Tanana Chiefs Conference and the Alaska Energy Authority are set to receive more than $62.5 million each in federal funds for solar energy projects across the state, U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola announced Monday.
“Investing in energy projects across the board — solar, wind, hydro and more — lowers utility bills for Alaska families,” Peltola said in the release. “I’m proud to have advocated for this funding and to be able to bring it home to our Alaska.”
TCC plans to use the money for solar panel projects and battery energy storage systems while also funding workforce development, according to an October 2023 letter from Peltola and Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan.
“Alaskans face some of the highest energy costs in our nation. Alaska Native communities in particular face a number of distinct challenges with energy deployment, such as remote geography, severe weather and lack of institutional capacity,” the Alaska congressional delegation wrote. “This multifaceted plan will open countless benefits to Alaska Native communities while upgrading the reliability and resilience of their energy infrastructure.”
In another letter from the delegation, the three members said the Alaska Energy Authority will use its half of the $125 million to fund solar power in rural parts of the state and will prioritize spending on community owned power producers.
Golden Valley Electric Association, which provides power to most of the Interior including Fairbanks, is one such community owned utility company. GVEA plans to implement increased renewable energy — including solar — over the next several years. As of 2022, none of the utility’s power comes from solar but by 2028 it estimates 2% of their generation will come from solar sources.
The funding for both organizations was made possible through the Solar for All program, part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Fund. The $7 billion grant program’s goals are to provide energy savings for low-income Americans and to advance environmental justice.
Contact Carter DeJong at 907-459-7545 or cdejong@newsminer.com.
