Resources

A lack of familiarity with the issues being discussed and specialized terminology can pose a barrier to member-owners interested in becoming more engaged with the work of their electric cooperative. This page provides short explainers that help illuminate key issues, a glossary of frequently used terms, and a list of common acronyms used in discussions of Alaska’s electric cooperatives.

Glossary

Alaska Energy Authority

A public corporation tasked with reducing the cost of energy in Alaska. AEA administers the Power-Cost Equalization Program. AEA is overseen by a board of directors appointed by the Governor. It provides technical and financial assistance to communities, and helps to administer the Power Cost Equalization (PCE) program. It also owns the Bradley Lake Project and several transmission lines, including the Northern Intertie. For more on AEA, see their website.

Hydroelectric generation project owned by the Alaska Energy Authority and jointly operated by the Railbelt electric utilities through the Bradley Lake Project Management Committee (BMPC). Bradley Lake provides about 10 percent of the Railbelt’s electric power, divided among the five utilities.

Acronyms

AEA—Alaska Energy Authority

See glossary.

BPMC—Bradley Project Management Committee

Managment committee overseeing the Bradley Lake hydroelectric project, whose members represent the five Railbelt utilties and AEA. See here for more information.

CEA—Chugach Electric Association

Electric cooperative Serving the Anchorage region.

ERO—Electric Reliability Organization

See explainer and glossary for more on EROs.

GVEA—Golden Valley Electric Association

Electric cooperative serving Fairbanks and surrounding regions.

HEA—Homer Electric Association

Electric cooperative serving parts of the Kenai Peninsula.

M L & P—Municipal Light and Power

Electric utility formerly serving downtown Anchorage, bought by Chugach Electric in 2019-20.

MEA—Matanuska Electric Association

Electric cooperative serving the Mat-Su Valley.

PCE—Power Cost Equalization

Explainer coming soon.

RCA—Regulatory Commission of Alaska.

State agency responsible for regulating Alaskan utilities.

RPS—Renewable Portfolio Standards

See glossary.

RRC—Railbelt Reliability Council

ERO created in 2022 to coordinate planning and distribution among the Railbelt utilities.

RTO—Regional Transmission Organization

Management committee created by HB 307 to develop and administer a uniform transmission tariff for the Railbelt grid.