Utilities
RSSUtilities in Alaska are the electric, water and sewer systems that serve the state's communities. They take in power generation and grid reliability, electric cooperatives and utility boards, and water treatment, wastewater and sewer infrastructure in both cities and rural villages.
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Numbers are stories in the last 30 days.
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Week of Jul 20
Eleven Sitka islands lose power for a day as crews swap a channel cable
Eleven islands off Sitka go dark for eight hours on July 31 while crews swap out an aging underwater cable. Charge everything Thursday night.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Many Bethel homes still haul water. This money starts to change that.
Many Bethel residents still get water by truck. The state just forgave $3.4 million in loans that starts the design work toward piping it instead.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min read
Week of Jul 13
North Slope Borough approves $5M water and sewer increase after Point Lay freeze-up
North Slope Borough approved a $5 million increase to its water and sewer contract Monday after a village-wide freeze-up in Point Lay that has lasted since December 2025.
by Lucas Brown3mo ago2 min read
Week of Jul 6
Bethel hauled water and sewer deliveries shift early for Independence Day
Bethel shifted hauled water and sewer deliveries one day early Saturday to beat the Independence Day holiday, affecting all three service routes.
by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago1 min read
Week of Jun 29
A new federal water-testing rule could check rural Alaska for 'forever chemicals' — if it reaches us
An EPA rule would test drinking water for 30 contaminants, including the PFAS Alaska already has in its water. The catch: whether it reaches the state's small, rural systems.
by Alaska News4mo ago2 min read
About Utilities
Utilities in Alaska are the electric, water and sewer systems that serve the state's cities and villages. They include electric cooperatives and city owned power systems, water treatment plants, wastewater systems and hauled water service.
Recurring questions concern grid reliability and power outages, backup generation and hydroelectric power, drinking water violations such as lead, and the cost of chemicals, sludge hauling and line repairs. Water rights, such as Anchorage's use of Eklutna Lake, and federal licenses for hydro plants also return.
City assemblies and councils approve utility contracts and budgets, and members govern the electric cooperatives. Cooperatives such as Chugach Electric, Matanuska Electric and Cordova Electric serve Southcentral communities, while towns such as Bethel and Kotzebue run their own water systems.
