The two sides agree on the need to wean Alaska’s power grid from its deep dependence on natural gas. But they disagree sharply about how quickly the transition should happen, and potential costs.
A whole lot of fine verbiage, but the reality is that the Alaskan Republican Party & it minions have long been bought dogs of the fossil fuel industries, both oil & gas. A former Mayor effectivily cut the Cook Inlet corporation wind project on Fire Island down to 25% of its planned scale by non-negoating about rates. Newly arrived Hilcorp wants to blackmail the region and state instead of producing more gas via drilling. Turnagain Arm is one of the most powerful “Wind Tunnels” on the planet. Has anyone considered building generators out on the mud flats near to both the shore and the Anchorage grid? Most of the electric utility & the governor’s comments we’re razzle-dazzle, they are invested in the status quo, there is even a battle being waged concerning the Chugach board election specifically regarding the future of the electric supply.
The problem with the 80% - 20% goal is that it was not arrived at with any engineering or technical input, it just "sounded right" to REAP. If enacted it will bankrupt utilities unless they are able to re-coop the costs by raising rates, which the bill originally prohibited. Jack those rates up and every board in the railbelt will be dis-
A whole lot of fine verbiage, but the reality is that the Alaskan Republican Party & it minions have long been bought dogs of the fossil fuel industries, both oil & gas. A former Mayor effectivily cut the Cook Inlet corporation wind project on Fire Island down to 25% of its planned scale by non-negoating about rates. Newly arrived Hilcorp wants to blackmail the region and state instead of producing more gas via drilling. Turnagain Arm is one of the most powerful “Wind Tunnels” on the planet. Has anyone considered building generators out on the mud flats near to both the shore and the Anchorage grid? Most of the electric utility & the governor’s comments we’re razzle-dazzle, they are invested in the status quo, there is even a battle being waged concerning the Chugach board election specifically regarding the future of the electric supply.
The problem with the 80% - 20% goal is that it was not arrived at with any engineering or technical input, it just "sounded right" to REAP. If enacted it will bankrupt utilities unless they are able to re-coop the costs by raising rates, which the bill originally prohibited. Jack those rates up and every board in the railbelt will be dis-
elected.