Utility Rates

Nome power bills face a bigger fuel surcharge as utility board presses for overdue audits

Nome's power bill fuel surcharge is likely to roughly double after the utility's biggest fuel bond yet. Its board, meanwhile, still wants a budget and audits.

by Walter AlaskaNews15h ago3 min read

Golden Valley Electric moves to settle rate case as high power costs strain its cash

Golden Valley Electric is negotiating to settle its rate case, which decides how much base rates go up. The co-op says high power costs strain its cash.

by Melinda Communities.News2d ago2 min read

Golden Valley says it can't exempt medical-device users from rolling outages

Golden Valley says it can't spare homes that rely on medical devices if it has to cut power in rolling outages, and urged those members to plan ahead.

by Melinda Communities.News2d ago2 min read

Regulators approve Chugach fuel charges that shift typical bills by less than $1

Regulators OK'd Chugach Electric's quarterly fuel charges. Typical bills move less than a buck: up 73 cents in the North district, down 84 cents in the South.

by Walter AlaskaNews6d ago2 min read

GCI says court ruling could disrupt subsidies behind nearly half its revenue

A court says the FCC illegally created the group that runs its telecom subsidy fund. GCI gets 47% of its revenue from it and can't say what that means yet.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Fastwyre asks the state to let it end cable TV in Galena and Unalaska after 41 years

Fastwyre wants to unplug cable TV in Galena and Unalaska on New Year's Eve, saying new gear isn't worth it for 70 accounts. Customers get to keep the box.

by Melinda Communities.News1w ago3 min read

GVEA video shows Interior members how to audit their own home energy use

A car plugged in all night can cost $50 to $150 a month, GVEA says in a new video walking Interior members through a do-it-yourself home energy audit.

by Bill AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Valdez opens applications for $595 energy credit and home tax exemption

Valdez opened sign-ups for a $595 winter energy credit and an expanded homeowner tax break. Neither is automatic. Skip the paperwork, get nothing.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min read

Regulators refuse more time in ENSTAR's gas rate case, with a decision due Jan. 28

ENSTAR customers have paid higher interim rates since July 2025. Regulators just refused five more days for closing arguments. A decision is due Jan. 28.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readFrom Oct 29

Kodiak Assembly to vote on trash deal raising some business rates up to 43%

Kodiak's only bidder for trash service would charge some businesses up to 43% more and raise bulk pickup from $20 to $50. The Assembly votes Thursday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Regulators cut Manley Hot Springs power surcharge and let utility count its solar

Manley Hot Springs' power surcharge drops about $43 a month for a typical home, and regulators are letting the utility count the solar power it already makes.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Regulators let Alaska Power Company waive reconnection charges after natural disasters

Regulators approved letting Alaska Power Company waive reconnection fees and months of back charges for customers whose power a natural disaster knocked out.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Kodiak's new trash contract would raise business dumpster rates up to 43%

Kodiak businesses could pay up to 43% more for dumpsters under a new Alaska Waste contract, while home roll carts would rise 5%. The Assembly votes Nov. 5.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Seward's harbor proposes higher travel lift rates and passing card fees to customers

Seward's harbormaster wants travel lift rates up 10% plus inflation in 2027 and 2028 and card fees passed to customers. One lift cable went from $12K to $35K.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Seward city manager floats cutting electric rates instead of property taxes in 2028

Seward's city manager pitched cutting everyone's electric rates in 2028 instead of property taxes, by dropping a $678,000 fee. It came to her that day.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Follows: Seward proposes a 6% summer-only sales tax and a property tax cut for fiscal 2028

Haines and Skagway power bills could rise about $180 a month to pay for an undersea cable

Haines and Skagway households could pay about $180 more a month for power under a proposed fund for their undersea cable, the state's consumer advocate says.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

State lenders want Seward's first water and sewer rate study since 1993 finished

Seward hasn't studied its water and sewer rates since 1993. A state loan program wants one done, and depreciation puts the utility funds' costs over revenue.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Anchorage water utility seeks up to $675,000 for an expert witness in rate cases

Anchorage's water utility wants up to $675,000 for an expert to argue the return built into your bill. Its manager says rate case costs land on customers.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Regulators won't decide Hilcorp's gas storage rates for Southcentral until late 2027

Hilcorp's own study found its gas storage rates bringing in 25% more than costs plus allowed profit. Regulators cut them for now and will decide by late 2027.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Follows: Regulators cut Hilcorp's Kenai gas storage rates up to 31% while they investigate

Sitka's residential electric rate drops more than a third for the winter

Sitka's residential power rate drops from 21.93 to 13.71 cents a kilowatt-hour for winter, when Sitkans lean on electric heat. Summer rates return in May.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Longtime Kotzebue resident Tom Atkinson takes over AVEC as its costs climb

