One of her first jobs there was to conduct a community survey of Alaska Energy Authority grantees that used funding to deploy biomass systems. She reflected that discovering that they had built local economies around the energy source “made me think that maybe not all solutions are what you think they’ll be… It turns out the solutions are not always the flashy, high-tech ones.” Beyond saving money, these communities used the savings to relaunch preschool programs that had previously shuttered due to lack of funding, used excess biomass energy to heat greenhouses and grow fresh vegetables, and learned to insulate future buildings more effectively.  These learnings fueled Dr. Huang’s passion for promoting energy efficiency and clean energy sources. At ACEP, she continues to research methods for reducing energy costs for isolated Alaskan power grids. One project found that adding 1/16/26, 1:28 PM Dr. Daisy Huang Sets Her Sights On Lowering Alaskan Energy Costs https://thebusinessdownload.com/dr-daisy-huang-sets-her-sights-on-lowering-alaskan-energy-costs/2/6 an ElectraTherm organic Rankine cycle (ORC) product called the Green Machine to village generators in Alaska could help them reclaim heat that would otherwise be lost by operating at less than full capacity during off-peak hours. A follow-up 2015 technical paper summarized guidelines for effectively deploying such a system. In 2019, Dr. Huang worked on a journal article that introduced the MicroFEWs approach to help Alaskan communities evaluate renewable energy decisions that promote food, energy, and water (FEW) security, asserting that energy is inherently connected to adequate food and water supplies in the Arctic and Subarctic. For example, the study claims that the addition of a third hydroelectric turbine at the Power Creek generation facility in the fishing community of Cordova would “cover most of the energy demand from the seafood processing plants.”  Photo Courtesy Alaska Center for Energy and Power Much of Dr. Huang’s work has focused on how the adoption of renewables in Alaskan communities can save money and benefit local communities. “Rural communities in Alaska face the highest energy costs in the nation,” Dr. Huang and her fellow authors wrote in a 2022 journal article, noting that diesel and heating fuel have to be delivered via plane or boat. In 2016, she worked on a report that specified the best renewable energy sources for Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation communities, which lack natural gas and therefore face even higher business and household costs. The authors recommended biomass heating, solar PV, and water-source heat pumps. “Through investing in and incorporating more locally sourced renewable energy,” the report explains, “PBCN is ultimately aiming to increase energy self-reliance, provide new opportunities for local jobs and economic development, and combat climate change.”  Over the past several years, some of Dr. Huang’s projects have received government funding. In 2023, the National Science Foundation awarded ACEP $6 million for a five-year project, called “STORM: Data-Driven Approaches for Secure Electric Grids in Communities Disproportionately Impacted by Climate Change,” to advance the country’s smart grid. As principal investigator, Dr. Huang is working with communities such as Cordova, Galena, and Kotzebue to design microgrid and clean 1/16/26, 1:28 PM Dr. Daisy Huang Sets Her Sights On Lowering Alaskan Energy Costs https://thebusinessdownload.com/dr-daisy-huang-sets-her-sights-on-lowering-alaskan-energy-costs/3/6 energy projects, which will involve “sustained community engagement toward productive research and workforce development,” she said.  It is not the first time that Dr. Huang has emphasized the importance of workforce development, as she previously told the Daily Yonder that she is interested in building STEM programs, “The idea is looking from a community perspective – what their energy needs are, and how we can translate that – in parallel – developing educational programs around kids learning about energy systems, [like] engineering or STEM in general, math, physics.” In past years, she has attended STEM Night at Pearl Creek Elementary in Fairbanks and given lectures and facility tours for ACEP interns, demonstrating her commitment to the area’s youth and her community’s energy future. Her dedication to ever-expanding knowledge has been evident since her California days, when she spent time after learning astronomy at Foothill College for fun, taught by a physicist at the Stanford Solar Center. “Kickass!” she exclaimed on LinkedIn.  1/16/26, 1:28 PM Dr. Daisy Huang Sets Her Sights On Lowering Alaskan Energy Costs https://thebusinessdownload.com/dr-daisy-huang-sets-her-sights-on-lowering-alaskan-energy-costs/4/6 Photo Courtesy Alaska Center for Energy and Power SHARE ON SOCIAL ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JANUARY 16, 2026 ALASKA, BIOMASS, CALIFORNIA, COST, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENERGY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ENERGY SECURITY, FOOD, HEAT PUMP, LEADER, RENEWABLE ENERGY, SOLAR, TRENDS, WATER / HYDRO, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 1/16/26, 1:28 PM Dr. Daisy Huang Sets Her Sights On Lowering Alaskan Energy Costs https://thebusinessdownload.com/dr-daisy-huang-sets-her-sights-on-lowering-alaskan-energy-costs/5/6 MORE FROM ALASKA, BIOMASS, CALIFORNIA, COST, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENERGY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ENERGY SECURITY, FOOD, HEAT PUMP, LEADER, RENEWABLE ENERGY, SOLAR, TRENDS, WATER / HYDRO, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, COST, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENERGY, ENERGY DOMINANCE, ENERGY SECURITY, FINANCIAL ACTION, GRID & STORAGE, INVESTMENT, IOWA, JOBS, NATURAL GAS, NUCLEAR, RENEWABLE ENERGY, SOLAR, TRANSMISSION, TRENDS, WIND, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEXTERA ENERGY POSITIONS IOWA TO LEAD ON AMERICAN ENERGY DOMINANCE BY GREG HERRIGEL EV, INTERNATIONAL, LEADER, MANUFACTURING, TRANSPORTATION, TRENDS BMW TAPS VETERAN AS CEO TO LEAD CARMAKER THROUGH EV SHIFT BY BLOOMBERG CHINA, EV, GENERAL TRENDS, INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL, NATIONAL SECURITY, TRANSPORTATION, TRENDS US AND EUROPE’S RETREAT FROM EVS RISKS CEDING RACE TO CHINA BY BLOOMBERG 1/16/26, 1:28 PM Dr. Daisy Huang Sets Her Sights On Lowering Alaskan Energy Costs https://thebusinessdownload.com/dr-daisy-huang-sets-her-sights-on-lowering-alaskan-energy-costs/6/6 View this email in your browser View this email in your browser Alaska Electric Vehicle Working Group Newsletter, January 16, 2026 EVs, PHEVs, and now EREVs: What's it all Mean? Most people have heard of EVs (electric vehicles) and probably PHEVs, too, (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles), but what about EREVs? Ford recently announced that they will be releasing a Next-Gen F-150 Lightning EREV, an Extended Range Electric Vehicle. This EREV truck will still have 100 percent battery propulsion but will also include an onboard generator that is expected to extend the range to around 700 miles (compared to the estimated 240-320 miles of their current EV truck, the F-150 Lightning). The new EREV F- 150 Lightning is not the first EREV truck, but it made news recently as it will be replacing the popular F-150 Lightning which will be discontinued this year. The discontinuation of the fully electric F-150 Lightning sparked some sensational headlines saying things like Ford is “killing” the EV or that it is “dead,” but according to Ford they are still committed to EV, hybrid, and EREV production. In a press release they said that “By 2030, about 50% of Ford’s global volume will be hybrids, extended-range EVs and electric vehicles, versus 17% today.” Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/16/26, 1:34 PM AEA EV News: Can EVs Withstand the Extreme Cold? https://mailchi.mp/6b09ce3ece9e/january2026akevwg 1/7 Photo courtesy of RAM. Ford is not the only manufacturer planning to introduce EREV trucks to the US market. Stellantis has plans to produce the RAM 1500 REV. A 92-kilowat-hour battery pack can power the vehicle and then be recharged by an onboard V6 130-kilowatt generator. The RAM 1500 REV has an anticipated range of 690 miles, about the same as the Ford F-150 Lightning EREV. Both the Ford EREV and the RAM REV would be able to be charged at home with a Level 2 charger, be re-fueled at a gas station, or charged with a Level 3 fast charger. Now, some people might be wondering: what’s the difference between a PHEV and EREV? Aren’t they both vehicles that are partially powered by batteries and partially powered by engines? The answer is yes, but there is a difference. PHEVs can be propelled by either the battery or the engine. At any given time transmission, gears, and other components could be powered by fuel or electricity. EREVs are only propelled by electric motors. The gas engine (generator) is not used to power the vehicle; it is only used to recharge the battery that then powers the vehicle. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/16/26, 1:34 PM AEA EV News: Can EVs Withstand the Extreme Cold? https://mailchi.mp/6b09ce3ece9e/january2026akevwg 2/7 Cold Snap! EVs Below Zero and Tips for the Cold The National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL) published an article last year called, Electric Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure Assessment in Cold-Weather Climates: A Case Study of Fairbanks, Alaska. In addition to answering questions like “Can EVs be used in temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees Fahrenheit)?” (answer: yes), and, “Can electric vehicle supply equipment operate effectively in temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees Fahrenheit)?” (answer: yes), they also sought to lay out some best practices for owning and operating an EV in the extreme cold. Here’s what they suggested: Turn down the heat and use the heated seat and steering wheel to lower cabin heat energy consumption. Precondition the battery before charging or driving. Preconditioning is when you heat (or cool) a battery to an optimal temperature. Store EVs in a garage if possible or keep plugged in during cold periods if it needs to stay outside. Turn down regenerative braking on icy roads to increase efficiency. Do you agree with these suggestions? Do you have other strategies you use while driving an EV in Alaska? Let us know! Fairbanks recently had a long streak of cold weather. Here’s how some EVs fared. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/16/26, 1:34 PM AEA EV News: Can EVs Withstand the Extreme Cold? https://mailchi.mp/6b09ce3ece9e/january2026akevwg 3/7 This Tesla (and its owner) joined the 40 Below Club at the University of Alaska Fairbanks! He reported no problems with the heat and energy consumption of about 750 watt-hours/mile. Photo courtesy of Steve Estes. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/16/26, 1:34 PM AEA EV News: Can EVs Withstand the Extreme Cold? https://mailchi.mp/6b09ce3ece9e/january2026akevwg 4/7 A Tesla charges at the new Supercharger at Fred Meyer West in Fairbanks. It was 42 degrees Fahrenheit below zero when this photo was taken. The driver said that at first it was charging slowly so he drove from Fairbanks to North Pole then back to Fairbanks to precondition his battery to be able to charge at 225 kilowatts. Photo courtesy Christopher Robertson. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/16/26, 1:34 PM AEA EV News: Can EVs Withstand the Extreme Cold? https://mailchi.mp/6b09ce3ece9e/january2026akevwg 5/7 The infotainment system on a VW ID.4 EV reads below negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit during a recent cold snap in Fairbanks. Notice the ice fog out the window? Unlike traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, EVs don’t contribute any tailpipe emissions to this fog. Photo courtesy of Ryan Woods. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/16/26, 1:34 PM AEA EV News: Can EVs Withstand the Extreme Cold? https://mailchi.mp/6b09ce3ece9e/january2026akevwg 6/7 Even Anchorage has been getting some extreme cold lately with temperatures approaching 20 below zero Fahrenheit along with snowy and icy conditions around town. Many EV drivers enjoy how EVs handle in the snow and ice due to a heavy vehicle and low center of gravity from the battery. Photo courtesy of Audrey Alstrom. 📚What We're Reading Ford Follows Customers to Drive Profitable Growth; Reinvests in Trucks, Hybrids, Affordable EVs, Battery Storage; Takes EV-Related Charges Next-Gen F-150 Lightning EREV Delivers Electric Torque, 700+ Mile Range, and Powerful Towing 2026 Ram 1500 REV: What We Know So Far Electric Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure Assessment in Cold-Weather Climates: A Case Study of Fairbanks, Alaska Facebook LinkedIn Website Copyright © 2026 Alaska Energy Authority, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/16/26, 1:34 PM AEA EV News: Can EVs Withstand the Extreme Cold? https://mailchi.mp/6b09ce3ece9e/january2026akevwg 7/7 UBC Okanagan News Engineering & Technology (https://news.ok.ubc.ca/topic/engineering-technology/) , Environment & Sustainability (https://news.ok.ubc.ca/topic/environment-sustainability/) , Research (https://news.ok.ubc.ca/topic/research/) Study offers roadmap for cleaner, lower- cost EV charging in cold weather Insights from Alaska help research and planners balance electricity costs and emissions as EV demand grows January 14, 2026 A new UBC Okanagan-led study examines how cold regions can balance electricity costs and emissions as electric vehicle use increases. Electrifying cars and trucks can cut greenhouse gas emissions, but in cold regions the climate benefits hinge on what powers the grid. A new study led by UBC Okanagan doctoral student Sandali Walgama proposes a decision-making framework to help policymakers plan the best electricity generation mix for growing electric vehicle charging needs, using Alaska as a real- world test case. Published in Energy Conversion and Management (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196890425014098) , the research models how Alaska could meet rising electric vehicle power demand using existing energy sources—including natural gas, coal, hydro, wind and solar— and compares options that prioritize lowest cost, lowest emissions or a balanced approach. “EVs are often framed as a simple swap, gas to electric,” says Walgama, the study’s corresponding author. “In reality, cold regions face constraints that make planning the power mix just as important as deploying chargers. Our framework is designed to make those trade-offs explicit so decision-makers can be better informed.” Key findings of the research include: The least-cost options leaned heavily on coal and natural gas. The lowest-emissions options relied more on hydropower, wind and solar, but were limited by capacity and winter performance constraints A balanced strategy reduced emissions by 15 per cent compared with the least-cost option, and cost 22 per cent less than the lowest-emissions scenario. The framework pairs two tools: one that shows the best cost-emissions trade-offs, and another to help decision-makers pick the option that fits their priorities: cost, emissions or a balance of both. The study also flags that electric vehicle charging demand and natural gas prices strongly influence what the “best” mix looks like, suggesting planners should stress-test strategies against a range of adoption and fuel-price scenarios. “This planning tool can help decision-makers extensively prioritize lifecycle-based solutions,” says co-author Dr. Kasun Hewage, Professor with UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering (https://engineering.ok.ubc.ca/) . “It helps jurisdictions identify solutions, which are environmentally, socially and economically viable and remain sensible—even as demand forecasts and energy prices shift.” Media Contact David Bidwell Writer/Content Strategist University Relations Tel: (250) 808-3042 E-mail: david.bidwell@ubc.ca (mailto:david.bidwell@ubc.ca) Content type: Media Release (https://news.ok.ubc.ca/tag/media-release/) More content from: College of Graduate Studies (https://news.ok.ubc.ca/category/college-of-graduate-studies/) , School of Engineering (https://news.ok.ubc.ca/category/school-of-engineering/) Related content (https://news.ok.ubc.ca/2026/01/20/why- some-creeks-run-stronger-after- wildfire-and-why-it-doesnt-last/) Why some creeks run stronger after wildfire—and why it doesn’t last (https://news.ok.ubc.ca/2026/01… (https://news.ok.ubc.ca/2026/01/14/study- offers-roadmap-for-cleaner-lower- cost-ev-charging-in-cold-weather/) Study offers roadmap for cleaner, lower-cost EV charging in cold weather… (https://news.ok.ubc.ca/2025/12/05/wh the-amazons-ability-to-make-its- own-rain-matters-more-than-ever/) Why the Amazon’s ability to make its own rain matters more than ever… https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2026/01/13/southcentral-alaska- utilities-move-to-expand-gas-storage-an-insurance-policy-for-severe-cold-and-a-bank-for- imports/ Energy Southcentral Alaska utilities move to expand gas storage, an insurance policy for severe cold and a bank for imports By Alex DeMarban Published: January 14, 2026 The natural gas-fired power plant Southcentral Power Project, owned by Chugach Electric, produces power during subzero weather on Jan. 8. (Bill Roth / ADN) Two major utilities in Anchorage are expanding their natural gas storage in reservoirs in the Cook Inlet region to help counteract a shortage of locally produced gas that’s the dominant energy source for much of Alaska. The storage will help meet seasonal customer demand in winter, and can help manage liquefied natural gas when it is imported to Alaska as expected in the coming years, the https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2026/01/13/southcentral-alaska- utilities-move-to-expand-gas-storage-an-insurance-policy-for-severe-cold-and-a-bank-for- imports/ utilities say. The storage can also provide space for gas from an in-state gas line, if it’s one day built from the North Slope. Chugach Electric Association, the largest electric utility in the state, has signed an agreement with Hilcorp Alaska Gas Storage to stockpile gas in storage facilities near the Kenai gas field, it said in a statement last week. The Hilcorp facility is only the second commercial option for gas storage in the Inlet, where entities like Chugach Electric can sign up to store gas. Cook Inlet Natural Gas Storage Alaska, which is operated by Enstar and began operations in 2012 in a depleted reservoir, also provides commercial service. Also, Enstar, the natural gas utility for Southcentral Alaska, filed paperwork on Monday with state regulators as part of its plan to purchase a depleted reservoir in the Kenai Loop field in Kenai. Enstar would develop and operate the reservoir as a storage facility for its own gas, with storage not available for others, to support Enstar customers. ADVERTISEMENT The shift to more gas storage adds to the evolving role of the Cook Inlet basin, where once- mighty gas production has waned over the decades, requiring utilities to increasingly look at storage to help meet demand. Hilcorp, the region’s main gas producer, informed utilities in 2022 that it could no longer guarantee gas supply after contracts ended, including for Chugach Electric in 2028 and Enstar in 2033. The extra storage options could help provide some breathing room for the utilities as those dates arrive. Concerns about the dwindling supply of gas took on new consequence during a harsh cold snap two years ago that strained gas supplies and forced Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to turn down thermostats while residents were urged to conserve gas use. ADVERTISEMENT In that episode, equipment problems that reduced gas deliverability from Cook Inlet Natural Gas Storage Alaska increased the urgency among utilities to pursue additional storage options. https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2026/01/13/southcentral-alaska- utilities-move-to-expand-gas-storage-an-insurance-policy-for-severe-cold-and-a-bank-for- imports/ The latest announcements for new storage come after an unusually prolonged and deep cold snap in the region. But since 2024, Enstar has upgraded and expanded Cook Inlet Natural Gas Storage Alaska for $68 million, providing an extra buffer of storage this winter. Workers pour concrete to expand the Cook Inlet Natural Gas Storage Alaska compressor facility on Monday, July 1, 2024 in Kenai. The facility takes natural gas from producers, including Hilcorp, and stores the gas underground in a depleted gas field until it is needed by its customers, which include Enstar and Chugach Electric. (Loren Holmes / ADN) Meanwhile, extra production from the Beluga River gas field that’s primarily owned by Chugach Electric has also helped meet current needs, that utility has said. Officials with both the utilities have said recently that the gas supplies are sufficient to meet current demand. ADVERTISEMENT Chugach storage with Hilcorp Hilcorp Alaska Gas Storage has already used the Kenai gas field to store some of its gas. https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2026/01/13/southcentral-alaska- utilities-move-to-expand-gas-storage-an-insurance-policy-for-severe-cold-and-a-bank-for- imports/ But it’s now available to hold third-party gas. It can hold about 38 billion cubic feet of gas, according to records filed with state regulators. That’s more than half the gas used annually to heat and power Southcentral Alaska. Chugach Electric said it will store 5 billion cubic feet there. The gas will be built up slowly to that amount over three years, under a five-year contract. Chugach Electric said that gas injections into the new storage facility could begin around April, if state regulators approve. The total increase to residential bills is expected to remain below 1% as Chugach ramps up storage to 5 billion cubic feet in 2028, Julie Hasquet, a spokesperson, said in an email. Chugach also owns 2.1 billion cubic feet in storage in the CINGSA facility, it said in the statement. In a few years, the utility’s total stored gas will be 7.1 billion cubic feet. That’s more than half of Chugach Electric’s annual gas use. “This contract is a key element in ensuring Chugach’s natural gas supply for the future, particularly as our current Hilcorp Alaska gas contract ends in early 2028,” said Arthur Miller, chief executive for the utility. “The gas available for storage is a direct result of the tremendous success we’ve had in the Beluga River Unit gas field.” Chugach, the primary owner of the Beluga River gas field on the west side of Cook Inlet, said the new storage facility will provide it with greater flexibility for storing and accessing gas. The facility will be important if there’s an unforeseen problem with gas production or storage deliverability, it said. “Additionally, (Hilcorp Alaska Gas Storage) offers lower reservation rates and higher injection and withdrawal rates, giving Chugach more cost-effective options compared to relying solely on storage service from CINGSA,” Chugach Electric said. Hilcorp, which has multiple gas storage facilities in Cook Inlet, said in a statement that the stored gas has for years enabled it to meet its gas supply commitments to customers. “Reliable gas storage is critical to Alaska’s energy future, particularly during periods of peak demand or unexpected disruption,” Hilcorp spokesperson Matt Shuckerow said in a statement. “Since 2012, Hilcorp’s storage assets have consistently enabled us to meet our https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2026/01/13/southcentral-alaska- utilities-move-to-expand-gas-storage-an-insurance-policy-for-severe-cold-and-a-bank-for- imports/ gas supply commitments to our customers — even through major events such as the 2018 earthquake, the 2019 Kenai wildfires, and recent Cook Inlet storage disruptions.“ “This agreement expands access to that same proven storage capability, providing third- party customers with a reliable tool to better serve their ratepayers, improve system resilience, and manage supply during critical periods,” Shuckerow said. ADVERTISEMENT Enstar’s gas storage plans Enstar, for its next storage facility, proposes to buy a depleted gas reservoir from AIX Energy in the ground beneath Kenai. The proposed $240 million facility will initially hold 25 billion cubic feet of gas, according to filings with state regulators. The usable gas — some of it must remain in the reservoir to keep pressure up — could cover close to half of the utility’s annual demand for 38 billion cubic feet. The project will add up to $12 a month to the average customer bill, the filing says. “The changing gas supply environment in Southcentral Alaska has led to a simple reality: ENSTAR must have additional storage to meet its Customers’ needs,” Enstar said in its petition. “With additional storage capacity, the Company will be able to purchase gas supply as it becomes available and then store those volumes for future customer use,” the petition says. “Given the gas supply challenges in Cook Inlet, having the ability to procure gas produced at any time — rather than scrambling to procure it ‘just in time’ — will help ensure reliable, uninterrupted service to Customers." Enstar says in the filing that it considered using the new Hilcorp storage facility. But Hilcorp Cook Inlet plans to use most of the space there to store gas, leaving insufficient room for Enstar, the filing says. The Enstar project will inject about $50 million into the Alaska economy, including through the hiring of large numbers of contractors, the filing says. Enstar is asking for expedited consideration of its filing, with approval sought within 45 days, in part to support new gas production efforts by Cook Inlet producers. https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2026/01/13/southcentral-alaska- utilities-move-to-expand-gas-storage-an-insurance-policy-for-severe-cold-and-a-bank-for- imports/ Hilcorp provides 85% of Enstar’s gas, so only a small amount is left for other producers to provide, dissuading them from taking on financial risks to explore and develop more gas production, Enstar said in a recent email to employees. But with more storage, the calculation improves, Enstar said in the email. ADVERTISEMENT “A natural gas production company in Alaska — BlueCrest Alaska Operating, Inc. — has already committed to supplying ENSTAR with gas by the fourth quarter of 2026, but only if the Company has the ability to store those volumes (or use them immediately)," the filing says. “Additionally, the Company also will need new storage in 2027 so that it can receive new gas supplies from Furie Operating Alaska, Inc.,” the filing says. John Martineck, president of BlueCrest, said in a letter supporting Enstar’s application that under a gas sales framework with the utility it could provide about 11 billion cubic feet of gas for an initial one-year term following the completion of two new development wells. “From BlueCrest’s perspective, access to expanded storage is essential to justify continued investment in Cook Inlet gas development, as it provides a reliable outlet for new production that would otherwise be constrained,” Martineck said in the letter. Mark Slaughter, chief commercial officer at Furie, said in an interview Tuesday that more storage will open up opportunities for more production. “Our plan of development is to drill two, possibly three wells in 2026, so we have additional production by the end of the year,” he said. More storage will also allow wells to produce gas at a more stable pace during periods of high demand, reducing the risk of production wells getting damaged by problems like sand intrusion, he said. That will also help support gas production in Cook Inlet, Slaughter said. HOURLY NEWS LISTEN LIVE MY PLAYLIST CLIMATE DONATE Clean energy is surging despite political attacks. But a slowdown may be looming DECEMBER 26, 2025 ·4:41 AM ET HEARD ON MORNING EDITION By Michael Copley 2-Minute Listen PLAYLIST TRANSCRIPT Workers install solar panels at a project this spring in Galena, Alaska. John Locher/AP Over the past year, the Trump administration and congressional Republicans have waged a sweeping campaign against renewable energy, throwing a fast-growing industry into turmoil. The administration has used federal agencies to try to slow or stop the development of wind and solar projects. And this summer, the GOP-controlled Alaska Public MediaOn Air Now 1/20/26, 10:18 AM The AI race is shaking up America’s power industry : NPR https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5638909/trump-ai-energy-electricity-demand-climate-change 1/17 Sponsor Message 75 for $410.49 $60.21 75 for $324.24100 for $399.99 Congress voted to get rid of tax credits for renewable energy, threatening to drive up the cost of projects. As a result of those moves, the United States is forecast to add a lot less power from renewables in the coming years than analysts previously expected, according to the International Energy Agency. All this is occurring as electricity demand is rising faster than it has in decades. Some experts warn that limiting new power supplies could have broad economic consequences, including higher electricity costs and slower business growth. So far, it's unclear what the Trump campaign against renewables will mean for consumers or grid reliability. The Trump administration "may not love renewable technologies, but they're going to need them to meet the data center demand [and] also maintain energy affordability for all consumers," says Pavan Venkatakrishnan, policy adviser at The Foundation for American Innovation, a technology-focused research group. A White House spokesperson, Taylor Rogers, said in a statement that renewables drive up power prices. President Trump is trying to boost resources like natural gas, coal and nuclear power, Rogers said, to "lower energy prices, increase grid efficiency, and win the AI race." In a study this fall, researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory said wind and solar projects, on their own, do not in general raise power prices. With the administration pushing to rein in renewables amid growing power demand, natural gas will likely be the big economic winner. Already the biggest CLIMATE Power prices are expected to soar under new tax cut and spending law U.S. VS. CHINA: INSIDE A GREAT POWER RIVALRY How China, not the U.S., became the main climate solution story in 2025 1/20/26, 10:18 AM The AI race is shaking up America’s power industry : NPR https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5638909/trump-ai-energy-electricity-demand-climate-change 2/17 source of U.S. electricity, natural gas generation is poised for dramatic growth by the end of the decade. Its continued dominance comes at a time when climate scientists have urged nations to sharply cut fossil fuel use to reduce climate pollution. The sun rises over power lines in Houston. U.S. electricity usage is expected to increase by an average of 5.7% annually over the next five years, according to Grid Strategies, a consulting firm. David J. Phillip/AP Trump is attacking renewables as power demand surges For now, at least, clean energy is still booming in the U.S. The amount of electricity the country produces from big solar plants is projected to grow by about a third this year and by almost 20% in 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in a recent report. All told, the country is on track to add a record amount of power capacity this year from solar, wind and battery plants, according to American Clean Power, a trade group. 1/20/26, 10:18 AM The AI race is shaking up America’s power industry : NPR https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5638909/trump-ai-energy-electricity-demand-climate-change 3/17 "It is not climate goals or imperatives primarily driving the need to build out renewables," Venkatakrishnan says. "It is literally, 'What are you able to get on the grid as quickly as possible?'" The Trump administration has moved to derail the renewables industry using a multipronged attack across the federal government. The Environmental Protection Agency has tried to terminate billions in grant funding to help low-income households and communities install solar. