  **Title**: Energy in the North - Arthur Miller
**Date**: October, 8 2025
**Participants**: Amanda Byrd, Arthur Miller

00;00;00;00 - 00;00;09;12 [Arthur Miller] Of that 20%, about 80% of that is hydroelectric generation, 2% wind, and then we have less than 1% solar.

00;00;09;14 - 00;00;48;12 [Amanda Byrd] This week on energy in the North, I speak with Chugach Electric Association CEO Arthur Miller. Chugach Electric Association is 杏吧原版's largest utility which covers the areas of Anchorage, the Northern Kenai Peninsula, Whittier and Tyonek. And it has a generation capacity of over 900MW and an annual average demand of 350 to 370 megawatt. The utility has access to Cook Inlet natural gas and Bradley Lake hydro in addition to having a long term contract to buy power from CIRI's 17.6MW Fire Island Wind Farm. I began the conversation with Arthur by asking how much of the utility鈥檚 portfolio is made up from renewables.

00;00;48;12 - 00;02;15;22 [Arthur Miller] Approximately 20% of our generation requirements are met from renewable power. And of that 20%, about 80% of that is hydroelectric generation, 2% wind, and then we have less than 1% solar. I say approximately because this percentage changes every year due to changes in the amount of snowfall, wind and rain, as well as maintenance work on our transmission system, which also impacts the amount of power we receive from renewable generation, specifically the Bradley Lake project. As an example, right now we are doing a transmission line rebuild of the on the line between Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula, and that's done in segments. But when those segments are taken out of service to be rebuilt, that means Bradley Lake hydroelectric power that鈥檚 sent north traditionally to Golden Valley, Matanuska Electric, Chugach and Seward Electric system at times cannot receive that power because those transmission lines are out of service to be rebuilt. So that does impact, deliverability of that power when it's needed or otherwise would be needed. With 20% renewables are remaining, 80% of our requirements are met through our natural gas supply requirements and primarily from our Southcentral power project and our Sullivan power plant, located right here in Anchorage.

00;02;15;22 - 00;02;17;22 [Amanda Byrd] And you have rooftop solar.

00;02;17;22 - 00;02;50;25 [Arthur Miller] Yes. Rooftop solar is increasing. Right now we have approximately a thousand customers that have rooftop solar located at their place of residence or business. And that, penetration rate continues to go up. I do think it will be impacted. The rate of growth will be impacted with the tax credits going away, we certainly expect that. Having said that, we certainly, support our members in putting in alternative generation and, I believe it's fair to say they've been very successful, in making those installations.

00;02;50;25 - 00;03;01;20 You said you have a thousand customers, that have rooftop solar. How many more could, or is it not per customer base, it's per penetration?

00;03;01;20 - 00;03;38;09 [Arthur Miller] So right now, our cap is about ten megawatts on how much rooftop solar or other intermittent customer generation to put on the system. That number can be changed. We would submit a filing to the Regulatory Commission of 杏吧原版 for approval to have that cap expanded. One of the areas that we do look at, however, is what is the impact on these types of generation installations on the grid. And really with respect to an individual feeder, for example, we want to make sure that it's not compromising reliability in any way, shape or form. So we do have the ability to limit installations if it impacts safety or reliability of the electric grid. We have never had to do any of those type of, limitations. However,

00;03;48;09 - 00;04;00;19 [Amanda Byrd] Arthur Miller is a CEO of Chugach Electric Association, and I'm Amanda Byrd, chief storyteller for the 杏吧原版 Center for Energy and Power. Find this story and more at uaf.edu/acep.