Originally Published in the Anchorage Daily News on May 22, 2026
Just as Michelangelo’s finger of God reaches toward Adam’s in the Sistine Chapel— close but not yet touching— Alaska now faces a generational energy opportunity. The transformative potential is within reach. What is needed is the will to seize it.
Since Alaska statehood, energy has been the driving factor in redefining the Last Frontier from a wilderness territory to a global icon. The frontier spirit of grit, determination, acceptance of risk, and rugged independence drove a common bond among the pioneers. No truer words were spoken than those that built the trans-Alaska pipeline: “We didn’t know it couldn’t be done.”
History does not just repeat itself; it rhymes. More than 40 years later, we are stalled again on a pipeline that has been earmarked for national security. Fifteen years later, we are still debating where Cook Inlet fits into the mix via storage or imports to manage gas supply for the utilities. Each time, Alaskans came together to meet the energy crisis of the era, and this time is no different. Neither is the urgency to address affordability.
According to the Consumer Price Index for the Anchorage area in April 2026, energy prices rose 22.2%. Inflation in Anchorage is trending up. Zillow is estimating the average home price in Anchorage is more than $400,000, while the average age of first-time homebuyers in the U.S. is 40. These numbers are staggering and unsustainable for the next generations that stand to inherit the result of our inaction.
Energy is central to the quality of life we know and are blessed to have here in Alaska. There should be absolutely no reason for any shortage of fuel and electricity. This is why elections matter: to pursue sound policy that future-proofs a core service in today’s society. Chugach Electric stands in the center of this conversation, serving more than 90,000 ratepayers as the state’s largest electric utility. Yet less than 12% of ratepayers vote in the Board of Directors elections.
Projects like the gas line, drilling in Cook Inlet, importing LNG and evaluating hydro all play a major role in providing electricity to customers at an affordable and reliable rate. In today’s world, generating electricity is only a small part of what is required to succeed. To meet the moment and capture opportunities, we must embrace a bold new vision: rebranding from a traditional electric utility into a comprehensive energy company.
It is not just about electricity. It is about making strategic investments in the sources of fuel and power that keep costs low for generations to come. We need leaders who are willing to challenge the assumptions, guide technical solutions through evaluation and implementation, and recognize when it is time to pivot because something is not working. The opportunity is there for the taking. With energy being a national security issue, there is urgency and priority in meeting this objective. We have to acknowledge that the energy demand needed will depend on the most reliable power sources available: coal, gas, hydroelectric, and nuclear power.
Regardless of where you may stand on the political spectrum, if you cannot afford to pay your bills, the existential threat to your family is homelessness and hunger, not atmospheric collapse.
The election for the Chugach Electric Board of Directors is May 29. If you want to reach out and grab this energy future like I do, I respectfully ask for your vote.
Todd Lindley is running for the Chugach Electric Board of Directors. He is a professional mechanical engineer with 17 years of experience in the energy industry with ExxonMobil and Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. His expertise encompasses project management, maintenance and reliability, risk assessment, leadership and management. He is on the board of Alaska Gold Communications, the parent company of Must Read Alaska. For more information on his campaign, visit toddforchugach.com.