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has targeted offshore wind projects with stop-work orders and legal maneuvers to strip companies of construction permits. And the Interior Department limited who at the agency can issue permits for renewable energy projects on public lands. In a letter to congressional leaders in December, nearly 150 solar companies said the Interior Department has created "a nearly complete moratorium" on project permitting. "We feel it's good policy for government agencies to be supporting power generation of every stripe that wants to come online, as long as it's not damaging something," says Dan Shugar, chief executive of Nextpower, one of the solar companies that signed the letter. The attacks on renewables are happening at a time when U.S. electricity demand is surging, in large part because power-hungry data centers are being built around the country. Electricity usage is expected to increase by an average of 5.7% annually over the next five years, according to Grid Strategies, a consulting firm. Over the past two decades, demand grew by less than 1% per year. Renewables and batteries are critical to meet rising power demand, according to industry executives and analysts, because the projects can be built quickly and produce electricity that's relatively cheap. While wind industry growth has slowed in recent years due to problems ranging from inflation to local pushback on siting projects, solar has taken off. CLIMATE Trump administration halts work on an almost-finished wind farm CLIMATE Data centers are booming. But there are big energy and environmental risks 1/20/26, 10:18 AM The AI race is shaking up America’s power industry : NPR https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5638909/trump-ai-energy-electricity-demand-climate-change 4/17 "There can be talk about nuclear or other technologies. Those take years to build," Andrés Gluski, chief executive of The AES Corp., told Wall Street analysts in November. AES owns both clean-energy and fossil-fuel plants. "So what is going to meet the majority of the demand? Well, this year, it is probably going to be 90% as [renewable energy] and batteries. It very likely will be next year, as well." The Trump administration's attacks risk further weakening a renewables industry that may already be headed for a slowdown as power companies boost spending on natural gas. Pumpjacks stand beside a wind project in Kansas. Charlie Riedel/AP "The golden age of power demand" Big battery projects have been flooding U.S. energy markets in recent years, allowing companies to store electricity from renewables projects and deliver the 1/20/26, 10:18 AM The AI race is shaking up America’s power industry : NPR https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5638909/trump-ai-energy-electricity-demand-climate-change 5/17 power when it's needed most — like after sunset. But with data centers increasing demand for around-the-clock electricity, power companies are ramping up investment in a resource they've worked with for decades: natural gas. "We may still have a year or two where [renewables and batteries] are going to be the majority of additions" to U.S. electric grids, says Sophie Karp, managing director of utilities and alternative energy at KeyBanc Capital Markets. "But that's not because we don't need gas in this timeframe. It's just because it takes longer for this momentum to pick up and for major gas generation [projects] to come on the grid." Orders for gas turbines have been accelerating since 2023 and are on pace to triple this year compared to 2024, according to Steve Piper, director of energy research at S&P Global Energy. As companies add more gas generation, growth in the country's renewable energy industry is expected to slow, Piper said in a recent presentation. That doesn't mean power companies will walk away from renewables and batteries, industry executives and analysts say. "The golden age of power demand is creating the need for all forms of generation," Michael Dunne, the chief financial officer at the power company NextEra Energy, said on a December call with Wall Street analysts. It's still unclear how much families and businesses will have to pay to meet that growing demand. The loss of federal tax incentives could increase costs for wind and solar projects, and some state renewable energy mandates have been linked to rising power prices. Meanwhile, increased exports of liquified natural gas are expected to push up domestic gas prices, the Energy Information Administration said this summer. CLIMATE U.S. electricity demand is set to explode. That will make it harder to cut climate pollution 1/20/26, 10:18 AM The AI race is shaking up America’s power industry : NPR https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5638909/trump-ai-energy-electricity-demand-climate-change 6/17 ICF, a consulting firm, has said it expects residential retail power prices to increase between 15% and 40% by 2030. "The biggest thing, both at kind of the local grid level but also at the national level, is how much transmission we're building, which is not very much," says Alex Trembath, deputy director of The Breakthrough Institute, a technology-focused research group. Transmission lines are the backbone of the electric grid, connecting power plants to local distribution systems that deliver power to homes and businesses. "That constrains the ability to get electrons around — to get electrons from where they're being generated to where they're needed," Trembath says. How the country's power system evolves in the coming years could also have big implications for climate change. In a recent report, the United Nations said average global temperatures are on track to rise by about 5 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century, compared to the pre-industrial temperatures of the mid- 1800s. With that amount of warming, climate change impacts like more-extreme rainfall, hurricanes and heatwaves become much more damaging. While natural gas creates less heat-trapping pollution than coal when it's burned, producing and transporting gas can release huge amounts of methane, a potent climate pollutant. So, a dramatic increase in gas generation to meet rising power demand could fuel a lot more warming. However, Trembath says the scramble for electricity may also pave the way for cleaner technologies, like nuclear and geothermal, that could help drive down emissions. "Not over the next five years," Trembath says, "but over the next 50 years." data centers ai renewable energy climate change CLIMATE 3 massive changes you'll see as the climate careens toward tipping points 1/20/26, 10:18 AM The AI race is shaking up America’s power industry : NPR https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5638909/trump-ai-energy-electricity-demand-climate-change 7/17 A program run by a pair of Alaska nonprofits has started paying out grants for new electric heat pump installations in homes from Metlakatla to Kodiak, with Wrangell also on the eligibility list. The grants range from $4,000 to $8,500 per household, depending on income, and are intended to reduce home heating costs while also reducing pollution from burning fossil fuels. The coastal Alaska program is just starting up, with funds paid out or pending for about 15 installations as of Dec. 2, said Jessie Huff, energy program manager for the Southeast Conference. “We have at least 300 applications in the works right now,” she told the regional economic development nonprofit’s energy committee on Dec. 2. The Southeast Conference and Alaska Heat Smart, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing the cost of living and increasing the use of clean energy, last year were awarded a $38.6 million federal grant to help lower the cost of energy-efficient heat pumps for 6,000 households in 43 coastal communities. About four or five Wrangell households already have applied, Huff said in an interview the day after the committee meeting. SOUTHEAST NEWS ENVIRONMENT Heat pump grants start going out in coastal communities by Larry Persily - Wrangell Sentinel December 15, 2025 1/20/26, 10:19 AM Heat pump grants start going out in coastal communities - Chilkat Valley News https://www.chilkatvalleynews.com/2025/12/15/heat-pump-grants-start-going-out-in-coastal-communities/1/3 Applicants need to provide proof of income to determine which level of assistance they would be eligible to receive. Applicants also need to provide a record of their heating costs as part of the home assessment process. The maximum grant amount of $8,500 is available for households earning less than 80% of the area median annual income, which varies by community. In Wrangell, that threshold for the largest grant is $53,950 for a single-person household, $61,650 for a home with two people, then increasing for larger households. Applicants with annual household incomes above the low-income threshold would be eligible for a $6,000 or $4,000 grant, depending on their income. Any costs in excess of the grant amount are the responsibility of the homeowner, Huff said, adding that the Southeast Conference is working with credit unions and banks that are interested in creating loan programs for heat pump conversions. In addition to receiving a larger grant, low-income households would not have to front the money to pay a heat pump contractor — the program would pay the contractor directly. All other grant recipients would need to pay their contractor and submit receipts for reimbursement. Commercial properties are not eligible for the program, which is called Accelerating Clean Energy Savings. The effort is funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The nationwide Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program is funded under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated nearly $5 billion to states, local governments, tribes and territories to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help reduce energy costs. The individual grants are available for homes that install a heat pump to replace diesel, propane or wood heat, as the program is intended to reduce consumption of fossil fuels, Huff said. “You must apply, complete the income verification and home assessment processes, and receive final approval prior to purchasing materials or starting your installation,” the program website cautions. “Installations started prior to receiving approval will not be eligible for an incentive payment.” More information is available at the website Akheatsmart.org/aces/. People can log in at the site to start their application, including the income verification process. The Heat Smart team will conduct a preliminary assessment of what would be needed to heat the home, Huff explained. The team will ask for utility bills and the size of the home. 1/20/26, 10:19 AM Heat pump grants start going out in coastal communities - Chilkat Valley News https://www.chilkatvalleynews.com/2025/12/15/heat-pump-grants-start-going-out-in-coastal-communities/2/3 Low-income households that qualify for the larger grant will need to wait for an approved contractor to do the work; other participants in the program can choose a contractor from Heat Smart’s list or pick their own contractor. That is a limiting factor for people who qualify for the low-income grants and need to wait for a contractor to take the job. “We don’t have active low-income heat pump installers everywhere,” Huff said, noting that only Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka have approved contractors on the list, though the program is close to adding Kodiak to that list. The program is “actively trying to line up a contractor in every town,” she said. There are no Wrangell contractors on the list, which means a low-income grant recipient in Wrangell would either have to wait for a contractor to get on the Heat Smart qualified list, or wait for the program to assemble enough installations in Wrangell to justify the travel costs of bringing in a contractor from out of town. Though the grant was awarded more than a year ago, there was some uncertainty earlier this year whether or not the program would continue under the President Donald Trump administration. Robert Venables, Southeast Conference executive director, reported in March that the federal funding had been frozen twice in the past few weeks amid the new administration’s orders to halt federal contracts, loans and grants. “Even though we lost it twice, we got it back a third time,” Venables said in early March. This story was originally published by the Wrangell Sentinel. © 2026 Chilkat Valley News. 1/20/26, 10:19 AM Heat pump grants start going out in coastal communities - Chilkat Valley News https://www.chilkatvalleynews.com/2025/12/15/heat-pump-grants-start-going-out-in-coastal-communities/3/3 https://evchargingstations.com/chargingnews/tesla-deploys-nas-northernmost- supercharger/ Tesla Deploys North America’s Northernmost Supercharger in Fairbanks Alaska now has several Supercharging locations, but still no connection to the Canadian network. By: Mark Kane Published on December 13, 2025 This week, Tesla opened North America’s northernmost Supercharger in Fairbanks, Alaska, completing the EV charging corridor between Anchorage and Fairbanks. It has been quite some time since Tesla installed its first 4-stall Supercharging location in Alaska in 2022. Over the past few years, progress has been very slow, with only a few Supercharging sites installed in the state. However, things improved recently. According to Drive Tesla Canada, Tesla deployed three new sites in Alaska in December 2025. The latest Supercharging station in Fairbanks features eight 325-kW stalls (V4 dispensers powered from V3 power electronics cabinet). The station is available not only to Tesla EVs https://evchargingstations.com/chargingnews/tesla-deploys-nas-northernmost- supercharger/ but also to Tesla’s NACS partners. The base rate for Tesla EVs is $0.43/kWh, while other EVs must pay $0.60/kWh. Despite ongoing expansion in Canada and Alaska, the two networks remain separate. As we understand it, Tesla is not building a corridor simply because the EV traffic between western Canada/US and Alaska is too low to justify the investment. North America’s northernmost Tesla Supercharger Fairbanks, Alaska. (Source: Tesla) Overall, Alaska has the fewest EV charging points of any US state. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), there are only 111 AC Level 2 ports and 74 DC fast- charging ports. The northernmost Tesla Superchargers globally are located in Norway. The network’s total number of stalls exceeded 75,000 in November 2025. View this email in your browser View this email in your browser Alaska Electric Vehicle Working Group Newsletter, December 11, 2025 Tesla Superchargers are Coming Online: What does that mean for the Alternative Fuel Corridor? With the approval of the most recent Alaska Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Implementation Plan, the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) continues to advance the deployment of over $52 million in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula funding to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the state. This deployment will happen in two phases: Phase 1: Build DC-fast charging sites along the Alternative Fuel Corridor (AFC) between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Phase 2: Expand infrastructure in rural hubs, urban destinations, and along the Alaska Marine Highway system. Flexible site spacing and design are allowed. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:02 PM AEA EV News: Learn about the Alternative Fuel Corridor https://mailchi.mp/7de7e74377a3/december2025akevwg 1/7 In 2023, the AEA and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities solicited applications for sites along the AFC. Funding was awarded to grantees to design and build sites at nine locations along the AFC. Tesla was selected as the grantee to build a site in four locations: west Fairbanks, Nenana, Cantwell, and Trapper Creek. As part of a policy review in early 2025, the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) paused the NEVI program Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:02 PM AEA EV News: Learn about the Alternative Fuel Corridor https://mailchi.mp/7de7e74377a3/december2025akevwg 2/7 and rescinded the approval of previous plans. Due to this pause, Alaska could not obligate any construction funding to the grantees to construct the NEVI sites that were awarded in 2023. Tesla opted to independently move forward with the construction of their sites without NEVI funding. BACKGROUND KEY POINTS: Alaska will deploy EV chargers in two major phases: building along the AFC during Phase 1 before moving off the AFC in Phase 2 Tesla was originally selected as a grantee to receive NEVI funds to build chargers at four locations along the AFC as part of Phase 1 When the NEVI program was paused in 2025, Tesla chose to move forward with construction of their sites without NEVI funds Tesla Superchargers at Trapper Creek. Photo credit AEA. What does it mean to “fully build out” the AFC? FHWA’s most recent guidance, which came after the program review, explains that the AFC must be fully built out before using NEVI program funds to build EV charging infrastructure on other public roads or locations. States can submit a letter to FHWA requesting the fully built out status with any supporting documentation to support their claim. Once FHWA certifies that the AFC is fully built out, states can move on to Phase 2. Under the old, rescinded, guidance, the AFC was only allowed to be considered “fully built out,” if sites along the AFC were spaced no more than fifty miles apart. However, under the new guidance, Alaska “should consider the appropriate distance between stations to allow for reasonable travel and certainty that charging will be available.” Based on public input, and the availability of site locations along the AFC, Alaska’s most recent plan recommended that EV charging infrastructure be deployed at least every 100 Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:02 PM AEA EV News: Learn about the Alternative Fuel Corridor https://mailchi.mp/7de7e74377a3/december2025akevwg 3/7 miles along our AFC. NEVI sites along the AFC are also required to meet other requirements from 23 CFR part 680 including having: At least four network-connected fast charging ports CCS type 1 connector (required) but NACS permitted Ports that deliver at least 150 kilowatts each On-unit payment available Data collection and reporting requirements So, how does this relate to the Tesla Superchargers? Tesla’s decision to construct their sites without using NEVI funds means they are not obligated to comply with the requirements set forth in 23 CFR part 680. As a result, the Tesla Superchargers may operate without on-unit payment options and may not collect and submit data as required by the NEVI program. This leads to the question: can these Tesla Supercharger sitess be counted toward the AFC’s fully built out status? Alaska intends to request that Tesla Superchargers be allowed to count toward the AFC’s Fully Built Out status. The reasoning behind this is multi- fold: 1. Designating the AFC as fully built out would allow Alaska to move forward with NEVI charger deployment on other roads, including much needed locations along the Richardson and Alaska Highways. 