Energy czar rethinks rural Alaska’s future from home to generator

DILLINGHAM, Alaska (AP) – In the home of Nels Anderson Jr., an inspection of the light fixtures won’t turn up any of those technological dinosaurs known as incandescent light bulbs. Anderson has replaced them with the newer, efficient, compact fluorescent bulbs increasingly common in light sockets.

“We’ve got them every place in the house,” Anderson said. “Every room’s got fluorescent.”

It’s only fitting. As the state’s first-ever energy policy adviser, Anderson has assumed the mantle of energy czar of the Alaska Bush. The growing energy crisis is “public enemy number one,” he said. Former Gov. Frank Murkowski appointed Anderson to the energy post in October.

As energy czar, he is concerned with rethinking energy. Period. Conservation is central to his solution, which includes searching for alternative energy sources such as wind and geothermal. Even nuclear energy isn’t out of the question, he said. These are all intended to achieve one thing: weaning villages from diesel – the rustic elixir of rural Alaska.

“I know people get nervous when they hear me say that, but we’ve got to do that,” he said.

AP