250,000 gallons a day
The man in charge of keeping Alaska's lights on says this winter we may have to turn down the heat.
Daily Alaska staff · September 29, 2026 · Alaska
Daily Alaska staff · September 29, 2026 · AlaskaCurtis Thayer, who runs the Alaska Energy Authority, is warning Alaskans that a long cold snap this winter could force households to turn off lights and lower their thermostats to stretch the region's natural gas supply. About 80 percent of the power in Southcentral Alaska comes from Cook Inlet natural gas, and there isn't enough of it to go around.
Fairbanks is already feeling the shortage. Because there isn't enough gas to send north, utilities there are burning 250,000 gallons of diesel a day, something Thayer says didn't happen the last two years.
The fixes are real but slow. The state and the power companies are spending a billion dollars this year on projects, including a bigger dam at Bradley Lake. That dam won't be finished until 2030.
For households feeling the pinch, the state's heating assistance program received double the federal money this year. It helps households that meet income limits pay their electric and gas bills.
Thayer put it plainly: there's nothing for tomorrow, and nothing for next year.
Key facts
- Curtis Thayer runs the Alaska Energy Authority.
- About 80 percent of Southcentral Alaska's power comes from Cook Inlet natural gas.
- Fairbanks utilities are burning 250,000 gallons of diesel a day.
- The state and power companies are spending a billion dollars this year on energy projects, including a bigger dam at Bradley Lake.
- The Bradley Lake dam expansion won't be finished until 2030.
- The state's heating assistance program received double the federal money this year.
Ongoing: This story is still developing.
In this story
Questions people ask
Why might Alaskans have to turn down the heat?
Curtis Thayer of the Alaska Energy Authority says a long cold snap could stretch Cook Inlet's gas supply too thin, since it provides about 80 percent of Southcentral's power. If that happens, households may need to cut lights and lower thermostats to keep the grid stable.
Why is Fairbanks burning diesel?
There isn't enough Cook Inlet gas to send north, so Fairbanks utilities are burning 250,000 gallons of diesel a day, something Thayer says never happened in the previous two years. That's a direct sign of how tight the gas supply has gotten.
When will the Bradley Lake dam expansion help?
Not for a while. The expansion is part of a billion dollar push this year, but it won't be finished until 2030, so it won't ease this winter's crunch.
Is there help paying heating bills?
Yes, the state's heating assistance program got double the federal money this year for households that meet income limits, which can offset higher electric and gas bills this winter.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- Curtis Thayer runs the Alaska Energy Authority and warned of possible rationing this winter. — webcenterfairbanks.com
- About 80 percent of Southcentral Alaska's power comes from Cook Inlet natural gas. — webcenterfairbanks.com
- Fairbanks utilities are burning 250,000 gallons of diesel a day, which did not happen the prior two years. — webcenterfairbanks.com
- The state and power companies are spending a billion dollars this year on energy projects, including an expanded dam at Bradley Lake set to finish in 2030. — webcenterfairbanks.com
- Alaska's heating assistance program received double the federal funding this year. — webcenterfairbanks.com
Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing. How we use AI →