2. We want to prudently use funds and avoid building duplicate sites in communities where Superchargers already exist. 3. The Superchargers are currently spaced no further than 100 miles apart, meeting the recommendation from Alaska’s most recent plan. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:02 PM AEA EV News: Learn about the Alternative Fuel Corridor https://mailchi.mp/7de7e74377a3/december2025akevwg 4/7 Figure 1: Locations of NEVI Phase 1 awards (pink diamonds) and locations of Tesla Superchargers (green circles). If Tesla Superchargers aren’t creditable toward “fully built out status” Alaska could be required to build redundant chargers in some communities. Figure 2: Locations of Tesla Superchargers along the AFC. What are the next steps if the AFC is considered “fully built out?” Designating the AFC as fully built out allows Alaska to move on to Phase 2 of EV charger deployment. This could include installing chargers along other highways, in urban destinations, rural hub communities, or along the Alaska Marine Highway. When off the AFC, charging sites can be Level 2 or have a mix of DC-fast chargers and Level 2 chargers, but must still be able to simultaneously charge at least four EVs. The fully built out certification does not Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:02 PM AEA EV News: Learn about the Alternative Fuel Corridor https://mailchi.mp/7de7e74377a3/december2025akevwg 5/7 preclude more stations from being built along the AFC. Accounting for already obligated funding, Alaska has over $43 million that could be available for Phase 2 construction. The impact of the federal funding is about $55 million when you take the local project match into account. Based on the projected site costs from the Phase 1 solicitation and award, Alaska could install approximately 49 additional NEVI creditable stations throughout the state assuming four DC-fast ports are at each site. However, it’s not expected that each Phase 2 site will want or need four DC-fast ports, so the funding could stretch beyond 49 new stations. Stay tuned for updates as we submit the request for Fully Built Out status from FHWA! RECAP: December Working Group We hosted a panel discussion about EV fire safety, best practices, and prevention at our Alaska Electric Working Group meeting the first week of December. Our panelists included Captain Dein Bruce, Anchorage Fire Department; Eric Huhn, Laboratory Safety Engineer at University of North Carolina Charlotte; and Ben Sleister, Director of Marine Safety at Maritime Training Courses and Programs. They discussed questions such as: Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:02 PM AEA EV News: Learn about the Alternative Fuel Corridor https://mailchi.mp/7de7e74377a3/december2025akevwg 6/7 How do EV fires compare to internal combustion engine fires, and how do responses vary? How do rural and remote conditions in Alaska complicate EV fire response? Are there any innovations that give you confidence that EV fires will be seen as more manageable. And more! Missed the meeting? Watch a recording at this link with passcode %CD8Q*!. (make sure to include the period). Facebook LinkedIn Website Copyright © 2025 Alaska Energy Authority, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:02 PM AEA EV News: Learn about the Alternative Fuel Corridor https://mailchi.mp/7de7e74377a3/december2025akevwg 7/7 Napaskiak without power for days following ice storm KYUK | By Samantha Watson Published December 9, 2025 at 9:19 AM AKST Sharon Williams /Sharon Williams The sunset in Napaskiak, Alaska on Dec 8, 2025. The Kuskokwim River community of Napaskiak has been without power for several days. Napaskiak Tribal Chief Sharon Williams said the village lost power late in the morning of Saturday, Dec. 6 due to electrical issues brought on by the ice storm over the weekend. The whole village remains without power, and attempts to restore electricity to some homes failed. “At first they tried turning half of the village on, and then the power plant couldn't take because there was a short somewhere,” Williams explained. Donate Native America Calling KYUK 12/10/25, 9:51 AM Napaskiak without power for days following ice storm https://www.kyuk.org/public-safety/2025-12-09/napaskiak-without-power-for-days-following-ice-storm 1/3 The Alaska Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management reported the outage on Monday, Dec. 8. They said that the Alaska Energy Authority has been notified. Williams said some households are able to run on backup generators, though large appliances like refrigerators may require too much to maintain through the outage. Williams said the Native Village of Napaskiak declared a state of emergency on Dec. 8 after a water pipe burst, affecting the community’s access to water. “When the lights go back to normal, it's gonna take while to thaw out the wastewater pipe,” Williams said. “We need that one to make water, and then the pipes are gonna have to be changed out because they burst.” Williams said Napaskiak’s stores have been closed. People in the community have been traveling the 10 miles upriver to Bethel via snowmachine trails on the Kuskokwim River to get food and fuel for generators. “There are some people on Facebook begging if they can catch a ride to Bethel to get food, saying that they're out of food,” Williams said. The school is running on backup generators and has announced it will operate on a two hour delay through Friday, Dec. 12. Any students sheltering in Bethel through the outage are excused from school if reported by their families. This story is breaking and will continue to be updated. Tags Public Safety Alaska State News Samantha Watson Samantha (she/her) is a news reporter at KYUK. See stories by Samantha Watson Native America Calling KYUK 12/10/25, 9:51 AM Napaskiak without power for days following ice storm https://www.kyuk.org/public-safety/2025-12-09/napaskiak-without-power-for-days-following-ice-storm 2/3 e-Edition ●Today's Paper ●Games - New!●Obituaries ●ADN Store ●Promotions ● Sponsored Content ●Manage account ADVERTISEMENT Opinions Opinion: Why transmission is Alaska’s next big energy project By Gene Therriault and Brian Hickey Published: 1 day ago LOG IN SUBSCRIBE 12/8/25, 3:59 PM Opinion: Why transmission is Alaska’s next big energy project - Anchorage Daily News https://www.adn.com/opinions/2025/12/07/opinion-why-transmission-is-alaskas-next-big-energy-project/1/13 The Bradley Lake Dam on the Kenai Peninsula. (NOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Office) No matter what kind of energy we produce — natural gas, hydro, wind, solar or other legacy fuels — it is only as useful as our ability to deliver it where it is needed. The electricity we consume relies on the substations and distribution lines in our neighborhoods which is in turn dependent on high-voltage transmission infrastructure — the backbone of every electric grid. Any path forward for Alaska’s energy future depends on strengthening this backbone. The Railbelt electric transmission system stretches 700 miles from Homer to Fairbanks powering roughly 70 % of Alaskans. Built piecemeal over decades, it remains a patchwork of transmission lines operated by five separate utilities. The resulting system is akin to a string of extension cords — some sturdy, others worn — but inadequate for our current and future needs. This fragmentation drives up costs, reduces reliability, and keeps the lowest-cost power from reaching customers when it is needed most. Case in point: The cheapest electric energy in the Railbelt is generated by the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric plant near Homer. However, because of transmission bottlenecks, that energy can’t always flow north when demand peaks, forcing utilities to use more expensive fuel. Removing these bottlenecks will give Railbelt consumers full access to Bradley Lake’s clean, low-cost power. 12/8/25, 3:59 PM Opinion: Why transmission is Alaska’s next big energy project - Anchorage Daily News https://www.adn.com/opinions/2025/12/07/opinion-why-transmission-is-alaskas-next-big-energy-project/2/13 ADVERTISEMENT Alaska’s Railbelt utilities and the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) have identified a coordinated, multi-year roadmap to build a reliable, efficient and lower-cost energy backbone for the Railbelt. This plan can be implemented in stages, tackling the most urgent constraints first to deliver savings quickly. Some of this work is already underway. The Sterling-to-Quartz Creek transmission link on the Kenai Peninsula is undergoing a major upgrade financed through AEA bonds to improve the system’s overall capacity and reliability and reduce power losses. New battery storage projects are also strengthening the grid by providing emergency backup and frequency control. These projects will pay dividends for decades. In addition, AEA secured $206.5 million from a Department of Energy grant for the next phase of Railbelt modernization. The project will install a high-voltage direct- current submarine cable across Cook Inlet, creating redundancy and increasing capacity so utilities can better access Bradley Lake power. While these federal funds were thought to be in jeopardy in early 2025, they remain available. However, they require a dollar-for-dollar match to move forward. 12/8/25, 3:59 PM Opinion: Why transmission is Alaska’s next big energy project - Anchorage Daily News https://www.adn.com/opinions/2025/12/07/opinion-why-transmission-is-alaskas-next-big-energy-project/3/13 As steps are taken to allow full access to Bradley Lake’s low-cost power generation, planning is also underway to supply more water to the dam’s generators via the Dixon Diversion project, which will boost power output by up to 50%. Getting more electricity out of existing infrastructure makes sense — especially if we can move that power to end users when they need it. Success with these projects will benefit rural energy users: because the Power Cost Equalization (PCE) program is tied to Railbelt rates, lower cost power on the Railbelt reduces rates across Alaska. ADVERTISEMENT ⟲ A stronger transmission system will also provide a means for new power generation to supply the Railbelt electric market. Better transmission removes the hurdle of geography, making the entire system more efficient, flexible and affordable — for whatever new generation comes online. Finally, stronger governance will matter as much as stronger wires. We must also continue the state and utility effort to write fair operating rules for the Railbelt’s shared transmission system to ensure that these investments deliver long-term reliability and affordability for everyone connected to the grid. 12/8/25, 3:59 PM Opinion: Why transmission is Alaska’s next big energy project - Anchorage Daily News https://www.adn.com/opinions/2025/12/07/opinion-why-transmission-is-alaskas-next-big-energy-project/4/13 ADVERTISEMENT Transmission may not be flashy, but it is the foundation of everything else. If we want affordable, reliable power and a stronger economy, we must invest in the infrastructure that makes it possible. What’s needed now is clear state leadership, coordinated utility action, and the backing of Alaskans to move these projects forward. Gene Therriault served in the Alaska state House of Representatives and Alaska Senate from 1993 to 2009, and is a senior adviser of New Energy Alaska. Subsequent roles include serving as senior energy adviser to Gov. Sean Parnell, vice president of Golden Valley Electric Association and deputy director for statewide energy policy development at the Alaska Energy Authority. He lives in Fairbanks. ADVERTISEMENT SHOP NOW 12/8/25, 3:59 PM Opinion: Why transmission is Alaska’s next big energy project - Anchorage Daily News https://www.adn.com/opinions/2025/12/07/opinion-why-transmission-is-alaskas-next-big-energy-project/5/13 Brian Hickey lives in Anchorage and has over 40 years of experience working in construction, engineering and operations in the Alaska Railbelt electric grid. Most recently, he was executive director of Railbelt Regional Coordination and led Railbelt’s joint effort to obtain the $206.5 million Department of Energy grant for AEA. He is also the general manager of Seward Electric Systems in Seward. • • • The Anchorage Daily News welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Sign up for our opinions newsletter Commentary, letters to the editor and more: Hear from different voices around Alaska in our free opinions newsletter, sent every Monday. Email* Type your email Sign Up 12/8/25, 3:59 PM Opinion: Why transmission is Alaska’s next big energy project - Anchorage Daily News https://www.adn.com/opinions/2025/12/07/opinion-why-transmission-is-alaskas-next-big-energy-project/6/13 Alaska Railbelt Reliability Council Selects Black & Veatch to Lead First-Ever Regionwide Energy Plan In a pivotal step toward managing power reliability for the majority of Alaskans, the Alaska Railbelt Reliability Council (RRC) has chosen engineering firm Black & Veatch to spearhead the development of the Railbelt’s inaugural systemwide Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). Announced December 2, 2025, this comprehensive strategy aims to ensure a reliable, affordable, and future-ready electricity system across the 700-mile corridor from Fairbanks to Homer, which serves about 75% of the state’s population. Historically, Railbelt utilities have operated independently, consistent with seven co-op principles. The new IRP shifts this paradigm by creating a central planning organization among the region’s five key utilities: Golden Valley Electric Association, Matanuska Electric Association, Chugach Electric Association, Homer Electric Association, and Seward Electric System. It will also incorporate input from independent power producers (IPPs), businesses, consumer advocates, and energy experts to create a roadmap for generation, transmission, and storage investments. This approach is expected to minimize costs, bolster grid resilience against Alaska’s harsh conditions, and integrate renewables while balancing environmental and affordability goals. The RRC, established by the Alaska Legislature, emphasizes shared standards to avoid redundant expenses and deliver optimal value. Black & Veatch, with over 40 years of IRP experience—including projects in Alaska—will employ advanced modeling and real-world data to craft the plan. By Todd M Lindley -December 6, 2025 Alaska's Arctic Energy System | IARC uaf-iarc.org 12/10/25, 2:12 PM Alaska Railbelt Reliability Council Selects Black & Veatch to Lead First-Ever Regionwide Energy Plan - Must Read Alaska https://mustreadalaska.com/alaska-railbelt-reliability-council-selects-black-veatch-to-lead-first-ever-regionwide-energy-plan/1/2 “I am excited for the opportunity to lead the RRC and realize the value provided through Railbelt-wide standards and regional planning. This IRP will help achieve long-term reliability, sustainability and affordability for Alaskans,” said Ed Jenkin, CEO of the Alaska Railbelt Reliability Council. The two-year process kicks off with public engagement, including webinars, meetings, and workshops for feedback. An initial open webinar will outline participation details, with registration soon available on the RRC website. The final plan is slated for submission to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska in early 2027. For more information, visit www.akrrc.org or www.bv.com.    M 1 / 2 82% Open this PDF in Adobe Acrobat Edit, summarize, and more right from the Acrobat extension. You can hide this shortcut anytime in Preferences. Close RRC_IRP_News_Release Download Todd M Lindley 12/10/25, 2:12 PM Alaska Railbelt Reliability Council Selects Black & Veatch to Lead First-Ever Regionwide Energy Plan - Must Read Alaska https://mustreadalaska.com/alaska-railbelt-reliability-council-selects-black-veatch-to-lead-first-ever-regionwide-energy-plan/2/2 CEC plans upgrades for Humpback Creekhydropower  By Margaret Bauman -December 3, 2025 The Cordova Electric Cooperative (CEC) has decided to upgrade its Humpback Creek hydropower plant, increasing output there by 36% while ultimately reducing diesel fuel usage by some 85,000 gallons annually.  “Basically, it is an efficiency upgrade,” said Clay Koplin, a professional engineer who serves as chief executive officer of the CEC. “We will get a lot more energy with the same water by upgrading the valves and hydro turbines. We are also upgrading the electrical generators to handle the additional output.”  The decision to proceed with upgrades to the Humpback Creek dam came during a meeting on Nov. 25, where the CEC decided not to move forward with work on the proposed Crater Lake project.  