As originally published in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman on May 10, 2018.
To the Editor:
As Chairwoman of the Interior Appropriations subcommittee, Senator Lisa Murkowski played a key role in helping to shape the recent bill to fund the federal government for the rest of Fiscal Year 2018. Her leadership ensured that the projects most important to Alaska’s economy received appropriate funding.
My organization supports commonsense energy solutions, so we are particularly pleased that $3 million was included for the Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center to conduct Phase 1 microgrid studies into the feasibility of distributed electricity generation at Eielson Air Force Base.
Microgrids are reliable because they are decentralized, and since they integrate renewable resources and storage components, they are also very energy-efficient. A microgrid will not only improve the base’s infrastructure, it will also strengthen the local economy and support jobs as Eielson is one of the largest employers in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. The technology being studied could also prove to be highly beneficial to the energy infrastructure needs of rural Alaskans.
Throughout her career in public service, Senator Murkowski has always been a reliable advocate for advancing clean energy; her work to procure funds for this microgrid study is yet another example. I would like to thank her for constant dedication to American energy innovation.
— Heather Reams