Golden Valley Electric Association members who missed the co-op's recent Membership Meetings can now view the Our Energy, Our Future for Interior Alaska presentation online. GVEA held meetings in Delta Junction, Fairbanks, Healy, Nenana and North Pole throughout July. Video from Healy's Membership Meeting is now online. 

GVEA's Our Energy, Our Future for Interior Alaska campaign aims to educate members about upcoming energy issues, including rates, methods of energy production and costs associated with that production. It is also a grassroots call to action, encouraging members to voice their opinions to state and local legislators.  

Members can learn more about Our Energy, Our Future for Interior Alaska on GVEA's website.  

Golden Valley Electric Association is providing fairgoers with the daily opportunity to win $200 worth of energy savings products at their booth in the Borealis Pavilion. The daily raffle includes a Home$ense energy audit, power strip with surge protection and a Kill A Watt energy use monitor. Members can also win a Ruralite Cookbook. 

Be sure to stop by and spin the Wheel of Power for a chance to win other prizes. GVEA's booth is located in the Borealis Pavilion and is open from noon to 10 p.m. until August 9.  

Golden Valley Electric Association held the first of several member meetings Monday night at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. 

With over 70 members in attendance, Golden Valley management, including President and CEO Brian Newton, Vice President of Marketing and Member Services Dave Gardner, and Vice President of Transmission and Distribution Mike Wright, presented information on the cooperative's efforts to meet the challenges of rising energy costs. 

Member questions ranged from what GVEA is doing to bring the Healy Clean Coal Project power plant on line to what members can do to make their voices heard by state officials. 

Tuesday night GVEA presented the Our Energy, Our Future for Interior Alaska in Delta Junction. Members who missed either of these first two presentations still have several opportunities.  

On Thursday, July 24, GVEA will be presenting at the North Pole City Hall. Tuesday, July 29, they will be at the Tri-Valley Community Center in Healy. Finally, on Wednesday, July 30, they will be presenting at the Nenana Civic Center.  

Golden Valley Electric Association is slated to receive $212,000 in renewable energy grants from the Denali Commission and the Alaska Energy Authority. The co-op received four of 33 awards for renewable energy projects around the state. 

Two of the grants will be used to conduct feasibility studies of installing some type of hydroelectric project in the Nenana River near Healy, and the Gerstle River near Delta Junction.  

One grant will be used for engineering the Eva Creek wind project near Healy. GVEA has been evaluating the wind potential at this site for several years and has found a viable wind resource. The Eva Creek site can support a large wind project but the actual sizing of the project will be determined by how many of the Railbelt utilities want to participate.  

The fourth grant will be used to evaluate the feasibility of constructing and operating a solar thermal water heating system to be used by McKinley Village Lodge and Denali Education Center located near Denali National Park. 

Vice President for Power Supply Kate Lamal spearheaded Golden Valley's efforts.  

"These projects are part of our strategy to meet the goals of our green power pledge," said Brian Newton, GVEA president & CEO. "It's also good news for members as adding more renewable power decreases the Interior's dependence on oil-refined fuel sources."