The project is to begin over the next few months and be completed by 2027, Koplin said. Much of the work to upgrade existing equipment, including hydro turbines, electric generators and switch gear, is expected to be done in-house.  Over the long term, this will result in about one million kilowatt hours of additional hydropower, according to Koplin.   Humpback Creek dam. Photo courtesy of the Cordova Electric Cooperative Privacy and Cookies Policy We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Cookie settings ACCEPT 12/4/25, 11:49 AM CEC plans upgrades for Humpback Creek hydropower | The Cordova Times https://thecordovatimes.com/2025/12/03/cec-plans-upgrades-for-humpback-creek-hydropower/1/2 WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com Funding for the project is coming from a $4.8 million federal pollution reduction grant awarded to the Native Village of Eyak.  In an average year, the Power Creek dam provides 65%-70% of the community’s electric power and Humpback Creek 10-155. Both facilities are carefully designed to protect spawning habitat for all five species of Pacific salmon.   To date, hydro power development has saved Cordova millions of dollars in diesel fuel alone and kept utility costs affordable, according to the CEC. Cordova also supports a large fishing fleet and several fish processing firms that rely on the lower cost of electricity to keep their own costs in the black.  Back in August of this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency noted that the upgrades to the Humpback Creek dam would significantly reduce the community’s reliance on diesel fuel for electricity generation, while increasing the community’s energy supply to nearly 90% renewable energy. The project will also enhance public health and wellbeing in the tribal community by reducing emissions of harmful pollutants, leading to improved air quality and healthier ecosystems, while decreasing commercial and residential energy costs, the EPA said.  Margaret Bauman Margaret Bauman is a veteran Alaska journalist focused on covering fisheries and environmental issues. Bauman has been writing for The Cordova Times since 2010. You can reach her at fisheriesreporter@gmail.com. Privacy and Cookies Policy We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Cookie settings ACCEPT 12/4/25, 11:49 AM CEC plans upgrades for Humpback Creek hydropower | The Cordova Times https://thecordovatimes.com/2025/12/03/cec-plans-upgrades-for-humpback-creek-hydropower/2/2 Railbelt Reliability Council Reviews 2026 Budget at December Board Meeting The Railbelt Reliability Council (RRC) convened its board meeting on December 1, 2025, with a focus on key agenda items including the development and approval of the 2026 budget and surcharge filing. The meeting comes as the organization continues to advance regional planning and reliability standards for Alaska’s interconnected electric grid. While specific agenda details remain limited, the session is expected to address ongoing efforts in integrated resource planning and enforcement of operational rules to enhance system efficiency and security. The Railbelt Reliability Council, certified by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska in 2022, serves as the state’s first Electric Reliability Organization for the Railbelt region, which powers nearly three- quarters of Alaska’s population from Fairbanks to the Kenai Peninsula. Formed through efforts among utility companies, NGOs, and policymakers, the RRC aims to boost grid resilience, lower long-term consumer costs, and foster cooperation among entities like Golden Valley Electric Association and Chugach Electric Association. The 15-member board includes directors from various sectors of the power industry in Alaska. Notably, among them are the Railbelt Utility Co-ops, Alaska Energy Authority (AEA), Alaska IPP, Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AKPIRG), and Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP). By Todd M Lindley -December 2, 2025  1/20/26, 10:22 AM Railbelt Reliability Council Reviews 2026 Budget at December Board Meeting - Must Read Alaska https://mustreadalaska.com/railbelt-reliability-council-to-review-2026-budget-at-december-board-meeting/1/2 A key discussion point in the meeting packet involves the CEO goals outlined starting on page 37. These goals emphasize implementing enforceable standards and regionalized resource planning to promote long-term reliability, sustainability, and affordability across the Railbelt. For the council, this means strengthening collaborative infrastructure projects, mitigating risks from natural disasters and cyber threats, and optimizing costs for consumers through unified generation and transmission strategies. As RRC President and CEO Edward Jenkin stated, “I am excited for the opportunity to lead the RRC and realize the value provided through Railbelt-wide standards and regional planning… to help achieve long-term reliability, sustainability, and affordability.” Regarding the 2026 budgets, the RRC operates on funds collected via a surcharge from five load- serving utilities under the Equitable Allocation of Costs Rule. The proposed budget, developed publicly, determines the total surcharge amount, though specific figures for 2026 have not been finalized ahead of the meeting. This funding supports standards development, planning, and administrative operations.    1 / 44 64% Open this PDF in Adobe Acrobat Edit, summarize, and more right from the Acrobat extension. You can hide this shortcut anytime in Preferences. Close 2025-12-01 Board Packet Download Todd M Lindley  1/20/26, 10:22 AM Railbelt Reliability Council Reviews 2026 Budget at December Board Meeting - Must Read Alaska https://mustreadalaska.com/railbelt-reliability-council-to-review-2026-budget-at-december-board-meeting/2/2 https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/fairbanks-city-council-mulls-ev-charger-prospects/article_75d5e76e- 06d9-4923-a5e3-341e5b3695f6.html Fairbanks City Council mulls EV charger prospects Jack Barnwell Nov 20, 2025 A set of Tesla charging stations await to be installed at the Fred Meyer on Airport Way. The chargers were paid for as part of the Alaska Energy Authority/Department of Transportation's alternative fuel corridor program, funded by federal grants. FAST Planning intends to seek project nominations for charging stations separate from the state. Dorothy Resch Chomicz/News-Miner With a Friday deadline looming for project nominations for local electric vehicle charging stations, the city of Fairbanks is considering its own options. 11/21/25, 12:30 PM Fairbanks City Council mulls EV charger prospects | Local News | newsminer.com https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/fairbanks-city-council-mulls-ev-charger-prospects/article_75d5e76e-06d9-4923-a5e3-341e5b3695f6.htm…1/6 Fairbanks Area Surface Transportation (FAST) Planning has about $2.4 million in funds to allocate to charging stations, with successful applicants required to provide a 9.04% match. Project nominations opened in late September. A combination of federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality and Carbon Reduction Act funding will pay for the projects. City Engineer Bob Pristash and John O’Brien, the city’s environmental analyst, outlined some of the benefits and challenges of hosting some of the chargers on Tuesday. O’Brien said the FAST Planning application has two options: contract with a third-party business and provide the land or directly control the charging stations. A contractor would conduct the maintenance on the stations. Four locations are being considered: the Morrison Thompson Cultural and Visitor Center, the city- owned parking lot near Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Fairbanks City Hall, and the city- owned parking lot on Noble Street between First and Second avenues. O’Brien said the Noble Street option could dovetail with future development of the old Polaris Building site on Lacey Street. “It’s on that block ... there’s an existing lot there,” O’Brien said. The parking lot near the church is convenient to the pedestrian William Ransom Wood Centennial Bridge, which leads to Golden Heart Plaza and downtown Fairbanks. “People can walk places and do shopping while their electric vehicle is charging,” O’Brien said. 11/21/25, 12:30 PM Fairbanks City Council mulls EV charger prospects | Local News | newsminer.com https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/fairbanks-city-council-mulls-ev-charger-prospects/article_75d5e76e-06d9-4923-a5e3-341e5b3695f6.htm…2/6 The Morris Thompson Center sees a lot of foot traffic and visitors and would be another ideal location near downtown, he said. Pristash, the city engineer, said the city ruled out installing electric vehicle chargers in the Lavery Transportation Center parking garage due to public safety and fire department response. “If electric vehicles catch on fire, it is very hard to put them out,” Pristash said. He referenced recent decisions by several barge companies to suspend or stop transporting such vehicles to Alaska and Hawaii after a barge caught fire and sank near Adak in June while en route from China to Mexico. “When they do catch on fire and it gets to a certain point where it’s trapped between the upper and lower layers, steel expands and it yields beyond a certain point,” Pristash said. “We could damage our parking garage to the point where one of our columns is bad.” Fairbanks Fire Chief Andrew Coccaro also voiced any objection to installing chargers in the downtown garage. The FAST Planning application requires installation and a five-year maintenance agreement for four chargers. Applicants can choose to install Level II or Fast Charging (Level III) chargers. “The costs vary widely for those two types of chargers,” O’Brien said. Fast chargers, while more expensive, offer a quick “refuel” time, whereas Level II chargers can take several hours to recharge an electric vehicle. O’Brien recommended the Level III chargers for the quick refuel time, “about the same time it would take for someone to get lunch or go to a store.” A planning level estimate places design and construction at $500,000, but the price is subject to change. He acknowledged that if the city does apply and take ownership of the chargers, it could take some time before they are widely used. The city could anticipate a minimum $200 monthly fee per port, or $9,600 a year. 11/21/25, 12:30 PM Fairbanks City Council mulls EV charger prospects | Local News | newsminer.com https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/fairbanks-city-council-mulls-ev-charger-prospects/article_75d5e76e-06d9-4923-a5e3-341e5b3695f6.htm…3/6 If the chargers are used often, O’Brien said the fees charged to vehicle owners could eventually cover their upkeep. The assumed cost would be 10 cents per kilowatt-hour, in addition to whatever Golden Valley Electric Association charges. O’Brien said based on his research, Alaska has about 169 charging ports installed by corporations, small businesses and utilities, such as the one GVEA hosts at its offices on Illinois Street. The Alaska Department of Transportation and the Alaska Energy Authority are funding their own projects thanks to $50 million in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure funding. The NEVI funding is part of the effort to build out the Alternative Fuel Corridor between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Fred Meyer West on Airport Way will host Tesla charging stations and are currently being built. O’Brien added there’s about 2,700 electric vehicles and 900 hybrid vehicles registered or in use in the state. About 174 are registered in Interior Alaska, according to Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles data. According to FAST Planning’s Electric Infrastructure Implementation Plan, the region can expect to see a total of 534-1,774 EVs registered, depending on how aggressive the growth is over the next ten years. “The decision comes down to the question of whether the time is right,” O’Brien said. “The advantages I see are that if Fairbanks wants to maintain itself as a modern city, these things could draw people with a similar attitude or businesses, or be a nice complement to some of the other changes happening downtown.” 11/21/25, 12:30 PM Fairbanks City Council mulls EV charger prospects | Local News | newsminer.com https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/fairbanks-city-council-mulls-ev-charger-prospects/article_75d5e76e-06d9-4923-a5e3-341e5b3695f6.htm…4/6 Council skepticism Many councilmembers, in general, agreed that the Morris Thompson Center was the ideal location to be nominated. However, a few were skeptical about the process. Councilmember Jerry Cleworth cautioned about potential technological changes. “We have a changing science behind all this,” Cleworth said. “EVs are kind of the ‘in’ thing now, but if [hydrogen] fuel cell technology takes over, then you’re cooked on that.” He added a shift toward electric vehicles in Interior Alaska doesn’t make sense “because the cold robs so much of the juice from the batteries.” However, he agreed with the preference toward installing Fast Chargers. “If you’re going to do something, you need to do that because you’re trying to get the over-the- highway person who wants to get going,” Cleworth said. “If I had an EV, I wouldn’t want to sit there for five hours waiting to get a charge.” He added that FAST Planning’s August 2024 survey of car dealerships found that most Fairbanks dealerships don’t carry a large inventory, if any at all. Ford Seekins reported selling five Ford Lightnings and a Mustang Mach-e, while Chevrolet GMC of Fairbanks said it had sold two or three a year and Kendall sold seven. Kendall’s survey indicated that the “upfront sticker price is enough to stop the conversation before it starts” and recommended that customers purchase it as a second vehicle. “My fear is that it’s a nice service, but that won’t make us any money for a long time, if at all,” Cleworth said. “If you think it’s a good public service, that’s one thing, but if you’re thinking it will make money, it’s not going to work.” Councilmember Valerie Therrien had concerns that the project won’t pencil out, given the lack of data on how many vehicles would use them. “It’s a neat idea but I don’t know how much more use we’re going to get,” Therrien said. “We’re not going to have an electric vehicle drive up from Seattle because there are no charging stations.” 11/21/25, 12:30 PM Fairbanks City Council mulls EV charger prospects | Local News | newsminer.com https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/fairbanks-city-council-mulls-ev-charger-prospects/article_75d5e76e-06d9-4923-a5e3-341e5b3695f6.htm…5/6 jbarnwell Many of the council agreed if the city submits an application, it should be to provide the land and contract with a private third party. Pristash noted the City Council could always choose not to accept the project funds if it’s awarded. Alternatively, FAST Planning could score it lower than other applicants, and the city wouldn’t receive the funding. “Everybody is going to get a chance to score these things and there will be a discussion on it,” Pristash said. “There’s $2.4 million available and I’m not saying we should just spend money because it’s free, but if we don’t do it ... other groups might do it.” He noted that private groups such as Fred Meyer, Three Bears Alaska and hotels are pursuing their own projects. Pristash added that he will prepare an application and ask more questions of FAST Planning before submitting by the deadline. Contact reporter Jack Barnwell at 907-459-7587 or jbarnwell@newsminer.com. 11/21/25, 12:30 PM Fairbanks City Council mulls EV charger prospects | Local News | newsminer.com https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/fairbanks-city-council-mulls-ev-charger-prospects/article_75d5e76e-06d9-4923-a5e3-341e5b3695f6.htm…6/6 View this email in your browser View this email in your browser Alaska Electric Vehicle Working Group Newsletter, November 12, 2025 Did you know? Alaska's Home to a Cold Weather Testing Site It’s that time of year again, when it’s cold enough that even people with internal combustion vehicles need to plug their cars in for them to work. With areas around the state that easily drop to 40 degrees below zero, Alaska makes the perfect testing ground for manufacturers to test their products in one of the world’s harshest climates. Fort Greely, near Delta Junction, is home to the Arctic Regions Test Center. Members of the Army first came to the area in 1949 when they arrived to start conducting cold weather testing of military operations and equipment. Now, almost 80 years later, they are still testing, but also opened the area to private manufacturers. The director of the testing center says, “When we have low military workload, being able to do commercial testing allows us to maintain capabilities and upkeep equipment that is used for these types of tests, as well as the expertise for doing those things. That way, when a military test does come, we’re not scrambling to figure out how to support it. To me, the biggest benefit of the Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:01 PM AEA EV News: Cold Weather Testing & Fire Safety https://mailchi.mp/5673803420b5/november2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]1/5 commercial automotive workload is that it keeps us on the cutting edge of automotive testing.” Cybertruck at the Arctic Regions Test Center. Photo from U.S. Army. The area boasts a 3.2-mile paved oval track, acceleration pads, skid pads, and grades as steep as 60 percent designed to test how a vehicle handles the ice and snow. In an article published in 2019, journalist Tim Stevens writes about his adventure joining Tesla at the testing center. He describes his experience driving on the tracks and points out that Tesla not only tests how the electric vehicles (EVs) handle icy conditions, but also that they use the area to fine-tune some of the other aspects of their EVs, such as testing the heating and air system behavior. