Simple Simon

So, Alaska reaches another “Milestone”, yet this one is not something to be proud upon. How many failed “energy” projects before the Alaska Industrial Development and Eunuch Authority? OK, it used to be “Export” but nobody could ever tell me what in hell was meant by that “export”, except exporting nonsense! So “Eunuch” seems more befitting what that entity has accomplished, yes castration of our resource wealth it is! So to date Alaska has wasted over a $billion$ bucks just researching what to do, with respect to energy requirements to keep us warm during the cold dark winters. When in hell is global warming going to get here? In the category of energy sources secured for future needs, Alaska reigns in as a 3^rd world nation. How foolish we are! It's so simple a solution. Alaska's energy problems are simple, yet we always look in the wrong direction for a solution. We seem to strive at complicating matters and with that, we are always accomplishing a 1-step forward and 3-steps in reverse realization. I guess if you fix a problem, then those that have made a living doing nothing but wasting money on phony solutions, well they cannot turn that “Do Nothing” cushy position over to their siblings. “What does your dad do for a living”? “Nothing!” Just like what happened when Frank turned over his senate seat to his daughter, since then this state has suffered. What we need is one of them “Reality” shows to do a take on how this state throws money away, but gambling is illegal! Of course it is the “illegal” aspect that sells those shows, perverts, felons, rapists, smokers – talent? Said again, it is so damn simple a solution to fix our energy future, and maybe the reason we have become blinded by the light of reasonable thinking. First and foremost, we were guaranteed an intrastate “natural gas pipeline” within 5-years of “Oil In”, that was 40-years ago! It places an entirely new perspective to “delayed”! OK, so it takes energy to, well “boil water”. How much gas is “stranded” in Prudhoe Bay? Lots, too many “zeros” as a multiplier that it gives many a headache! So, concentrate on the source of energy as the origin of any worthwhile project, based not on making money but serving the “citizens”. That is wherein we have failed, as these state run “Corporations” think they know what they are doing, because they have no accountability! There is not a single state run “Corporation” that would pass the test in front of a real bank – with a business plan that worked! Yes, including the “Alaska Railroading”. I had a friend of mine well versed in “financials” review the ARR “Balance Sheet” for 2013, he laughed so much then realized it was something he could use when teaching his business classes at Harvard – on how not to run a business! With respect to in-state “energy” needs here in the 49er, making money should be at the back of the line with respect to the state administering to the needs of the people. Alaska is rich, as today we have a $51-billion reserve so there is no excuse as to why we still have not seen trenchers getting ready to lay pipe in the ground. How many different projects on the drawing boards? There is no excuse for what has gone on for, well almost half a century! So we start at the source, where the energy is hanging out waiting to “boil water”. Now even though many consider a “pipeline” the most cost effective way to get a commodity to market, in the case of “Natural Gas” that argument does not hold water. In fact it is the least desirable method of transportation. You don't get the bang for the buck, it's a gas! And do you have any idea how difficult it is to build a “natural gas pipeline” through permafrost? It can be done, but the price escalations are forbidding. See, back in 2001 EXXON wanted to “un-strand” the gas in Prudhoe Bay by building a pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to the McKenzie River delta along the northern coast of Alaska, wherein “permafrost” was not a problem and in shallow and somewhat calm waters, and tie into the pipeline that was supposed to wind along the McKenzie River to the Canadian “Tar Sands” project. But Don Young and the assholes in Juneau decided to ban forever that route - because it didn't allow exporting - so we are still thinking about something and had the legislature been not so anti-EXXON, we would have already been watching the money flow from the sale of, that “stranded gas”! In the meantime, electricity in the interior costs 211% over the “National Average”. And we have oil! And we have gas! And a legislature and delegation bent on “Eunuchism” as a religion! Castrate the citizens, again and again and again as they seem too like it! So Rule #1, start at the source! Now because of the increased efficiencies realized in colder climates with gas turbines, the state gains by building a gas fired power plant up North, wherein “Air