Letters to the Editor

Letter: Alaska gas facts

The Anchorage Daily News published a letter to the editor Dec. 2 making false claims about how Alaska LNG will be funded and who will pay for it. Public scrutiny is critical for a project this size, but accuracy is essential for informed decision-making and I write to correct the record. The vast majority of costs for Alaska LNG will be financed by the private sector via contracts for the sale of the LNG portion of Alaska LNG’s natural gas to energy-hungry Asian markets. The funding, construction and operation of Alaska LNG, which will be managed by a privately-led team with appropriate resources and expertise, will be carefully monitored by state and federal officials.

Alaska’s great irony is we’re an energy-rich state, but Interior Alaska is essentially an energy desert. Vulnerable Alaskans suffer the most from staggering energy bills and the worst air quality in the nation. Natural gas via Alaska LNG will save Alaskans money on their energy bills and clean our air. As a state corporation, AGDC is charged with harnessing the potential of Alaska’s North Slope natural gas for the benefit of all Alaskans. Alaska LNG has been — and continues to be — scrutinized by state and federal regulatory officials because project transparency and protecting the interests of Alaskans is vitally important.

Global LNG needs, according to energy experts, were already forecast to grow for decades to come, even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced energy buyers in both Europe and Asia to seek new sources for natural gas. The LNG market will continue to grow until least 2050, if not beyond, because it has far fewer emissions than coal. Alaska LNG alone is forecast to eliminate 77 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually, the equivalent of taking 16.8 million passenger cars off the road each year.

— Frank Richards

President, Alaska Gasline Development Corp.

Anchorage

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