Eyes on Alaska for Secretary Chris Wright
The Arctic Energy Office is working with the new Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, to share information on Arctic issues both global and domestic. Director Erin Whitney briefed the Secretary in early March in Washington, D.C. on the office’s mission and resources and discussed implementation of efforts to bring down energy costs for Alaskans and deliver on energy infrastructure projects.
On the first day of the new Administration, the White House released an Executive Order entitled “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential,” calling for development of Alaska’s natural resources “as fully as possible.”
Secretary Wright has subsequently spoken about Alaska several times, and stated in an interview during CERA Week that the U.S. Department of Energy wants to “take the handcuffs off of Alaska, [and] let the Alaskan people, particularly Native Alaskans, play a role, play the leading role, in what’s going to be developed.”
Funding for Utilities: Apply by April 18
Utilities, nonprofits, research institutions, consulting and technology firms, and for-profits are eligible to apply for up to $1 million to deploy advanced technologies and incorporate modeling to identify and mitigate grid vulnerabilities, boosting greater integration across diverse energy portfolios. This funding is managed by the Grid Deployment Office, through a partnership intermediary agreement called Joint Assessment of Resilience in Vulnerable Infrastructure Systems (JARVIS). Get details and apply on the TechWerx website.
Notice of Intent for Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands
This spring, the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs anticipates releasing a funding opportunity for $25 million that will support energy development on Tribal lands, through projects ranging from $100,000 to $5 million, depending on the area of interest. A fact sheet and the full notice of intent announcement is available on the Office of Indian Energy website.
New Technical Assistance Option Available for Tribes
Federally recognized Tribes are eligible to receive a new type of technical assistance from the Office of Indian Energy.
In partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Commercial Law Development Program, the Office of Indian Energy provides technical assistance to enhance the legal environment for energy sector commerce.
This support focuses on four areas of work:
- Legal technical assistance to advance high-value energy projects
- Legal technical assistance to support evaluating energy project proposals or deals
- Modernizing or developing Tribal energy legal, regulatory, and contractual frameworks to enable a sustainable competitive business environment and to align risks
- Capacity building to increase the ability of Tribal governments to conceptualize and implement complex energy projects and effectively participate in power markets.
The Office of Indian Energy also offers additional types of technical assistance to federally recognized Indian Tribes and Tribal entities, including Alaska Native regional and Village corporations, to support the advancement of energy projects, including:
- Energy Planning
- Energy Efficiency Assessments
- Resource Assessments
- Energy Project Planning
- Building Codes and Utility Formation.
Learn more about eligibility, intended outcomes of technical assistance, and apply on the DOE Office of Indian Energy Request Technical Assistance page.
Seeking Industry Partners To Accelerate Innovative Hydropower
In a partnership through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Water Power Technologies Office, the Hydropower Technical Collaboration Program (Hydro-TCP) will provide selected participants with access to the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for short-term collaborative projects that leverage advanced materials and manufacturing. This program, which runs projects from 12—24 months long, is seeking applications that can reduce costs and lead time, improve performance, encourage novel designs, increase worker safety, and boost the value to hydropower development writ large. Specific examples of opportunities and details on how the application and program work are available on Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s website.
Presentation Available from Council for the Alaska Micro-Reactor Program Meeting
Last week, the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Air Force (DAF), Office of Infrastructure, Energy, and Environment (SAF/IEE), hosted the three-day Council for the Alaska Micro-Reactor Program (CAMP) meeting to provide an update on the status of the Micro-Reactor Pilot Program, proposed for Eielson Air Force Base (AFB) as well as to continue engaging with the State of Alaska, local mayors, the Tanana Chiefs Conference, and the installation’s surrounding communities.
In response to the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, DAF identified Eielson Air Force Base (AFB) as the preferred location to pilot its first microreactor to supply an additional 5 MW of heat and electricity to the base’s existing coal-fired combined heat and power plant (CHPP). DAF partnered with the Defense Logistics Agency to execute a power purchase agreement with a third-party vendor, which will construct, own, license, operate, and decommission a microreactor on a leased site at the AFB. The procurement process is in the source selection phase but is currently paused due to a bid protest filed with the Government Accountability Office. Upon completion, this project will serve as the prototype for potential microreactor deployment at other military installations throughout Alaska and the country and for commercialization in towns, cities, ports, and communities in Alaska’s unique harsh and challenging environment.
Advanced nuclear energy technology has bipartisan support due to its potential to provide reliable and resilient energy for critical national security infrastructure and was highlighted as an initial Departmental action in Secretary Wright’s February 5, 2025, Memorandum, Unleashing the Golden Era of American Energy Dominance, Unleash Commercial Nuclear Power in the United States. The Eielson AFB pilot project will facilitate the deployment advanced nuclear technology for energy diversity and national security in key energy markets.
This quarterly CAMP meeting was held virtually due to travel restrictions in effect prior to the budget resolution. The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory participated in the CAMP meetings and provided an update on industry’s work to scale advanced nuclear technology. Loren Friedel, DOE’s Nuclear Energy Liaison to the Arctic Energy Office, also participated in the meetings and community engagements and discussed the importance of the prototype to the Department. DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is developing roadmaps to outline decision-making processes and is supporting regulatory, siting, and community engagement activities. Visit the DAF website to download the presentation. The next CAMP meeting will be held in person in Fairbanks at a date TBD in late summer 2025.
Registration Open for the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference
We’re proud to support the 2025 Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference and the important conversations shaping the future of energy. This event brings together industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to explore Alaska’s role in advancing sustainable energy solutions. From emerging technologies to real-world applications, the conference is a vital platform for collaboration and progress. Dates: The Arctic Energy Office is hosting a Pre-Conference Event June 2. The Conference will run June 3-5, 2025 Location: Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Learn more and register.
The Energy Information Administration Forecasts Alaska Crude Oil Production Will Grow in 2026 for the First Time Since 2017
The Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Short-Term Energy Outlook, released this month, forecasts crude oil production in Alaska “will increase by 16,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2026 to 438,000 b/d after remaining relatively flat in 2025. Two new oil developments in Alaska—the Nuna and Pikka projects—are expected to boost crude oil production in the state after decades of decline. If realized, this annual production increase will be the first since 2017 and the largest since 2002.” Read more from the EIA on their website.