A recent poll of Alaskans found that the University of Alaska is the most trusted organization for the public on the topic of energy supply.

The survey of 600 registered Alaska voters was conducted by Strategies 360, with a margin of error of 4%.

The poll was commissioned, in part, to test Alaskans’ familiarity with carbon capture, use and storage, also known as CCUS, and to gauge their opinions about the technology.

Alaska has significant potential for geologic storage of carbon dioxide. The Alaska Legislature has directed state agencies to develop regulations for leasing and managing underground carbon storage on state lands. The poll found that less than 50% of respondents were familiar with CCUS. The opinions of those who had some familiarity were split (19% favorable, 16% unfavorable, 12% neutral).

The poll was conducted ahead of public town hall meetings this winter on carbon capture and storage. The University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Alaska Center for Energy and Power and state agency partners hosted the meetings in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Kenai.

The meetings featured presentations from ACEP and collaborators at the University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center.  Panel discussions included representatives from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas, and Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development’s Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

An additional town hall will be held on Monday, March 3, in Utqiagvik.

The poll also included a number of other energy-related questions, probing Alaskans’ perspectives on the affordability of energy and their positions on other energy technologies such as coal and nuclear.

When compared with previous polling results, the results indicated that Alaskans across the state feel their energy is becoming less affordable. The most acute change has been in Fairbanks, where 63% of respondents felt their energy costs were unaffordable.

This is consistent with a recent ACEP study on energy burden in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, which indicated that average Fairbanks residents expend 10% of their household income on electricity and heating. Anything over 6% is considered a high energy burden by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The recent polling also indicated Alaskans’ awareness of and support for nuclear energy in Alaska has increased significantly since 2023. 

ACEP has completed several studies and analyses about the potential in Alaska for small nuclear reactors that offer enhanced safety features compared to legacy nuclear technology. Funding for the work was provided by the DOE through the Alaska Energy Authority.

Visit here to learn more about and sign up for the nuclear energy working group.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Survey results:

• Key findings from a survey of registered voters in Alaska, October 2024
• ACEP 2024 statewide survey summary

Nuclear technology reports:

• Small-Scale Modular Nuclear Power: An option for Alaska? — Update (2021)
• Small-Scale Modular Nuclear Power: An option for Alaska? (2011)
  

  Alaska, energy, poll, uaf