{
  "story": {
    "slug": "we-could-run-short-this-winter",
    "headline": "we could run short this winter",
    "deck": "Enstar's president warned that if this winter matches last winter, Southcentral Alaska won't get through it without gas curtailment.",
    "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/story/we-could-run-short-this-winter",
    "section": "Energy",
    "area": "Anchorage",
    "published_at": "2026-08-02T20:00:00+00:00",
    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:25:18.135968+00:00",
    "body_md": "Enstar Natural Gas president John Sims said this week that if Southcentral Alaska faces a winter like last year's, the region will not get through it without gas rationing. Enstar serves Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley and the Kenai Peninsula, and the warning comes as Cook Inlet gas production falls short of regional demand and storage came out of a cold spring lower than utilities wanted.\n\nUnder Enstar's curtailment plan, cuts would start with industrial facilities, then move to businesses, then to churches, schools and hospitals, with homes cut last.\n\nEnstar pays $8.78 per thousand cubic feet under its contract with Hilcorp, and its current weighted average gas cost is $10.80. The company offered $17.50 per thousand cubic feet to spur new drilling in Cook Inlet but got no takers, even though Hilcorp has drilled 192 wells in the Inlet since 2011, including 27 this year.\n\nHomer Electric Association's head of power production said a winter like last year's could put the utility in trouble. Matanuska Electric Association has expanded its diesel generation backup runtime from about two weeks to about two months.\n\nEnstar must file for gas import facilities no later than the end of this year, with imported gas potentially arriving by 2029.",
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/28/as-winter-approaches-southcentral-alaska-utilities-are-worried-about-running-short-of-gas/",
        "label": "alaskabeacon.com"
      }
    ]
  },
  "envelope": {
    "story_id": "f9e5aab0-5bf5-4a95-80f3-3b2d9846ef16",
    "slug": "we-could-run-short-this-winter",
    "summary": "Enstar president John Sims warned that if Southcentral Alaska faces a winter like last year's, the region won't avoid gas curtailment. Cook Inlet production can't meet demand, Hilcorp drilling offers went untaken, and Enstar must file for gas import facilities by year's end, with imports possibly arriving by 2029.",
    "key_facts": [
      "Enstar pays $8.78 per thousand cubic feet under its Hilcorp contract, with a blended cost of $10.80",
      "Enstar offered $17.50 per thousand cubic feet for new Cook Inlet drilling and got no takers",
      "Hilcorp has drilled 192 wells in Cook Inlet since 2011, including 27 this year",
      "Matanuska Electric Association expanded diesel backup runtime from about two weeks to about two months",
      "Enstar must file for gas import facilities by the end of this year, with gas potentially arriving by 2029",
      "Curtailment order is industrial first, then businesses, then churches, schools and hospitals, then homes last"
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "a": "If this winter matches last winter, Southcentral Alaska won't get through it without gas curtailment, which could mean cuts to your heating and appliances.",
        "q": "what did Enstar president warn about this winter"
      },
      {
        "a": "Industrial facilities are cut first, then businesses, then churches, schools and hospitals, with homes cut last.",
        "q": "who gets gas cut first if rationing happens"
      },
      {
        "a": "Enstar pays 8.78 dollars per thousand cubic feet under its Hilcorp contract, with a blended cost of 10.80, and offered 17.50 per thousand to spur new drilling with no takers.",
        "q": "how much is Enstar paying for natural gas now"
      },
      {
        "a": "Enstar must file for gas import facilities by the end of this year, with imported gas potentially arriving by 2029.",
        "q": "when might imported gas arrive Southcentral Alaska"
      }
    ],
    "claims": [
      {
        "claim": "Enstar president John Sims said Southcentral Alaska would need gas curtailment if this winter matches last winter's conditions.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/28/as-winter-approaches-southcentral-alaska-utilities-are-worried-about-running-short-of-gas/",
        "source_label": "alaskabeacon.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Enstar pays $8.78 per thousand cubic feet under its Hilcorp contract and has a blended gas cost of $10.80.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/28/as-winter-approaches-southcentral-alaska-utilities-are-worried-about-running-short-of-gas/",
        "source_label": "alaskabeacon.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Hilcorp has drilled 192 wells in Cook Inlet since 2011, including 27 this year.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/28/as-winter-approaches-southcentral-alaska-utilities-are-worried-about-running-short-of-gas/",
        "source_label": "alaskabeacon.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Matanuska Electric Association expanded its diesel generation backup runtime from about two weeks to about two months.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/28/as-winter-approaches-southcentral-alaska-utilities-are-worried-about-running-short-of-gas/",
        "source_label": "alaskabeacon.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Enstar must file for gas import facilities by the end of this year, with gas potentially arriving by 2029.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/28/as-winter-approaches-southcentral-alaska-utilities-are-worried-about-running-short-of-gas/",
        "source_label": "alaskabeacon.com"
      }
    ],
    "locations": [
      {
        "area": null,
        "kind": "region",
        "name": "Cook Inlet"
      },
      {
        "area": "Anchorage",
        "kind": "city",
        "name": "Anchorage"
      },
      {
        "area": "Mat-Su",
        "kind": "region",
        "name": "Mat-Su Valley"
      },
      {
        "area": "Kenai",
        "kind": "region",
        "name": "Kenai Peninsula"
      }
    ],
    "people": [
      {
        "org": "Enstar Natural Gas",
        "name": "John Sims",
        "title": "President"
      }
    ],
    "organizations": [
      {
        "kind": "utility",
        "name": "Enstar Natural Gas"
      },
      {
        "kind": "company",
        "name": "Hilcorp"
      },
      {
        "kind": "utility",
        "name": "Homer Electric Association"
      },
      {
        "kind": "utility",
        "name": "Matanuska Electric Association"
      }
    ],
    "event_dates": [
      {
        "date": "2026-12",
        "label": "Enstar deadline to file for gas import facilities"
      },
      {
        "date": "2029",
        "label": "Potential arrival of imported gas"
      }
    ],
    "story_status": "ongoing",
    "what_changed": null,
    "keywords": [
      "cook inlet gas shortage",
      "enstar curtailment plan",
      "southcentral alaska winter gas",
      "hilcorp cook inlet drilling",
      "matanuska electric diesel backup",
      "gas import facilities alaska",
      "enstar gas prices"
    ],
    "disclosure": "Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing.",
    "generated_at": "2026-10-01T05:28:37.255+00:00",
    "reviewed_at": null,
    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:25:18.135968+00:00"
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      "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/codex/enstar-natural-gas"
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    {
      "slug": "cook-inlet",
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    {
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  "corrections": [],
  "underwriting": null,
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    "headline": "we could run short this winter",
    "description": "Enstar president John Sims warned that if Southcentral Alaska faces a winter like last year's, the region won't avoid gas curtailment. Cook Inlet production can't meet demand, Hilcorp drilling offers went untaken, and Enstar must file for gas import facilities by year's end, with imports possibly arriving by 2029.",
    "abstract": "Enstar president John Sims warned that if Southcentral Alaska faces a winter like last year's, the region won't avoid gas curtailment. Cook Inlet production can't meet demand, Hilcorp drilling offers went untaken, and Enstar must file for gas import facilities by year's end, with imports possibly arriving by 2029.",
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