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:01 PM AEA EV News: Cold Weather Testing & Fire Safety https://mailchi.mp/5673803420b5/november2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]2/5 A Tesla drifts around a track at the testing facility. Photo from Nick Miotke/Roadshow. EV Site Host Funding Opportunity The Fairbanks Area Surface Transportation (FAST) Planning has an open call for publicly accessible EV charging station project nominations. They will be awarding up to $2.4 million in Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds to the successful applicants. Here are a few things to know about project eligibility: Must be located within the FAST Planning boundary Can be on private property, but must be publicly available during site hours of operation Can be level 2 or level 3 (DC Fast) chargers with at least four ports One permanently attached J1772 connector for Level 2 or one permanently attached CCS Type 1 for DC Fast and then any other type of connector for the other three ports (such as NACS) Commit to remaining networked and operational for at least five years Adhere to the Build America, Buy America Act Pay a 9.03 percent match on total project cost ADA Accessible Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:01 PM AEA EV News: Cold Weather Testing & Fire Safety https://mailchi.mp/5673803420b5/november2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]3/5 The application period closes on November 21, 2025. Learn more on the FAST Planning website! This call for projects builds on previous EV planning efforts from FAST Planning. They drafted and adopted the Fairbanks and North Pole Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Implementation Plan in November 2024. Read more about the Fairbanks and North Pole EV plan in one of our previous newsletters. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:01 PM AEA EV News: Cold Weather Testing & Fire Safety https://mailchi.mp/5673803420b5/november2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]4/5 Join us! December Alaska EV Working Group Meeting – Fire Safety 🔥TOPIC: Fire safety, prevention, and best practices for EVs 📆WHEN: Tuesday, December 2 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 📍WHERE: Virtual! Join on Zoom with this link or meeting ID: 819 4350 2255 🧑‍🚒WHO: Join our panelists and presenters, including a firefighter, trainer from MITAGS, and a laboratory engineer involved with EV racing and safety. Facebook LinkedIn Website Copyright © 2025 Alaska Energy Authority, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:01 PM AEA EV News: Cold Weather Testing & Fire Safety https://mailchi.mp/5673803420b5/november2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]5/5 Why these Alaskans can’t get EVs Nov 11, 2025 View in browser In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, smoke rises from cargo vessel Morning Midas after the crew could not control an EV fire and abandoned ship. | U.S. Coast Guard/Courtesy Air Station Kodiak via AP The hardest place in America to get an electric vehicle these days is Juneau, Alaska. Alaska’s capital city is surrounded by steep, frigid and roadless mountains. Goods mostly arrive by barge — and the city’s sole shipper has banned EV deliveries. “The increased complexity and fire risk associated with shipping large lithium-ion batteries on vessels at sea has caused us to re-evaluate how to best keep our employees and equipment safe,” Alaska Marine Lines announced in an August letter. The company is among a wave of shippers that recently stopped carting EVs to Alaska and Hawaii. The risks became apparent this summer when a cargo shop called the Morning Midas, en route from China to Mexico, went adrift off the Alaska coast. A fire had started among the 70 EVs on board and could not be extinguished. The crew evacuated, and after three weeks in flames, the ship and its cargo of more than 2,000 vehicles slipped beneath the waves. Going to extremes Why these Alaskans can’t get EVs Nov 11, 2025 View in browser In the new no-ship era, Hawaii and some parts of Alaska have found workarounds. When one principal shipper to Hawaii, Matson, declared its EV ban in July, transport company Pasha Hawaii picked up the slack, according to Noel Morin, president of the Hawaii EV Association. So Hawaiians were able to participate in the September surge of EV sales before the federal EV tax credit sunsetted. The parts of Alaska that are accessible by road are now moving EVs on trucks from the Lower 48 via Canada. That can add time and expense. “It makes it less convenient for Alaskans,” said Mark Kelliher, who lives in Anchorage and runs a statewide, 1,600-member EV-interest group on Facebook. But what about Juneau? With AML out of the picture, the only option is to drive a new EV onto a ferry from northern Washington state. ‘Don’t want to sit still’ That has limits, as Juneau resident Sally Saddler learned in August. The city’s only car dealership didn’t sell her desired ride, a Hyundai Ioniq 5. So she bought one in Portland, Oregon. The ferry had a waitlist — not surprising, since it sails only on Fridays and takes only two EVs. It wasn’t until mid-September that her daughter delivered the car to Bellingham, Washington, where Saddler’s husband drove the Hyundai onboard for a fee of $1,400. Three days later, the car finally arrived in Juneau. Juneau is a liberal outpost and is full of EV enthusiasts, with 1,100 EVs among its 31,000-person population. Electric power provided by hydro dams is cheap, and there’s no range anxiety; the city has only about 50 miles of roads. Since an aged and feeble battery isn’t a liability, the most popular EV is an old Nissan Leaf. But the city continues to need new EVs, which is why Saddler, a local clean-energy activist, and others are encouraging AML to revise its policy. “We don’t want to sit still and be boxed out of the EV market because of shipping,” Saddler said. But today, AML President Don Reid stood by the ban, pointing to the risk of an EV fire. “If the barge itself was damaged or lost, the impact on Alaskans could last for many months or years,” he said in a statement to Power Switch. Keith Dobson: AI Datacenters in Alaska – A New Frontier for Economic Growth By KEITH DOBSON Alaska’s Digital Opportunity Alaska’s economy has long depended on extracting resources and tourism, with over 90% of our food arriving by barge and truck from thousands of miles away—a precarious balance leaving communities vulnerable to boom-and-bust cycles. What if Alaska could develop a tech sector reaching beyond Anchorage into rural communities? What if our cold climate, abundant energy, and strategic location between Asia and North America became advantages in the AI revolution? This is already happening. In Cordova, a small AI datacenter is online, expected to create high-paying jobs, reduce energy bills, and advance technology education. Understanding AI Datacenters Artificial intelligence requires massive computing power to process enormous amounts of data, learn patterns, and make predictions. Whether diagnosing diseases, optimizing shipping routes, or translating languages, AI does real work requiring significant computational resources. By GUEST CONTRIBUTOR -November 10, 2025 12/12/25, 10:40 AM Keith Dobson: AI Datacenters in Alaska - A New Frontier for Economic Growth - Must Read Alaska https://mustreadalaska.com/keith-dobson-ai-datacenters-in-alaska-a-new-frontier-for-economic-growth/1/4 Datacenters are warehouses filled with powerful computers working 24/7 to process this information. AI datacenters specifically use specialized chips called GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) designed for the intense mathematical calculations AI demands. When people think “datacenter,” they imagine football-field-sized buildings consuming electricity for a small city. Those are hyperscale facilities run by companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. But there’s another category perfect for Alaska: micro-datacenters, consuming 250 kilowatts to 1 megawatt —roughly equivalent to 200-800 homes. These can fit into existing buildings like closed schools or underutilized government facilities, requiring renovation rather than new construction. Alaska’s Competitive Advantages Natural Cooling Cooling costs represent 10-40% of datacenter operational expenses. Alaska’s climate provides natural cooling most of the year. In Fairbanks at -40°F, you’re not paying for air conditioning—you simply open the door (so to speak). Even in summer, our temperatures offer fundamental economic advantages over most locations. Strategic Geography Looking at a globe, Alaska sits between Asia and North America with fiber optic connections in multiple directions. As Asian economies boom and AI demand grows, Alaska could serve as a strategic hub—a bridge between East and West. Iceland leveraged similar advantages years ago, hosting major datacenters despite being a tiny island nation. Alaska has even more diverse energy sources and better positioning for the Asia-Pacific market. Energy Resources Alaska offers surprising energy diversity: hydroelectric power in Southeast communities like Juneau and Sitka, geothermal potential along the Ring of Fire, world-class wind resources in coastal areas, and excess generation capacity sitting idle in many communities. Companies like Greensparc build their model around finding communities with excess power and deploying datacenters that generate revenue while helping reduce electricity rates by sharing infrastructure costs. Essential Requirements Communities exploring micro-datacenters need four key ingredients: Reliable Power: 250kW to 1MW of consistent electricity, 24/7/365. This is like adding a medium-sized commercial building to the grid—significant but manageable for most established communities. Fiber Connectivity: Major carriers including GCI, MTA, ACS, Quintillion, and Far North Fiber serve Alaska. Connected communities span from Southeast (Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Cordova) to Southcentral (Seward, Kenai, Homer, Anchorage, Palmer, Wasilla) to Interior (Fairbanks) to the Arctic Coast (Utqiagvik and beyond). Physical Space: Existing buildings work fine—closed schools, vacant warehouses, unused government facilities. Spaces need security, climate control, maintenance access, and power/fiber connections. Many companies offer pre-built modular units for relatively quick installation. Skilled Workforce: A micro-datacenter needs 2-10 people with electrical knowledge, HVAC skills, IT basics, and security expertise. If your community maintains a power plant, water treatment facility, or  12/12/25, 10:40 AM Keith Dobson: AI Datacenters in Alaska - A New Frontier for Economic Growth - Must Read Alaska https://mustreadalaska.com/keith-dobson-ai-datacenters-in-alaska-a-new-frontier-for-economic-growth/2/4 modern school, you have baseline skills needed. Specialized AI work happens remotely. This creates good-paying technical jobs for reliable, technically-minded locals. The Heat Opportunity Datacenters generate tremendous heat, typically wasted by blowing it into the atmosphere. In Alaska, where food security concerns run deep and growing seasons are short, this “waste” heat becomes incredibly valuable. Imagine a datacenter next to a greenhouse. Hot air and water from cooling computers keeps the greenhouse warm year-round, growing tomatoes, lettuce, and herbs in January. A community importing 90% of its food now grows its own, creating jobs, improving food security, and reducing shipping costs and environmental impact. Other possibilities include fish hatcheries for Alaska’s critical fishing industry, lumber drying operations, district heating for municipal buildings, aquaculture facilities, and recreation centers with year-round swimming pools. The datacenter transforms from a technology project into an integrated community asset. Economic Benefits Direct Employment: A 250kW facility employs 2-5 full-time workers; a 1MW facility needs 5-10. These are year-round positions paying $60,000-$120,000+ in communities where good jobs are scarce—stable careers supporting families without forcing young people to leave for Anchorage or the Lower 48. Infrastructure Benefits: Adding a large, stable customer to the power grid can reduce rates for everyone by spreading fixed costs across more kilowatt-hours sold. In communities with prohibitively high electricity costs, this makes real differences for residents and businesses. Training and Education: Datacenters create educational opportunities, showing students that technology careers are realistic options and providing immediate local application for technical training programs. Native Corporation Partnerships: Alaska Native Regional and village corporations are natural partners, providing land or buildings, co-investing in development, employing shareholders, and ensuring economic benefits flow to historically underserved communities. Real Challenges Alaska doesn’t need another overpromised economic scheme. Challenges include high electricity costs (requiring targeting communities with excess capacity or low-cost generation), incomplete fiber infrastructure and redundancy, the valid criticism that datacenters create relatively few jobs, and ensuring community fit and readiness. Success requires community engagement and leadership from local decision-makers—tribal councils, Native corporations, city councils, borough assemblies, and business leaders. This must be a community choice, not something imposed from outside. Communities with Opportunity Based on existing infrastructure, several Alaska communities are well-positioned: Southeast communities like Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, and Cordova have strong hydro power and fiber; Southcentral’s Palmer/Wasilla corridor offers road access and agricultural integration potential; Fairbanks provides university partnerships and technical workforce; and Utqiagvik offers extreme cold climate advantages and Arctic research opportunities.  