Radicalized Enviros Set Sights on Alaska’s Utility Boards

May 11, 2021

The fight against traditional energy sources and for more “green” energy has evolved recently in Alaska.

Instead of fighting for legislative or local government mandates, local movements have sprung up to overhaul electric co-ops and utility associations with “green” energy zealots.

The Anchorage-based eco organization, The Alaska Center, held a webinar under their “Climate, Care and Community” series last week, titled “You Have the Power”.  Its stated goal was to “learn about your opportunities to make a change as a cooperative member-owner, and how you can use that power to ensure an energy future that works for all of us.”

While their proverbial “us” may resonate with the small group of Alaskans willing to pay more for subsidized “green” energy, most Alaskans recognize that current energy sources are working just fine.

In Fairbanks, where Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) is holding elections for two of its seats this spring, there are local groups pushing candidates who would move away from GVEA’s current mix of coal, wind, solar and gas to one of less traditional energy and more renewables.

But, with GVEA’s costs already the highest per kilowatt-hour (kWh) among major Alaskan utilities (see chart below), does Fairbanks want to elect directors who would spend money to transition to “green” energy, only to have costs increase? 

We’ll call this movement to take over the local utilities the “spend green to go green to spend more green” movement, and that doesn’t sound like solid economics to us!

Let’s hope the good citizens of Fairbanks – and any other areas targeted by the extremist groups this election cycle – have the sense to reject higher costs on their monthly electric bills.  Going “green” should be a market-based decision; not one made through coercive pressure from zealots with an obvious agenda.

If you live in the Fairbanks area, click here to learn more about what you can do!