AVEC has a new CEO. Longtime Kotzebue resident Tom Atkinson takes over from Bill Stamm, who started as a summer laborer, as the co-op's costs keep climbing.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

ENSTAR asks regulators to fast-track a deal to borrow MEA's gas for this winter

ENSTAR wants to borrow 1.2 billion cubic feet of MEA's gas for this winter and return it by 2028. Customers would pay the costs, minus a credit on return.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min readFrom Oct 21

Alaska household power prices hit their highest point since at least 2010

Alaska households paid 29.41 cents per kilowatt-hour for power in August, the most since at least 2010. Only four states paid more, led by Hawaii at 47 cents.

by Melinda Communities.News2w ago1 min read

Alaska Marine Lines raises its Western and Arctic barge fuel surcharge to 16.5%

Alaska Marine Lines raised its fuel surcharge on barge freight to Western and Arctic Alaska to 16.5%, more than double what it charged at the end of 2024.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readFrom Oct 9

Port MacKenzie would freeze 2027 dock rates and add fees for guards and late ships

Port MacKenzie would hold dock rates flat next year and add fees for armed guards and late ships. A commissioner says it has "a problem with no traffic."

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readFrom Oct 19

Regulators approve Golden Valley's plan for rolling outages in the Interior

State regulators approved Golden Valley's rolling-outage plan, so if the Interior runs short of power, zones take turns in the dark for up to an hour.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Homer port director recommends inflation increases for most 2027 dock and harbor rates

Homer's port director wants most dock fees to rise with inflation. He's also eyeing Anchorage, where a cargo surcharge nearly triples in January.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

AVEC says it must raise revenue 10% as delivered fuel costs climb 35% to 40%

AVEC says it needs 10% more revenue after diesel for its 58 villages arrived 35% to 40% pricier. In fly-in villages, fuel alone tops $1 a kilowatt-hour.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Homer Electric bills rise about $8 a month as power cost charge climbs

Homer Electric raised its power cost charge Oct. 1, adding about $8 to an average monthly bill. It expects 117 days off the larger grid in the coming year.

by Melinda Communities.News3w ago2 min read

Kodiak council takes final vote Thursday on $5.6 million in loans for Aleutian Homes pipes

Kodiak votes Thursday on $5.6 million in state loans for decades-old Aleutian Homes pipes. The finance director says a utility rate study is needed soon.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Follows: Kodiak council takes up $5.6 million in state loans for Aleutian Homes pipes

Gasoline pushes U.S. prices up as Alaska diesel runs 61% above a year ago

U.S. prices rose 0.6% in September, more than half of it from gas. In Alaska, the bigger number is diesel: $2.48 a gallon more than a year ago.

by Alaska News4w ago2 min read

Two regulators object as RCA lets Fairbanks, Juneau power cost cuts stand

Regulators let lower power cost charges in Fairbanks and Juneau stand. Two commissioners objected, saying they belong in the utilities' pending rate cases.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readFrom Oct 8

Denali Borough staff propose raising landfill fee to $165 a ton

Denali Borough finance staff recommended raising the landfill tipping fee 10% to $165 per ton, effective May 2027, to meet the landfill's cost-recovery target as operating costs climb.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Healy Lake fuel surcharge more than triples; 750 kWh bill rises $7

Healy Lake's fuel surcharge more than tripled. A bigger state credit covers most of it for households: a 750-kilowatt-hour monthly bill rises about $7.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Regulators cut Hilcorp's Kenai gas storage rates up to 31% while they investigate

Regulators cut Hilcorp's Kenai gas storage fees up to 31% after its own study showed it was overcollecting. Whether your utility bill notices is another matter.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Potter Creek Water Company seeks to raise its flat residential rate to as much as $122.91 a month

Potter Creek water customers could see their flat monthly bill go from $106.02 to as much as $122.91. State regulators are taking comments until Oct. 16.

by Alaska News1mo ago1 min read

Heating fuel in surveyed Alaska communities rose nearly 23% since winter, state finds

Heating fuel in surveyed Alaska communities averaged $7.97 a gallon this summer, up 23% since winter. Western Alaska paid the most, at $9 a gallon.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Senate vote to advance data center utility cost bill fails 57-43

Senate blocked a bill asking states to consider making big data centers pay for grid upgrades. Alaska's senators voted yes; most Democrats called it optional.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

MEA bills drop about $5 a month, giving back part of summer increase

MEA power bills drop about $5 a month starting Thursday. Good news, sort of: it gives back a little over a third of the increase that hit in July.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Follows: Mat-Su power bills climb about $15 a month, with more increases expected

Regulators cut Chugach's Beluga River gas price after Chugach asked for an increase

Chugach asked regulators to nudge its Beluga River gas price up a penny. After staff found errors, regulators cut it by 39 cents instead, starting Thursday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read