Quality” is not a health problem like is found in Fairbanks and North Pole and is about to cause Eielson to close down. See, Eielson AFB has been operating under a “permit shield” for way too long, so the EPA is getting mad and the brass may be faced with sending in the wrecking ball. Anyway, kill two birds with “one stone”, cost effective power for the interior and reduced “smog”, which means saving money in health care, so it's now at 3-birds – with the same damn stone. Yes, we foot the bill to build a redundant electrical power “Grid” from Prudhoe Bay along the TAPS “ROW”. The design finds enough power for Fairbanks to Anchorage to Glennallen to Valdez and allows for “grid” shots along the Yukon – to electrify the villages, one step at a time. It basically accounts for a ways and means to fix our energy problems. No pipes, no pigging, just some lonely overhead wires there to here. Who cares about the cost, it's an investment! Better then wasting money extending the railroad to nowhere! This has been proposed a few times, without an interest. Why? Because we always hire so-called experts form “outside” that have no idea what they are talking about. What may work in the lower-48, it doesn't work up here and we should have taken that advise from “Big Oil”. See, it is different, they know it yet we are determined to not believe what they have learned and put to practice. If “Big Oil” acted like the state has with respect to “energy” and future needs, the lights would have gone out in Deadhorse a long time ago! And it shows, as we are no further ahead of the energy problem then we were, well 40-years ago except we have an air pollution problem to now contend with. So with modern day gas fired power plants, like designed by Siemens and used throughout Germany, the designs are complete which saves money. An outfit like Siemens will sell you a “Turn Key” plant, building and all. Just provide a concrete pad and with a “sea-lift”, it is plug and play – lights on! And all we need then is too erect some high-voltage towers along the ROW, some substations and the job is done. Now it may not create as many jobs as a “pipeline”, but we should be in it for the “energy” delivery benefits, not for a fake jobs infrastructure with no future. In fact, it would create the fewest of jobs for any project, for construction efforts and for manpower requirements after it is said and done and delivering affordable electricity to an outlet near you! So, we build a 7000Mw gas fired power plant in Prudhoe Bay, using “Our” gas and situated on “Our” property at a cost of $7-Billion. Then we build redundant “Grids” across the “Great Land”, at a cost of $3-Billion, for a total of $10-Billion. And where do we get that kind of loot? Simple solution once again. The Alaska Railroad is already approved by the “Legislature” to sell $18-Billion in “Municipal Bonds”, to generate income to build “A Natural Gas Energy System Infrastructure” for the people. Yes, “Bonds” that are guaranteed and could be secured by collateral, from that $51-billion “Reserve”. My Harvard friend pointed this out to me, and was amazed that it is still being hid away and not used for its intended purpose. He believes there is a sinister reason as to why the “Bonds” have remained sealed! So what the hell is the problem? It is about the only “True Worth” Casey Jones has too offer, so why not take advantage of it? If we contracted with Siemens today, by this time in 2017 when the ice moves out of Prudhoe Bay, the plant could be delivered and in a few months producing electricity. That gives us 2-years to at least get power lines strung from the “North Slope” to Fairbanks. And think about this. We already have power cables to our houses, so there ain't no costly retrofitting of furnaces, from oil to gas. We go “All Electric”! Sure it may take some up-grading of power lines in the city, but modern day housing codes have taken the “power” requirements into consideration. And many of the military bases, well that critical infrastructure uses coal to generate “steam” for heat – an electric torch can due the same damn thing, and without the pollution. Now with resepct to coal costs, only in Alaska has there been an increase by 140% in the last 5-years, something Uncle Sam is concerned about with respect to keeping the military here in Alaska. So if we get electricity coming soon, we may be able to keep some of that military infrastructure away from the BRAC wrecking ball – which means we save jobs. Electricity generated at the source is the only viable solution to fix our future energy needs. We have the “gas”, we have the money to fund through “Bonds”, yet we somehow cannot find the “will” to make sense over all the nonsense – and in the meantime Juneau will continue to waste money thinking about, well it is all a big “Reality Show” and it makes for a good laugh - because I moved “South”!