2026 Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference Thursday

Record-setting lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska. 9 Successful bidders placed high bids on 187 tracts covering more than 1.3 million acres and generating over $163 million in bids. That is a clear market signal. It is also proof that when the federal government creates certainty, investment follows. The National Petroleum Reserve was established for one purpose: —energy production in support of America's strategic energy security.

And at a time when global instability continues to threaten energy markets and supply chains, Alaska's role has never been more important. Energy security affects everything—fuel prices, home heating costs, manufacturing, military readiness, and America's geopolitical leverage abroad. Alaska is central to that equation. If America cannot reliably produce its own energy, process its own critical minerals, and secure its own supply chains, then we risk becoming dependent on countries that do not share our common interests or values. That is not a position that America should ever accept.

We cannot outsource our energy future to foreign adversaries. We cannot build new innovative technology systems without supply chains that are controlled by the United States. Importantly, we cannot strengthen our economy while weakening our own ability to produce here at home. American energy production matters because American strength matters. That includes Alaska LNG.

That includes critical minerals. That includes geothermal. That includes oil and gas production, and that includes the infrastructure needed to move energy to market efficiently and reliably. For years, Americans have heard that we must choose between reliability, affordability, and environmental stewardship. I believe we can do all three if we are willing to embrace innovation, modern infrastructure, and common sense policy.

Reliability matters. Reliable energy keeps homes warm in winter. It keeps hospitals operating. It keeps businesses open. It helps military installations continue functioning.

And in Alaska, reliability is critical to daily life. Just as important, sustainability and stewardship matters because responsible development ensures we leave Alaska strong for the next generation. The key to sustainability is balance. That means we need a diverse energy portfolio. We need natural gas, we need hydropower, we need geothermal, we need next-generation nuclear technologies, and we need American innovation driving every part of that system.

Increasing reliability means diversifying supply. No single energy source can carry the entire load of a modern economy. Today, the challenge ahead of us is making sure projects can actually be built. One of the biggest obstacles facing American energy development is not a lack of resources or technology. It is a delay in the federal permitting process.

Projects spend years, sometimes decades, trapped in permitting delays, litigation, and bureaucratic paralysis. That is not a serious way to build an economy. And that is why I have strongly supported permitting reform efforts like the SPEED Act, legislation designed to restore transparency, predictability, and accountability to the federal permitting process. Permitting reform is not about eliminating environmental safeguards. It is about creating a process that is predictable, efficient, and timely.

Our infrastructure and energy projects must move at the speed of the modern economy. Because we cannot build it if we cannot permit it. America used to build great things. We built pipelines. We built highways, ports, power systems.

We built the infrastructure that made this country an economic superpower. We need that spirit again, especially now, as the world enters a technological transformation unlike anything we have seen in generations. Artificial intelligence and advanced computing are going to reshape every sector of our economy and every aspect of daily life. That transformation will require enormous amounts of dependable energy. That is why innovation in this industry is critical.

One innovative area where I believe Alaska can lead is in geothermal energy. Just recently, I introduced the bipartisan Geopower Act to accelerate next-generation geothermal development across the the United States, including in Alaska. Geothermal represents an enormous opportunity because it provides something every grid requires: reliable baseload power. It runs 24 hours a day. It strengthens grid stability.

And emerging technologies are making geothermal viable in regions that were previously overlooked. The Geopower Act helps reduce risk for innovative projects, encourages private investment, and supports the deployment of scalable geothermal technologies across the country. That is the kind of policy approach we need more of—government creating the conditions for innovation and investment, not standing in the way. Because ultimately, prosperity comes from empowering people to build. The spirit of ownership, responsibility, and opportunity has long defined Alaska.

We are builders. We are producers. We are pioneers. As the world searches for reliable, secure, and responsibly produced energy, Alaska stands ready to answer. In closing, I want to again thank the people in this room for everything you are doing to advance energy security for Alaska and for the United States.

There is truly no greater jurisdiction on earth than right here in Alaska. May God bless Alaska, And may God bless these United States of America. Okay.

Thank you so much, Congressman Nick Begich, for your continued support and for championing Alaska's role in global energy partnerships. I don't know if it's just me, But when I hear folks like that talk about the need for permitting reform, I feel like I'm stepping into a warm bath. It's like, ah, finally help is on the way. And I really appreciate that. When I was back in D.C. hearing some members of the president's cabinet talk, I thought I heard Secretary Burgum talk about how they got an EIS process down from the typical 4 years to a matter of weeks.

And then I started to second-guess myself. So I came back to Alaska and I was bragging about how inspired I was and what I had heard. And then the doubt on their faces kept making me wonder if I had imagined it. So I was so relieved when Secretary Burgum said it on the stage the other day. I wasn't imagining it.

Help is on the way. But as we begin our final day together, we're starting with a conversation grounded in decades of global energy development. Experience and leadership across the oil and gas industry. Today's opening keynote will explore the lessons learned from years of successful exploration, investment, and operational growth across domestic and international energy markets.