GVEA passes a motion for the President of board and CEO to negotiate a term agreement by the end of January with Ameresco Delta Wind Farm

Community members celebrate the decision to bring on new clean power

Dec 19, 2025 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – On Thursday, the GVEA board voted on a motion for the President of Board at CEO to negotiate term agreements with Ameresco, the power provider behind the Delta Wind project. This will result in 36 MW of additional energy for the grid, which amounts to roughly one third of the Interior’s total energy load in the summer. All GVEA Board Members had positive comments about the move, and acknowledged it was a long time in coming.  Many of them also acknowledged that the members really wanted the agreement to move forward. 

In 2022, GVEA adopted a Strategic Generation Plan, which committed to replacing the unreliable Healy 2 coal plant with new energy sources, including new wind power. The timeline for those changes has been extended since then, but energy advocates have been pressuring the board to take action more rapidly on those commitments. GVEA had secured millions of dollars in grants and interest free loans through Biden-era programs, but with the passage of the Budget Reconciliation Bill this summer, that funding became threatened. This drastically shortened the timeline GVEA had to sign agreements with wind producers, so over the course of the last year, the pressure has been mounting for GVEA to act quickly to take advantage of this funding and to meet the energy gaps the Interior is facing. 

In early 2025, GVEA warned about the possibility of rolling blackouts due to energy shortages. GVEA is not the only Alaskan utility to issue these dire warnings. With the signing of this agreement, many Interior residents will be able to feel more secure about their future energy security, knowing the odds of having their power shut off is greatly reduced. 

Says Lee Aeo, Energy Justice Organizer with the Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition,” Independence is an important value for us in the Interior and energy independence is no different. Getting this wind energy on our grid is a vital step in making Fairbanks less dependant on outside energy. It will also act as an example to others that wind energy is possible, even in the far north. It will show other investors that Fairbanks is serious about bringing on new energy sources. We’re very happy to see Fairbanks acting as a leader in adding local, renewable energy to our grid. This is going to help many Alaskans be more secure in their homes not having to worry about rolling blackouts in the winter.”

###

Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition is a grassroots climate justice organization that mobilizes Fairbanks & Interior Alaska communities toward action to mitigate and adapt to climate change. We seek to elevate climate solutions and foster a fair, equitable, & just transition to sustainable communities — locally, regionally and globally. 

Media contacts:
Aurora Bowers, FCAC Communications Manager
aurora@fbxclimateaction.org, (907) 347-9206

Lee Aeo, FCAC Energy Justice Organizer
lee@fbxclimateaction.org, (907) 987-6082