Kreiss-Tomkins and Bronson propose distinct paths for rural power

Residents in rural Alaska face electricity bills that can reach $26 per gallon for diesel fuel, a cost that shapes daily life in remote communities. Two of the four candidates for governor outlined their plans to address these high costs at the closing session of the Alaska Rural Energy Conference on Thursday.

Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and Republican Dave Bronson, a former Anchorage mayor, participated in the panel. The other two candidates, Republicans Treg Taylor and Bernadette Wilson, were absent. The conference concluded on Thursday.

The candidates have debated the state's role in energy policy for months. Both agree that the current diesel infrastructure is aging. Bronson cited figures showing nearly $300 million in deferred maintenance on older diesel generating equipment and about $1 billion in deferred maintenance on fuel storage systems. Kreiss-Tomkins emphasized the need for reliable and affordable energy as a primary state responsibility.

Bronson proposed a 400-mile ice road on the Yukon River to allow trucks to deliver fuel during winter months. He argued this method would be safer and cheaper than barging fuel from the Lower 48. Kreiss-Tomkins proposed a statewide energy bond to help communities reduce diesel dependence. He stated he would veto any legislative attempt to reduce the Power Cost Equalization program, which lowers electricity costs for rural areas.

The candidates also discussed heating fuel costs. Kreiss-Tomkins wants to explore equalizing heating fuel costs for communities where prices reach $15 or $20 per gallon. He noted that high costs are economically existential for those families. Bronson said the state should forward fund the Power Cost Equalization program and bring in federal money to support rural towns.

Infrastructure priorities remain a point of divergence. Kreiss-Tomkins said funding should be driven by merit and objective need rather than political processes. He pointed to the Renewable Energy Fund as a model for prioritization. Bronson said the state should first address villages facing immediate threat of equipment failure. He noted that some diesel generating facilities are older than the people who operate them and that many fuel tanks are leaking.

Kreiss-Tomkins described an all of the above energy mindset, including natural gas and coal in the Interior. He said diesel is not the long-term future for villages. Bronson said he does not believe carbon dioxide is a major driver of climate change and that belief should not drive energy decisions. He called nuclear power the future of electrical generation in rural Alaska, citing Navy ships that run on small modular reactors.

A moderator noted that the state spent more than $500 million on household weatherization after the 2008 oil price spike, resulting in a 25 percent drop in costs for households. Bronson said he would prioritize weatherization now as the most immediate way to save energy costs. Kreiss-Tomkins called weatherization a real slam dunk.

Kreiss-Tomkins is pro-nuclear but said small modular reactor technology is not yet proven. He noted that the pilot project at Eielson Air Force Base has been delayed by multiple years. Bronson disputed this, saying most large U.S. Navy capital ships run on such reactors. Both candidates agreed the state should support new generation and fuel storage.

Kreiss-Tomkins said he would look to conference attendees for direction if state institutions have gaps. Bronson said he would rather spend money on a fuel storage facility or a generator than create a new department. He said he would count his first years as a success if villages facing generator failure have new equipment and larger fuel storage.