Alaska lawmakers are considering whether to ask voters for permission to borrow money for major upgrades to the state’s electrical grids, they said this week.
“I’m a big fan of that idea of a GO bond,” said Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage. “I think it’s time to invest in the state. And this transmission grid is critical to our future. So I’m a fan.” No borrowing proposal has officially been introduced to the state Capitol, but the idea is circulating within the building.“We’re looking at any and all tools that may be available to us to put Alaska on an energy track that’s going to be reliable, secure — that’s hopefully as cheap as possible for customers,” he said.
Ryan Williams, the state’s debt manager, said the state is planning a “fairly aggressive pay down” of remaining debt over the next 15 years.