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Organizational affiliation, if any:
Presently Secretary/Treasurer of the MEA Board

What is your experience with utilities in Alaska?
I’ve been a Member/customer of MEA since 1977; involved with interactions, including running for the Board (in 2007); active member of the MEA Bylaws Committee from 2008-2021 (wrote/sponsored the major elections process rewrite for Bylaws; also intensely involved, from the initiation of the action, in the [adopted by vote, 2022] ‘Restated Bylaws’); active member of the MEA Elections Committee from 2009-2021; Appointed as a member of the MEA Board 2021; Elected as Sec’y/Treas, 2022. Of note, I’ve spent more than 200 hours in classes from NRECA and achieved CCD (Credentialed Cooperative Director), BLC (Board Leadership Certificate), and DG (Director Gold) – the highest certification in NRECA’s multi-level education program. I’ve also interacted with many individual Board and Staff members of Alaska Cooperatives, especially the Railbelt Coop’s. I’ve also attended a few state conferences inre Electrification of Alaska.

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The future of Cook Inlet natural gas is uncertain. This is currently the fuel for 85% of the Railbelt electricity. What do you want the Railbelt energy system to look like 10 years from now?
First, I want all of us to be able to flip a switch and not give a second thought to the fact that the lights will turn on. So, 10 years from now, that’s what I want all of us to be able to do – affordably and reliably. Next, technology is not yet to the stage, and alternatives are not yet to the stage to be able to substitute for carbon-based energy production. Until that is clearly on the horizon, and affordably available, we’ve got to be realistic. We cannot substitute our current means and methods of producing dependable, reliable electricity with pipe dreams (not be confused with a possible gas pipeline from the North Slope). The sun is not out enough, and the wind doesn’t blow enough; there isn’t enough battery storage potential (BESS – Battery Energy Storage Systems) – and it’s not affordable in the quantity/capacity that we’d need to ‘carry us over’; and our current infrastructure (specifically the Bradley Lake-to-Fairbanks extension cord) is not capable of getting us there yet either. However, this does not mean that we should not study and embrace any and all potential carbon-alternative/free efforts. I recognize that the proven, reasonably reliable, usually cost-effective option of hydro power is one of the best possible solutions – but hydro can have environmental and cost handicaps. New/now discussion of ‘small modular nuclear reactors’ is interesting but remains to be fully vetted. The same can be said for Hydrogen-based solutions. Solar is a great thing – if the sun is out. Working around that unfortunate necessity is the problem with it, and it requires huge advances in technology, tremendous environmental impact for construction materials for them, and high-cost outlays for BESS. And the development/installation cost subsidies are very deceptive; getting ‘grants’ that come from anywhere means that someone (else) is still footing the bill for the whole project. It’s a Chilkoot Charley situation “Cheat the other guy and pass the savings on to…you.” Wind is very like solar in almost every way; substitute “wind” for “sun” above. So, my final assessment is that we’re all working hard to anticipate what we know is pending, using the best – developing and constantly changing/advancing – information we’ve got. I and you both want that light to turn on, and we know it’s not magic.

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What should be the biggest priorities for Alaska energy utilities?
Studying, planning, and developing strategies to ‘survive’ the time between now and when technology and construction can ensure that our lights will come on when we flip that switch. Per the discussion above, I know that technology has not yet stabilized on the solution/answer to this question. For those who don’t agree, think back to the complete ruckus we went through from 33 1/3RPM/45’s to Blu-Ray. Those who jumped on Beta got eaten alive by those who settled on VCR. But all lost out to DVD. Substitute Carbon, solar, wind, thermal, hydro, hydrogen, and nuclear in that discussion.
a. Strengthen/improve, make-redundant the Railbelt extension cord – No ONE of the current utilities (except MEA) can withstand a break in that line. MEA’s membership in the Railbelt Reliability Council is big part of this.
b. Stay on top of the industry/technology changes and be ready-to-act as soon as a true ‘end game-that-will-work’ becomes apparent. Shotgunning in six different directions – carbon-based, hydro, solar, wind, nuclear, hydrogen – is sure to cost far more than carefully planning, and, also sure to create a hydra that will not be reliable. Other than already proven-for-reliability carbon-based and hydro, nothing is a ‘sure bet’ yet, and it would take about as much time to develop more of that tried-and-true generation as it will to confirm and deploy the potential alternatives.
c. Reality has it that some people think they have THE ANSWER to all of these questions. But I believe one last thing all utilities must have as a priority is to vet all options, do what they can to review all options, and avoid being ramrodded to do SOMETHING, even if it is wrong; because at this point, it just could be. I do believe that these are times for aggressive patience.

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What are your thoughts on the development of the Susitna-Watana dam? Is this a project you support?
I was a fishing guide on the Susitna during the height of the studies on this project (1986-2000). In fact, I took at least a couple of the waterflow engineers/hydrologists out onto the river in my boat so they could conduct some of their studies. And I am a strong supporter of hydro power, versus some of the other alternatives. However, I am not for ‘building it regardless of any implications or cost’, nor am I ‘against it regardless of any arguments.’ Having said that, there are huge considerations/decisions that come into play with S-W (or any hydro) in the environmental areas. I’m willing to give up a far-out-in-the-wilderness valley for the greater public good if the benefits to society are greater than the problems that it creates. The cost/benefit ratio of construction/production are big considerations; the impact on the Susitna River (and the influence on the tributaries also) and fisheries is a huge consideration.

What are your considerations when weighing other hydro project development?
Among other things:
 Fisheries
 Environmental impact
 Flooding/adequate instream flow
 Recreational impact
 Benefit to society
 Cost/benefit
 Long-term viability
 Somewhere in here, location – specifically, it should be located close enough to the
use for the source to be considered viable.

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As a member-owned co-op, tell us what you think about board transparency as a form of good governance?
I’m all about transparency at all levels. I believe that MEA’s Board and Coop policy is clear and well followed on this. See my comments under #7 in re the Bylaws.

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Is there anything else you would like to share with MEA member-owners?
I have been around MEA since the late 70’s. It was a very politicized organization back then. The GM and Board were anything but transparent, honorable, and fair. I’m proud and pleased to say that I have been very integral with the change from the ‘then’ MEA to the ‘now’ MEA. I’ve known, supported, and voted for all of the progressive and ‘change’ Board members who, along with GM Joe Griffith, began the transformation from the Dark Ages. In 2007, I proposed/wrote the complete revamp of the elections bylaws that helped enable some of those ‘change’ candidates get elected, then spent a few more years working toward the present election process. I was also very active in proposing/supporting and making changes to the Bylaws; I doggedly fought to ensure that the new “Restated Bylaws…” came to the Board. Then, since by that time I had been appointed to the Board to fill a vacancy, I ensured it got to the members to be voted on. The change was adopted by an overwhelming majority. I want to continue this positive direction.