FORWARD RESULTS
for Chugach Members
Thank you for your interest in the Chugach Electric election. Every member of this cooperative is vital to deciding our future and how we build an energy system that honors our values.
I'm tremendously proud of the hard work of the entire Chugach team these past few years. We've acted decisively to achieve over savings with the acquisition of ML&P. We initiated Alaska’s first Community Solar Project and house the state’s largest rooftop solar project. We've secured agreements to stretch our local gas supplies for longer. We've also established a Member Advisory Council for community collaboration. All of that prepared us for the multi-year task of crafting a comprehensive Integrated Resource Plan to chart our energy generation for the future.
Below, you can find my priorities and past impact as your representative on the CEA board, alongside my positions and vision for the next steps of this journey. I'd be honored to earn your vote to continue this work together.
Rachel Morse
About Me
For 25 years, I've brought nonprofit services to life for Alaska, working roles from Executive Director of a wild bird rehabilitation center to Assistant Vice Chancellor in Alumni Relations at UAA, grants writer for Alaska Public Media, and Development Director of a statewide social services organization. Today, I work as Senior Director for Operations at the Alaska Municipal League, which serves to strengthen local governments in Alaska.
Over the past eight years, I've served as Chugach Electric Board Chair, Vice Chair, and Treasurer. I've represented Alaskan on the National Rural Electric Cooperative regional policy board and am currently the 1st Vice President of the Northwest Public Power Association. I'm a graduate of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Director Gold Certification program and hold an MS in Forestry and Natural Resources from Purdue University and an MBA from the UAA.
My husband and I have raised three great kids here in Anchorage, love hiking and national parks, and the occasional game of competitive Scrabble.
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IMPACT
This is a challenging time for all of Alaska's energy providers.
We are called to navigate the decline of readily accessible Cook Inlet gas, persistent inflation, fast-changing technologies and climate.
I've worked for eight years to carefully guide Chugach Electric
towards proactive, long-term decisions that
protect our families and future here.
Chugach Electric has consistently maintained the lowest electricity rates on the Railbelt.
Our energy is reliable, safe, and affordable.
We've improved reliability with a focus undergrounding, aggressive clearing of easements, increased danger tree clearing and improved weather forecasting and preparation including proactive crew stationing near Cooper Landing and Moose Pass in advance of dangerous weather.
WE KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.
$184.8 million
IN SAVINGS.
In 2020, Chugach Electric completed the acquisition of Anchorage Municipal Light & Power. Since then, we've built a more efficient cooperative, leveraging operational efficiencies, economies of scale, and reduced fuel usage to reduce costs
for our members.
See CEA's compliance filing with the RCA on 4/1/26 for details.
PRUDENT USE OF RESOURCES.
Chugach Electric has carefully managed our 2/3 working interest in Beluga River Unit, the most productive gas field in Cook Inlet. We've beaten extraction forecasts and, in 2025 alone, saved members more than $20,849,032 in fuel costs. See 2025 YE BRU Performance Report from CEA Operations Committee from 1/26/26 for details.
We've also grown diversification, launching the first Community Solar Program in Alaska. The Program is oversubscribed and will produce ~622 MWh of energy this year.
On the heels of this success, we are evaluating new opportunities.
PROTECTING OUR FUTURE.
Chugach Electric has now adopted a Carbon Reduction Goal of 50% by 2040.
We are currently authoring a comprehensive Integrated Resource plan
for a resilient mix of natural gas, hydropower, solar, wind, and batteries
alongside beneficial electrification and improvements to the grid.
MOVING FORWARD
The next four years are critical for Chugach and I have the leadership, experience, and optimism to serve our members well on the board of directors.
Soon we will be beyond our long-term local gas supply contract, leaning into a Railbelt-wide Integrated Resource Plan, and continuing to balance infrastructure needs with load growth.
Ensuring
we can meet natural gas supply needs
CEA’s current generation mix is 80% natural gas. With the expiration of long-term local gas suppl contracts, we must explore additional options for our natural gas supply at a highly uncertain time for imported LNG.
Chugach Electric is working on a gas import solution that repurposes existing infrastructure for a faster timeline and lower cost estimate than other projects under consideration.
As your board member I will advocate for the plans that provide short-term certainty to keep the power on, likely through import LNG, that do not compromise our long-term flexibility to evolve our generation mix for more varied and locally sourced generation.
With the success of our BRU gas field we have already put in place agreements to extend our time before imported LNG.
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Gas underlift agreement with Hilcorp
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Gas exchange agreement with Marathon Petroleum Company
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Gas storage agreement with HAGS, LLC
grid
infrastructure upgrades
The Alaska Energy Authority and the Railbelt utilities have announced plans to spend millions on transmission line upgrades to reduce line losses, increase capacity, and improve the delivery of power from the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric Project. As the largest utility on the Railbelt, Chugach members are supporting a significant portion of the expense.
As your board member, I will help ensure these projects are completed in a cost effective, efficient, and timely manner so that you see the value of these investments from a cost and reliability perspective.
Railbelt-wide planning
The Alaska Railbelt is working through two substantial regional planning efforts mandated by the state legislature, the Railbelt Reliability Council (RRC) and the Railbelt Transmission Organization (RTO). These represent a significant shift from the autonomous operations of each member-owned cooperative utility on the Railbelt.
I support the RRC and the RTO as important steps toward improving reliability, coordination, and long-term affordability for our members. At the same time, Chugach must remain a strong advocate for its members. I will work with the board and Chugach leadership to ensure these changes deliver clear benefits, do not shift undue costs or risks onto our ratepayers, and preserve local accountability.
Continuing
Chugach Electric’s own
Integrated Resource Planning
Chugach’s Decarbonization Plan is a roadmap for how we will supply our members with electricity in the coming decades. It is a flexible, long-term strategy to maintain reliable and affordable power while gradually adding clean energy and preparing for uncertain fuel supply and regional grid changes.
I support this plan for a more diverse and resilient energy future, and as we move forward with these efforts, I’ll work for transparency, accountability, and disciplined investments so members see real benefits of these changes.
