{
  "story": {
    "slug": "18-days-short-of-gas",
    "headline": "18 days short of gas",
    "deck": "The company that heats Anchorage just told lawmakers it is 18 days short of gas, and that is at normal temperatures.",
    "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/story/18-days-short-of-gas",
    "section": "Energy",
    "area": null,
    "published_at": "2026-08-24T20:00:00+00:00",
    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:05:50.597067+00:00",
    "body_md": "ENSTAR President John Sims told Alaska lawmakers at a legislative hearing on Southcentral Alaska's natural gas shortage that his company is 18 days short of the natural gas it needs to meet demand in a normal winter. ENSTAR serves more than 136,000 customers across Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley and the Kenai Peninsula. Department of Natural Resources Commissioner John Crowther told lawmakers, \"We do have a problem.\"\n\nSims said ENSTAR does not have enough gas on hand to prevent brownouts, and Chugach Electric has raised the possibility of cutting back the power it delivers to customers. Whether either happens depends on how cold the winter gets.\n\nSeveral longer term fixes are under discussion, none of them quick. They include importing liquefied natural gas by ship, expanding the Bradley Lake hydroelectric plant, building the Cook Inlet Power Link, a 38-mile subsea transmission cable, upgrading the Sterling to Soldotna to Quartz Creek transmission corridor, and the long-discussed Susitna-Watana hydro project. Alaska Energy Authority CEO Curtis Thayer said, \"We don't have a silver bullet.\"\n\nLawmakers are set to hear testimony from Chugach Electric, Hilcorp and HEX in September. Legislation addressing the shortage is expected during the January legislative session. None of the proposed fixes would be in place before this winter.",
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/21/we-do-have-problem-lawmakers-consider-immediate-steps-solve-encroaching-energy-shortages/",
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    "slug": "18-days-short-of-gas",
    "summary": "ENSTAR President John Sims told Alaska lawmakers his company is 18 days short of natural gas in a normal winter. ENSTAR serves over 136,000 customers in Anchorage, Mat-Su and the Kenai Peninsula. Chugach Electric has raised the possibility of cutting power. Lawmakers hear more testimony in September; legislation expected in January.",
    "key_facts": [
      "ENSTAR President John Sims says ENSTAR is 18 days short of natural gas demand in a normal winter",
      "ENSTAR serves more than 136,000 customers across Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley and the Kenai Peninsula",
      "DNR Commissioner John Crowther told lawmakers, \"We do have a problem\"",
      "Chugach Electric has raised the possibility of cutting back power to customers",
      "Options under discussion include LNG imports, Bradley Lake expansion, the Cook Inlet Power Link (a 38-mile subsea cable), the Sterling to Soldotna to Quartz Creek corridor upgrade, and the Susitna-Watana hydro project",
      "Lawmakers hear from Chugach Electric, Hilcorp and HEX in September; legislation is expected in the January session"
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "a": "ENSTAR President John Sims said the company is 18 days short of the gas it needs to cover demand in a normal winter.",
        "q": "How short is ENSTAR on natural gas?"
      },
      {
        "a": "More than 136,000 customers across Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley and the Kenai Peninsula.",
        "q": "How many people does this affect?"
      },
      {
        "a": "Sims said ENSTAR doesn't have enough gas to prevent brownouts, and Chugach Electric has raised the possibility of cutting back power to customers, which could affect your heat and lights.",
        "q": "Could the power go out in Anchorage?"
      },
      {
        "a": "Lawmakers hear more testimony from Chugach Electric, Hilcorp and HEX in September, and legislation is expected during the January session, but none of the fixes under discussion will be ready before this winter.",
        "q": "When will lawmakers fix this?"
      }
    ],
    "claims": [
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        "claim": "ENSTAR President John Sims said the company is 18 days short of the natural gas it needs to meet demand in a normal winter.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
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      },
      {
        "claim": "ENSTAR serves more than 136,000 customers across Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley and the Kenai Peninsula.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/21/we-do-have-problem-lawmakers-consider-immediate-steps-solve-encroaching-energy-shortages/",
        "source_label": "alaskasnewssource.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "DNR Commissioner John Crowther said, \"We do have a problem.\"",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/21/we-do-have-problem-lawmakers-consider-immediate-steps-solve-encroaching-energy-shortages/",
        "source_label": "alaskasnewssource.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Chugach Electric has raised the possibility of cutting back power delivered to customers.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/21/we-do-have-problem-lawmakers-consider-immediate-steps-solve-encroaching-energy-shortages/",
        "source_label": "alaskasnewssource.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Lawmakers will hear testimony from Chugach Electric, Hilcorp and HEX in September, with legislation expected during the January session.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/21/we-do-have-problem-lawmakers-consider-immediate-steps-solve-encroaching-energy-shortages/",
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    "locations": [
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        "area": "Anchorage",
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      {
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        "name": "Mat-Su Valley"
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        "area": "Kenai",
        "kind": "region",
        "name": "Kenai Peninsula"
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        "area": null,
        "kind": "region",
        "name": "Cook Inlet"
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        "area": "Kenai",
        "kind": "facility",
        "name": "Bradley Lake"
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    "people": [
      {
        "org": "ENSTAR",
        "name": "John Sims",
        "title": "President"
      },
      {
        "org": "Alaska Department of Natural Resources",
        "name": "John Crowther",
        "title": "Commissioner"
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      {
        "org": "Alaska Energy Authority",
        "name": "Curtis Thayer",
        "title": "CEO"
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    "event_dates": [
      {
        "date": "2026-08-21",
        "label": "Legislative hearing on Southcentral Alaska's natural gas shortage"
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      "anchorage heating gas shortfall",
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    "disclosure": "Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing.",
    "generated_at": "2026-10-01T05:17:08.518+00:00",
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