10/06/2026
⚡ Big energy upgrades are coming to Alaska, and the Railbelt intertie is one very important piece of a much larger puzzle! ⚡
The newly announced $150 million federal grant for the 223-mile Beluga-Healy Transmission Project is incredible news. However, to truly maximize this new "energy highway" and slash electricity costs across the state, we need two other major projects to cross the finish line:
1️⃣ The Alaska LNG Project: Progress continues to be made on this massive pipeline! The Trump administration recently announced a planned $54 billion investment by South Korea into the project as part of a broader bilateral trade initiative. Once it begins exporting LNG at full capacity, Southcentral utilities will secure a massive supply of cheap natural gas. Through the upgraded intertie, that affordable power can flow directly up to the Interior.
2️⃣ The Bradley Lake Hydroelectric Project: The expansion of Bradley Lake—with an anticipated completion date in late 2030—will act as another engine for cheap, clean electricity, sending affordable hydropower north to the Interior.
Why this matters so much for Interior Alaska:
Right now, the Interior relies heavily on incredibly expensive diesel fuel for power generation. By pairing the new intertie with Alaska LNG and Bradley Lake Hydro, we can displace that pricey diesel with affordable natural gas and hydropower.
⚠️ The bottom line:
While this is phenomenal news, it is important to remember that this is not going to provide immediate relief for Alaskans. These massive infrastructure projects take time to plan, fund, and build. We won't reap the benefits overnight, but we must plan for the future with a long-term outlook in mind to permanently lower utility bills from Homer to Fairbanks. 🏔️🔌