12/12/25, 10:40 AM Keith Dobson: AI Datacenters in Alaska - A New Frontier for Economic Growth - Must Read Alaska https://mustreadalaska.com/keith-dobson-ai-datacenters-in-alaska-a-new-frontier-for-economic-growth/3/4 Looking Forward Alaska has built prosperity on bold vision: the gold rush, oil pipeline, and fishing industry. The datacenter opportunity follows this tradition. Our cold climate, strategic location, and energy resources position us to participate in the digital revolution. Micro-datacenters won’t work everywhere or solve all challenges. But for communities with the right infrastructure and vision, they offer opportunities to create technical jobs, use excess energy productively, improve food security, upgrade infrastructure, partner with Native corporations, and diversify beyond boom-and-bust extraction. The technology is proven. Companies are already investing. The question is whether Alaska communities will seize this opportunity—a chance to write Alaska’s future with fiber optics, AI, and year-round tomatoes grown with datacenter heat. We’ve thrived on the edge of the world before. We can do it again. Keith Dobson is an Alaska-based IT leader with nearly 40 years in consulting, engineering, sales and management. At INVITE Networks, he advances responsible AI to strengthen private and public services. A Big Lake resident and active volunteer, Keith focuses on helping Alaska communities use technology for practical solutions delivering better outcomes for all Alaskans. GUEST CONTRIBUTOR  12/12/25, 10:40 AM Keith Dobson: AI Datacenters in Alaska - A New Frontier for Economic Growth - Must Read Alaska https://mustreadalaska.com/keith-dobson-ai-datacenters-in-alaska-a-new-frontier-for-economic-growth/4/4 https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2025/11/07/chugach-electric-moves- ahead-with-plans-to-develop-what-could-be-alaskas-largest-solar-farm/ Chugach Electric moves ahead with plans to develop what could be Alaska’s largest solar farm By Alex DeMarban Published: November 7, 2025 The electric utility for the Anchorage area has approved plans to build what could be largest solar farm in Alaska. Chugach Electric Association is looking to build up to a 10-megawatt solar farm at its Beluga Power Plant across Cook Inlet west of Anchorage, near the village of Tyonek, chief executive Arthur Miller said in a public meeting this week. The Beluga Solar Project should be operational in mid-2027, helping offset the utility’s reliance on natural gas, he said. The plans come after solar and wind projects in Southcentral Alaska have struggled as the administration of President Donald Trump and Republicans have moved to slash funding for renewable energy projects. The utility’s board last month authorized spending $26.4 million for the project, or $14.7 million for a smaller 5-megawatt option at the site. The larger project would require an agreement with CIRI, the Alaska Native regional corporation in Anchorage that owns part of the land. An 8.5-megawatt solar farm in Houston, owned by CleanCapital, is currently the largest in Alaska. https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2025/11/07/chugach-electric-moves- ahead-with-plans-to-develop-what-could-be-alaskas-largest-solar-farm/ The 8.5-megawatt Houston Solar Farm comprises 14,000 solar panels. (Loren Holmes / ADN file) The Beluga solar plans could benefit from a roughly 40% reduction in costs from a tax credit that U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski kept alive for one year in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, after other Republicans had sought to eliminate it. The Beluga project will try to capture that tax benefit by meeting key deadlines, including beginning construction by July 4, 2026, people working on the project told the Chugach Electric board at its meeting. “While we would hope to get the tax credits and our goal is to meet the deadline, the project was approved with or without the (tax credit),” said Julie Hasquet, a spokeswoman with Chugach Electric, on Friday. Miller, speaking a recent community meeting organized by state Rep. Julie Coulombe, R- Anchorage, said the project is important in part because it’s expected to run for 30 years. Miller said it will help reduce the need for natural gas that the utility largely relies on as an energy source. https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2025/11/07/chugach-electric-moves- ahead-with-plans-to-develop-what-could-be-alaskas-largest-solar-farm/ A looming shortage of natural gas from Cook Inlet is expected to force Chugach Electric and other utilities to import costly liquefied natural gas in the coming years. The larger, 10-megawatt option would save 2.8 billion cubic feet in natural gas over its life, Miller said. That’s a tiny fraction of the utility’s annual consumption of 12 billion cubic feet. Still, Beluga solar would have important benefits, though it’s not without risk, said Chugach Electric board member Jim Nordlund. “There’s great value in diversification in itself, in that we’re moving forward and becoming less dependent on natural gas,” Nordlund said at the board meeting. Chugach Electric expects that Beluga solar would have a “negligible rate impact,” the resolution says. The utility would seek approval from the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to recover costs through electricity rates, the resolution says. Other renewable projects struggling The approval for the solar project comes after a much larger solar project on the Kenai Peninsula was canceled earlier this year amid concerns about federal funding cuts. Led by private developers, the farm in Nikiski would have provided 45 megawatts of power. And Little Mount Susitna Wind, another privately led project proposed for construction across Cook Inlet, appears to be struggling. That project would have served as an independent power producer providing large amounts of energy into the Alaska Railbelt, of at least 120 megawatts. Chugach Electric had studied the wind project as a source of energy that the utility could buy, if its built. But Chugach Electric is no longer “moving forward” with the project, Hasquet said. “We have requested approval from the IPP (independent power producer) to publicly disclose their proposed pricing and, to date, they have not given us approval to disclose the information,” Hasquet said Friday. Alaska Renewables founded the project and remains the development partner after selling it to Boston-based Longroad Energy, which would serve as operator. https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2025/11/07/chugach-electric-moves- ahead-with-plans-to-develop-what-could-be-alaskas-largest-solar-farm/ Julie Estey — with Matanuska Electric Association, which serves the Palmer-Wasilla region — said that Little Mount Susitna Wind “has decided to put active development of project terms on pause.” “However, our understanding is that some engineering and environmental work on the project have continued,” she said in a text. The utility “looks forward to continuing discussions about the feasibility of the project when it is appropriate,” she said. Matt Perkins, with Alaska Renewables, declined to comment on the status of Little Mount Susitna Wind on Friday. The company has also pursued other wind projects in Alaska, including Shovel Creek Wind outside Fairbanks. “We continue to invest in projects across the Railbelt,” he said. https://www.akbizmag.com/industry/energy/chugach-electric-approves-10-mw-beluga- solar-project/ Chugach Electric Approves 10 MW Beluga Solar Project Oct 31, 2025 | Energy, News Photo Credit: leungchopan Solar power in Alaska is set to level up. The board of directors of Chugach Electric Association voted unanimously on October 22 to approve a $26.4 million investment for the state’s largest solar array yet. The 10 MW project would be located next to the utility’s 312 MW gas-fired power station at Beluga, near Tyonek. Counting on Credits The board was under a deadline to act before federal Investment Tax Credits are phased out. If the credits apply, the estimated cost to ratepayers drops to $16.4 million. The project would generate power for approximately $89/MWh, comparable to the anticipated cost of gas-powered electricity. Last year, Homer Electric Association contracted with Hilcorp Alaska for gas costing upwards of $85/MWh, and Chugach Electric’s supply contract is up for renegotiation in 2028. Currently, the largest utility-scale solar farm in Alaska is in Houston, an 8.5 MW array installed in 2023 by Renewable Independent Power Producers. The company was planning https://www.akbizmag.com/industry/energy/chugach-electric-approves-10-mw-beluga- solar-project/ a 45 MW facility at Puppy Dog Lake on the Kenai Peninsula, covering about 300 acres in Nikiski, but uncertainty about financing halted that project indefinitely. The solar farm would require clear-cutting about 80 acres north of the Beluga Lake power plant. According to the conservation group Cook Inletkeeper, solar panels could offset gas- powered electricity that would otherwise emit about twenty times the estimated 8,480 tons of carbon released by clearing the land. Meanwhile, Chugach Electric is also working on an additional community solar project, following the success of its first installation south of Dimond Boulevard. That 500 kW array is already fully subscribed, so the utility is planning on an expansion to accommodate more interested co-op members. Regulations for independent community solar projects are also in flux, with public comment closing this week on proposed changes. State regulators are considering whether to lift the 5 MW cap on independent community solar to enable more projects to be developed statewide. Akiak's hopes of restoring power see further delays as cold sets in KYUK | By Evan Erickson Published October 30, 2025 at 12:51 PM AKDT LISTEN • 3:02 Nelson Jasper Boats are pulled up on the beach in front of the lower Kuskokwim River community of Akiak as the river begins to freeze on Oct. 29, 2025. The lower Kuskokwim River community of Akiak has been without power for nearly six weeks, unrelated to the typhoon remnant that swept through the region. Akiak tribal citizen Mike Williams Sr. said his community of roughly 450 people is stretched thin. "It has been like almost 40 days and, and it has been a crazy month, but we're running out of resources," Williams Sr. said. Williams Sr. said fuel costs run roughly $70 a day for dozens of homes that have relied on personal generators since the power went out in late September. He said cold weather is compounding the problems for families. "Last night, it got like 19 degrees and some of those generators froze, and they had to work on their carburetors," Williams Sr. said. Williams Sr. said he’s already burned through his $1,000 Permanent Fund dividend check from expenses related to the outage. The community’s school and health clinic remain operational on backup generators. But for as many as 20 homes still without personal generators, Williams Sr. said there has Donate Talkline Talkline KYUK KYUK 10/31/25, 10:21 AM Akiak's hopes of restoring power see further delays as cold sets in https://www.kyuk.org/public-safety/2025-10-30/akiaks-hopes-of-restoring-power-see-further-delays-as-cold-sets-in 1/5 likely been a significant loss of subsistence foods. He welcomes the recent move by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to open an emergency moose hunt aimed at helping communities affected by ex-Typhoon Halong, which is open to all Akiak residents. "Those that didn't catch need to go out and get their moose," Williams Sr. said. The community has found support from a range of sources. Donlin Gold and the Association of Village Council Presidents have both provided financial relief for fuel costs. A community member recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to recoup some of the fuel costs for residents. And Calista Corporation, the regional Alaska Native corporation, says it has donated funds to Akiak’s tribe to purchase additional home generators. But when personal generators can go back into storage and homes can be plugged back into the grid is unclear. In an emailed statement on Oct. 24, the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) — the state-run corporation assisting Akiak — wrote that it expected power to be restored on Oct. 29. But now, hopes for restoration have been pushed several days further, according to Akiak Mayor Olinka Jones. In its statement, AEA cited an extensive record of mechanical failures due to poor maintenance and upkeep in Akiak. When Akiak’s main generator went down in the early hours of Sept. 22, AEA wrote that three separate generators that could have served as backup options were inoperable due to “little to no preventative, scheduled maintenance." In a meeting held in early October, AEA rural programs manager Chris McConnell explained that at least one additional generator will need to be operational to handle the increased load demands through the winter. Performing oil changes and other scheduled maintenance will also require that multiple generators are operational. Now, Akiak is nearing a repeat of the summer outage in 2024 that lasted nearly two months. Williams Sr. referred to the power outages as a “man-made disaster.” "I hope, once the generators are are repaired and going, that we have personnel working on maintaining them, to do it in [a] professional way, instead of having to go through this once again," Williams Sr. said. AEA said that it plans to meet with Akiak’s utility management personnel to discuss training and best practices once power is restored. Mayor Olinka Jones said the city is already planning to take advantage of training opportunities this summer. But first, Akiak has a long winter ahead. Tags Public Safety Akiak Electricity Alaska State News Evan Erickson Evan Erickson is a reporter at KYUK who has previously worked as a copy editor, audio engineer and freelance journalist. See stories by Evan EricksonTalkline Talkline KYUK KYUK 10/31/25, 10:21 AM Akiak's hopes of restoring power see further delays as cold sets in https://www.kyuk.org/public-safety/2025-10-30/akiaks-hopes-of-restoring-power-see-further-delays-as-cold-sets-in 2/5 Related Content Public Safety Akiak sets timeline for restoring power, but clock is ticking on additional repairs Evan Erickson, October 7, 2025 After more than two weeks without municipal power, a meeting held on Oct. 6 in the lower Kuskokwim River community highlighted a critical need to repair additional generators before winter sets in. Talkline Talkline KYUK KYUK 10/31/25, 10:21 AM Akiak's hopes of restoring power see further delays as cold sets in https://www.kyuk.org/public-safety/2025-10-30/akiaks-hopes-of-restoring-power-see-further-delays-as-cold-sets-in 3/5 Public Safety Akiak enters second week without power, Mertarvik restores power after 2-week outage Evan Erickson, September 29, 2025 A contractor that helped to restore power in Mertarvik was en route to Akiak on Sept. 28 as many in the upriver community continue to rely on personal generators. EconomyTalkline Talkline KYUK KYUK 10/31/25, 10:21 AM Akiak's hopes of restoring power see further delays as cold sets in https://www.kyuk.org/public-safety/2025-10-30/akiaks-hopes-of-restoring-power-see-further-delays-as-cold-sets-in 4/5 Load More © 2025 KYUK Careers and Opportunities Media Sharing Policy Contact Us Reports Akiak residents say weeks without power have ruined frozen food stores, drained savings Sage Smiley, June 30, 2024 The Kuskokwim River community of Akiak has been largely without power for more than two weeks. The outage appears to be part of a broader issue with the town’s generators and has resulted in significant food loss and financial hardship for residents. LISTEN • 6:48 Talkline Talkline KYUK KYUK 10/31/25, 10:21 AM Akiak's hopes of restoring power see further delays as cold sets in https://www.kyuk.org/public-safety/2025-10-30/akiaks-hopes-of-restoring-power-see-further-delays-as-cold-sets-in 5/5 Solar in Alaska? UVM Researchers Aimto Lower Energy Costs in Northern U.S. Can renewable energy provide reliable power solutions for remote communities? ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Share October 29, 2025 By Lauren Milideo 1/20/26, 10:30 AM Solar in Alaska? UVM Researchers Aim to Lower Energy Costs in Northern U.S. https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/solar-alaska-uvm-researchers-aim-lower-energy-costs-northern-us 1/6 Getting needed items to Alaska’s remote Northwest Arctic Borough is a logistical feat. Keeping the lights and heat on in these communities is similarly challenging and expensive. In some of Alaska’s most far-flung villages, residents pay up to five times what other Americans pay for electricity. It’s carbon-heavy at every point in the process: diesel fuel, flown or barged in, is largely what powers the lights and heat in the Northwest Arctic Borough, where each village relies on its own electrical microgrid, unconnected to any larger utility network. “Energy affordability is a real problem—people spend thousands of dollars a month on en- ergy in a pretty extreme natural environment,” says Gund Faculty Fellow Mads Almassalkhi.   Almassalkhi is part of a team of UVM researchers who have for the past three years been working with local residents and organizations to investigate how to both bring down en- ergy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project, which was originally funded with a Gund Institute Catalyst Award url: ( https://www.uvm.edu/gund/gund-catalyst-impact-awards ) , now has partners from the University of Alaska, the Alaska Center for Power and Energy, Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, and Deerstone Consulting. It has also received grants from the Sloan Foundation and, re- cently, from the Northwest Arctic Borough.   'Trifecta Solution' In January 2024, the UVM team, which also includes Gund Faculty Fellow Bindu Panikkar, brought on postdoctoral researcher Jayashree Rajaram Yadav, who has worked closely with local residents on the project.   Almassalkhi is based at UVM’s College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and leads the Center for Resilient Energy & Autonomous Technologies in Engineering (CREATE) url: ( https://www.uvm.edu/cems/create ) ; Panikkar of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources is looking into how renewable energy transitions are building energy sovereignty in the Arctic.  Both co-advised Yadav, a combined approach that was one of the project’s strengths, Almassalkhi says.  1/20/26, 10:30 AM Solar in Alaska? UVM Researchers Aim to Lower Energy Costs in Northern U.S. https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/solar-alaska-uvm-researchers-aim-lower-energy-costs-northern-us 2/6 The epicenter of the work has been in the village of Shungnak, where the team has mod- eled potential energy-saving strategies to see if renewable energy sources could do the job, given the extreme conditions in this part of Alaska. For example, heat pumps, often an alternative to fossil fuel heating systems, are highly ef- ficient, but only up to a certain point, Yadav notes. "We have a nice trifecta solution that combines social, economic and technical aspects,” he says. “We have Jayashree as this Rosetta Stone who serves to really translate between social research and technical engineering research.”  