Representative Mary Peltola is holding her first tela-town hall meeting on Tuesday, August 29th at 6:30 p.m. The telephone-only conference will focus on the high costs of energy throughout the state and is open for registration.
Rep. Peltola announced her town hall meeting earlier this month (August 9th) but announced just days ago the conference will be by phone only. “I’ve been traveling all over Alaska for the last few weeks, and one concern that I keep hearing from people is the high cost of energy,” Peltola wrote in an email over the weekend, adding “I can’t wait to speak with you!”
Rural Alaska communities have some of the highest costs of living in the United States. The Alaska Village Electric Cooperative reported that rural households spend nearly 27% of their annual income on home energy, compared to 7% in urban Alaska. Over the summer, residents of Aniak were faced with some of the highest electricity prices in the world, bills over $1000 per household.
In July 2022, Governor Mike Dunleavy signed Senate Bill 243, the Power Cost Equalization Bill. Through the Bill, the Alaska Energy Authority provides economic assistance to communities and individuals in high cost areas. The program was established in 1985 and subsidizes utilities for nearly 200 communities across the state.
The telephone conference allows for rural Alaskans to speak with Rep. Peltola about high energy costs and concerns in their area. The format also allows Peltola’s staff to control and moderate the meeting. To register and join the meeting, visit her website.
Photo at top: Peltola introduced by AFN co-chair Ana Hoffman, 2022
