Holland’s House Highlights

Join me at 10AM on most Fridays to talk about District and Alaska Issues. This week's theme: Potluck! I’ll be bringing some dishes include special-session stuffed-dates, education reform wilted salad, department of ag, local side, defining tier II tourism main dish (my fav current topic I’d like to share… what type of tourism would excite ALASKANS!), or energy field triple layer cake. Join our Zoom Call.

Reach out to your electric utility if you have a tree or bush on your privately owned property that you are worried about falling into the power line or on electrical equipment.

Interim is a time for learning

During the interim, many of us spend time on field visits and deep dives—learning more about our district, infrastructure, and economy so we can better understand the issues and represent you more effectively. Recently, I’ve been doing just that.

Last week, my staff member Shaina and I visited Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) that serves Eagle River and the Matsu Valley. Wildfire mitigation and management are among my top priorities (see HJR 15 which passed this year), and it was encouraging to see how MEA is using drones to monitor vegetation along transmission lines. This approach allows them to cover much more ground than traditional methods, improving both safety and efficiency.

We also toured their Eklutna Generation Station, which powers the Railbelt with ten gas-fired units that can switch to diesel if needed. This kind of flexibility is increasingly important as our local Cook Inlet gas supply becomes uncertain. Thanks to the agreement to pool generation resources between MEA and Anchorage-based Chugach Electric, this plant is also a resource for the entire region.

Many thanks to the team at MEA for the warm welcome and informative tour!

We also visited a new powerhouse module built inside a conex container, soon to be shipped to Nelson Lagoon in the Aleutians to replace aging generators. The unit includes three modern generating systems, offering both flexibility and capacity for future growth. It's designed to integrate renewable energy when the community is ready. The project is funded by the Denali Commission and the Alaska Energy Authority’s capital program.

On Friday I traveled with Chugach Electric Association to Bradley Lake Hydro Plant and their Beluga power generation site. Bradley Lake, the largest hydro facility in the state, provides low-cost, renewable power to utilities across Southcentral Alaska. Seeing the plant in action underscored the value of long-term investment in clean, reliable energy infrastructure.

At the Beluga site, we toured gas-fired generation units that play a critical role in meeting peak energy demand. The visit highlighted the importance of maintaining flexibility in our power supply as we navigate the transition to cleaner energy sources.

Thank you to Chugach Electric Association for your time and insight on this tour!

On day three of our excursions, I had the pleasure of leading a group of constituents on the Alaska Railroad to experience the district by rail. The ride to Grandview offers a unique chance to see areas of Alaska inaccessible by road. Many of us stopped in Whittier to tour the new Huna Totem Chugach Glacier Gateway Cruise Terminal dock, the Alaska Railroad barge facility, and the Prince William Sound Museum. We also met with Whittier officials and heard about the challenges their first responders face. It was a fun and meaningful day—one I hope becomes an annual tradition. Thank you to everyone who joined!

I’m excited to bring on Luca Marchesani to our team! You may recognize Luca from community council meetings in the district – he’s been supporting me through the Civic Leadership Program at South High School as an ad hoc community representative. He is now an official staffer working in an office administrative capacity.

My next newsletter will focus on the August 2^nd Special Session called by the Governor. Please take a few minutes to fill out this short survey and send in your questions about the special session.

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Contact info

Email: Rep.Ky.Holland@akleg.gov

Office Phone: (907) 269-0199

Cell Phone:(907) 727-2735

Staff Contact Info

Shaina Kilcoyne, Energy Committee Aide: shaina.kilcoyne@akleg.gov

Luca Marchesani, Legislative Aide: luca.marchesani@akleg.gov