The approximate location of the Village of Shungnak, Alaska. Map courtesy of USGS, public domain. 1/20/26, 10:30 AM Solar in Alaska? UVM Researchers Aim to Lower Energy Costs in Northern U.S. https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/solar-alaska-uvm-researchers-aim-lower-energy-costs-northern-us 3/6 “Some technologies now available allow heat pumps to work down to -20 degrees C, and they are looking into those, but sometimes the temperature in this region goes below that as well,” she says.  “For now, they cannot go completely renewable; they need to have some diesel genera- tion,” Yadav says. Still, solar energy installation is easy, she adds, and in summer it provides enough energy that sometimes residents can turn off their diesel generators entirely. Wind energy re- mains an option through Alaska’s blustery winter nights, she adds.   The researchers say it was quickly clear that no single piece of this energy mix could meet the goals of keeping costs down, lowering carbon emissions, and remaining func- tional in Arctic winter conditions. The key was in looking at the tradeoffs, and combining several solutions. Could they work in concert? Yadav’s models indicated that introducing a mix of energy-efficient heat pumps, solar pho- tovoltaics, and wind energy into the village microgrid’s existing diesel-exclusive energy production would both lower costs and carbon emissions.  Solar panels are one piece of a greener and more affordable energy future in the Northwest Arctic Borough, the researchers found. Photo courtesy Jayashree Yadav. 1/20/26, 10:30 AM Solar in Alaska? UVM Researchers Aim to Lower Energy Costs in Northern U.S. https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/solar-alaska-uvm-researchers-aim-lower-energy-costs-northern-us 4/6 RECOMMENDED NEWS What's Next Now, with the Catalyst project complete, the team is ready to move to the next stage. Yadav recently began a new role at UVM as a research associate, and with the recent funding from the Northwest Arctic Borough and the Department of Energy, she will ex- plore how applicable what they’ve learned in Shungnak may be to other Arctic communities.  Meanwhile, based on recommendations from Yadav’s work on grid capacity, the local en- ergy utility is in the process of purchasing transformers—covered by the federal grant—to accommodate the new heat pumps that will go to all the households in the region, Yadav says. She keeps an eye on real-time energy consumption in Shungnak, and the re- searchers anticipate receiving and sharing data as new systems go into use. Yadav is es- pecially interested in gathering more data about the efficiency of combined solar and wind.   Yadav maintains her focus on the communities’ needs, knowing they, too, want to create a sustainable energy future.   “The local residents are very much interested in these kinds of discussions, talking about how they themselves can generate cleaner energy locally,” she says. Media Contact Gund Institute Announces 2022 Catalyst Award Winners url: ( /gund/news/gund-insti- tute-announces-2022-catalyst- award-winners ) 1/20/26, 10:30 AM Solar in Alaska? UVM Researchers Aim to Lower Energy Costs in Northern U.S. https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/solar-alaska-uvm-researchers-aim-lower-energy-costs-northern-us 5/6 View this email in your browser View this email in your browser Alaska Electric Vehicle Working Group Newsletter, October 16, 2025 Just In: FY26 NEVI Plan Approved! The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Alaska Office has approved the latest version of Alaska’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Implementation Plan. As a reminder, this year’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program plan was different; FHWA only evaluated three key components of the plan: A description of how the state plans to use each fiscal year's NEVI funds (2022-2026) A Community Engagement Outcomes Report A description of physical and cyber security strategies We can now obligate funding to sites for construction now that the plan has been approved. This will bring us one step closer to achieving “fully built out” status along the alternative fuel corridor (AFC) so we can move on to Phase 2 of plan implementation. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:07 PM AEA EV News: Just In! FY26 NEVI Plan Approved https://mailchi.mp/3f5b1c884b23/october2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]1/7 We did a deep dive into this year’s plan at our last working group meeting. You can watch the recording here (passcode: 7rHih+Yr) or view the slides from the presentation here. Road Trip! The Canadian EV Experience Are you planning an electric vehicle (EV) road trip through Canada? If so, you’re not alone! Now that the major marine shippers have paused EV shipments to Alaska, many EV drivers have been exploring alternative ways to transport their vehicles from the lower 48 to Alaska, including road-tripping through Canada. For some, a Canadian EV road trip might seem like no big deal, but to others, especially new EV drivers, the drive could be daunting. We wanted to hear first-hand what an EV road trip through Canada might look like, so we caught up with Landon McIntyre, a member of the Alaska EV community, to hear about his experience driving through Canada. What type of car do you drive? I drive a 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD. Which route have you driven? Does weather make a difference? I have always taken the Cassiar. I’ve done the drive six to seven times, two of which were in my EV and the other times were using either a gas vehicle or motorcycle. I’ve driven both directions; northbound in March and southbound in April. When I drove northbound, I was even towing a small trailer (like the type you’d tow behind a motorcycle). The April trip was much warmer than the March trip, so between that temperature change and lack of a trailer, I noticed improved range. But my northbound trip in March goes to show that the drive can be done in the winter, even pulling a trailer! Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:07 PM AEA EV News: Just In! FY26 NEVI Plan Approved https://mailchi.mp/3f5b1c884b23/october2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]2/7 How long does the drive normally take? It usually takes me three to four days, but I am a truck driver, so covering 600 miles in a day is nothing for me. Did you have to get an RFID card to use chargers? BC Hydro chargers do have an RFID card you can use to initiate a charge, but they are not necessarily “mandatory.” BC Hydro is partnered with FLO, so their RFID cards are interchangeable (BC Hydro cards work at FLO and FLO cards work at BC Hydro). Additionally, most charging stations in Canada that are run through BC Hydro have Starlink installed, meaning you can connect to the internet to use the BC Hydro app in place of the RFID card. Toad River and Swift River are the exceptions and didn’t have Starlink the last time I drove through, meaning you would need an RFID card for those chargers. If you are planning a trip in advance, I suggest getting a card. They take three to four weeks to arrive. For my first trip I ordered my card three weeks in advance, and it didn’t get here in time. This was okay, because as I said, most BC Hydro chargers (except Toad River and Swift River) had Starlink which I could use to initiate charges, browse the internet, etc. You can also go into the store where the charger is at, if they’re open, and use their phone to contact BC Hydro to initiate a charge. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:07 PM AEA EV News: Just In! FY26 NEVI Plan Approved https://mailchi.mp/3f5b1c884b23/october2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]3/7 So, on one trip I didn’t have a card and the other I did. I preferred using the card because it was more convenient. Without the card you have to connect to the Starlink, open the app, wait for it to connect, so on and so forth. However, with the RFID, it was as simple as plugging the car in, tapping the card, and charging started. To get further into “what if” scenarios, if a person had an iPhone with satellite texting, or an InReach-type device that works in Canada, they could even text someone back in the states who has access to their BC Hydro or FLO account and ask them to activate the charger on their behalf. You could also initiate the chargers without the RFID card if you had your own mobile internet (like a Starlink mini). Which app do you use to see where chargers are located? I am an avid user of PlugShare. PlugShare allows users to leave reviews for each charger, which I highly recommend people read so they can see the good and the bad. What type of charger do you use? Mostly level 3 or level 2 overnight? Most of the chargers I used were Level 3 (DC fast chargers). I noticed a few lodging places had Level 2 chargers, but I don’t stay at lodges because I camp in my car. If I wasn’t camping, I would definitely try to find lodging that has a Level 2 charger. Do you carry any adapters with you? As I mentioned, I drive a Tesla which has a NACS receptor. Beyond the last SuperCharger (NACS) in Prince George, British Colombia, most of the Level 3 chargers on the drive are CCS1 and CHAdeMO. My Tesla supports charging with a CCS1 to NACS adapter, but it’s important to note that some older models don’t support this adapter, so I always recommend any Tesla drivers verify that their vehicle supports this adapter before even getting into trip planning. I recommend buying two CCS1 to NACS adapters because if you are in the middle of Canada and one adapter dies or gets lost, you would be out of luck! I don’t have a CHAdeMO to NACS adapter because they are more expensive, and with CHAdeMO slowly being phased out, I haven’t found the need for one. I also carry a J1772 adapter. For Tesla Drivers, I do use a Tesla Mobile Connector. For the Telsa Mobile Connector, I carry a NEMA 14-50 (same as a 50-amp RV plug), NEMA 6-50 Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:07 PM AEA EV News: Just In! FY26 NEVI Plan Approved https://mailchi.mp/3f5b1c884b23/october2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]4/7 (common for electric welders), TT30 (same as a 30-amp RV plug), NEMA 6-20, and NEMA 5-15 (standard outlet). For any Tesla Mobile Connector users out there, I want to mention that you can’t use an RV style 30-amp receptacle on the post to 50-amp plug on the charger (called a 50amp/30amp dog bone). There is an EV-specific type of 50amp/30amp dog bone you could buy, or you can use the TT30 plug which is what I do. The Mobile Connector was essential in Tok! There is currently no Level 3 EV charger in Tok, but I want to give a shoutout to Chris at Alaska Stoves Campground who is open year-round and has a NEMA 14-50 plug (Level 2). [Editor’s note: we called Chris, and he was happy to have this information shared in the newsletter. He said plugs can be accessed at campsites C-1, C-2, or at his welding shop which is close to the campground.] Do you carry a generator? No, I don’t. There is enough charging along the Cassiar and Alcan that I don’t see the need to carry the extra weight. However, if someone wants to explore more rural areas, they might want to make that call after doing research using PlugShare. What advice would you give someone driving an EV through Canada for the first time? Roughly know your EV’s range and where the chargers are at before you leave. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:07 PM AEA EV News: Just In! FY26 NEVI Plan Approved https://mailchi.mp/3f5b1c884b23/october2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]5/7 Closer to your travel date, verify that the chargers are currently in service and check reviews on PlugShare. Verify that all of your adapters (particularly NEMA 14-50 and TT30 plugs) work before you leave. As with any type of vehicle, be prepared for emergencies. Many EVs don’t come with spare tires so I purchased one before I left. Do you have any close calls of not being able to find chargers? I almost ran into a problem between Watson Lake and Teslin. I drove this stretch at night, so it was cold. I left Watson Lake with 100 percent charge and averaged too fast of a speed and had the cab too warm (which are two ways to kill your range). I also took a 30-minute nap in Swift River with the cab heater on and didn’t charge in Swift River because I didn’t have an RFID card at the time. I arrived in Teslin with only two percent. What’s the hardest part of driving an EV through Canada? I don’t necessarily feel like it is more difficult than doing it in a gas vehicle, but I do feel like there are more things that could go wrong, like getting to an essential charger and it is out of service. Just like we use to “stop at every gas station” it now might be the case to “stop at every EV charger.” As long as all the chargers are in service, I don’t see too many challenges. Is there anything drivers should do before they leave the US because it will be more difficult in Canada? You might want to download certain apps like the PlugShare and BC Hydro apps. You could also do this in Canada, but it might be easier in the US. Thank you, Landon, for sharing your experience with us! There are also resources available online that can help with trip planning: BC Hydro EV Public Charger Help Centre BC Hydro Fast Charging Network BC Hydro Trip Planning with Public EV Charging PlugShare Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:07 PM AEA EV News: Just In! FY26 NEVI Plan Approved https://mailchi.mp/3f5b1c884b23/october2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]6/7 Facebook LinkedIn Website Copyright © 2025 Alaska Energy Authority, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Subscribe Past Issues Translate 1/20/26, 3:07 PM AEA EV News: Just In! FY26 NEVI Plan Approved https://mailchi.mp/3f5b1c884b23/october2025akevwg?e=[UNIQID]7/7 City of Sitka urges state to update ferry EV policies Posted by Katherine Rose | Oct 15, 2025 “Grand Canyon National Park Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: Yavapai Lodge 6654” by Grand Canyon NPS is licensed under CC BY 2.0. The City of Sitka is working toward electrifying as much of its vehicle fleet as possible by 2030, but a new barge policy may slow its efforts. In September, Alaska Marine Lines announced it would stop shipping electric vehicles on its barges to Southeast due to fire risk. Now the state ferry system is the only means of shipping those cars to Sitka.  Bri Gabel is the city’s sustainability coordinator. She says the ferry’s current limits of two electric vehicles per sailing may not be able to serve demand.  “We can now effectively move between 90 to 100 electric vehicles into Southeast entirely, in addition to between communities,” Gabel says, considering the average number of ferry sailings in a given year. “Let’s say 1/20/26, 10:37 AM City of Sitka urges state to update ferry EV policies - KCAW https://www.kcaw.org/2025/10/15/city-of-sitka-urges-state-to-update-ferry-ev-policies/1/3 a vehicle in Bellingham is going to Juneau. Well, now that vehicle can’t go to Sitka, right? Gotta wait for the next sailing. And so it is a pretty severe bottleneck.” There’s a high demand for electric vehicles in Sitka and Southeast– the Alaska Energy Authority says there are nearly 1500 EVs and hybrid vehicles across the region already, and Gabel says Sitka has been bringing in around 75-80 EVs a year, on average. In September, the municipal administrator, with support from the city’s Sustainability Commission, submitted a letter to the state in response to a request for comments on changing regulations for the Alaska Marine Highway System.  In the letter, they asked the state to update its electric vehicle policy by making improvements to its reservation system and increasing the number of electric vehicles allowed per sailing.  “Right now it is pretty arduous to try and book an EV, because the system is not set up to kind of fill those spots as they come. It requires a lot of phone coordination and back and forth with the ferry themselves, which is kind of challenging,” Gabel says. Gabel says while Southeast Alaska may be feeling the squeeze right now, EV and battery technology is changing faster than policy can accommodate it, worldwide. “It’s not going away. We’re increasingly seeing it as a more important thing in the way our grids are managed, and it is unfortunate that, in Sitka’s case, we are limited in our ability to get things due to a private company getting most of the things here,” Gabel says. “But it’s not an isolated issue. It really is a global challenge.”  The deadline to comment on changes to the state ferry system’s policies is this Friday, October 17, at 4 p.m. 1/20/26, 10:37 AM City of Sitka urges state to update ferry EV policies - KCAW https://www.kcaw.org/2025/10/15/city-of-sitka-urges-state-to-update-ferry-ev-policies/2/3