Alaska Data Center News

Mar 3, 2026

Rick Payne returns to UTulsa to lead Center for Energy Studies

The University of Tulsa has named alumnus Rick Payne director of its Center for Energy Studies.

Appointment and background: Rick Payne (B.S. ’84) returns to UTulsa as director after a nearly four-decade global energy career; he holds a master’s in chemical engineering from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University, worked operations on Alaska’s North Slope, held leadership roles in Venezuela and Peru with ARCO and BP, and co-founded Foundation Energy in 2005 which raised roughly $500 million across eight funds; he served as president of Foundation Renewable Energy Co. until 2024 and has maintained ties to UTulsa by hiring graduates and serving on the chemical engineering industry advisory board in the College of Engineering & Computer Science (ECS).
Center mandate and near-term priorities: The Center for Energy Studies will be an interdisciplinary, campus-wide energy hub focused on energy systems that are available, affordable and safe; early priorities include strengthening student engagement, partnering with energy-related student organizations, connecting engineering-driven innovation with business strategy and policy, and extending the center’s educational mission beyond campus; the center will provide data-driven insight on topics including infrastructure reliability, climate considerations, and energy demands from hyperscale data centers powering AI.

Feb 11, 2026

Climate Change Solutions - February 10, 2026

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) published a newsletter highlighting climate risks to winter sports, related policy updates, and upcoming briefings and events.

Main announcement: EESI released coverage on climate impacts to winter sports at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina D’Ampezzo, citing over $1 billion in losses in the United States and the closure of 265 ski resorts in Italy; the newsletter links to a feature article, a 30-minute podcast with sport ecologist Madeleine Orr, and an archival piece on ice rink refrigerant emissions (mitigation strategies and policy). It also promotes EESI articles on data center water use and a recorded briefing on grid optimization and energy efficiency.
Legislative and events details: The newsletter summarizes congressional activity and announces upcoming briefings and dates:
- Legislation: reintroduction/advancement of H.R.1355 (Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act), H.R.3474 (Federal Mechanical Insulation Act) reported to the House floor, S.688 (FISH Act of 2025) advanced in Senate, companion H.R.3756, and introduction of H.R.7257 (SECURE Grid Act).
- Events (dates/times/locations/subject):
  - Feb 20, 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. (online): “Frozen Infrastructure: Winter Storm Impacts on Communities and the Power Grid” — rapid readout on Winter Storm Fern impacts and recovery pathways.
  - Feb 26, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) & online: “Understanding Load Growth and Energy Affordability” — factbook findings in partnership with BCSE (data center energy demand discussed).
  - Mar 3, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Russell Senate Office Building Room 385 & online (reception to follow): “Igniting Innovation: Progress and a Path Forward for Wildfire Policy” — solutions and federal policy strategies (costs cited: up to $424 billion annually to the U.S.).
  - Mar 12, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) & online: “Strategies to Lower Utility Bills Now for Households and Small Businesses.”

Jan 28, 2026

The POWER Interview: A Path Forward for Geothermal Energy

Rodatherm Energy Corp. completed an oversubscribed $38-million Series A funding round and is developing closed-loop AGS pilot projects in Beaver and Millard counties, Utah.

Main announcement: Rodatherm completed an $38-million Series A (September last year) and is piloting its closed-loop, refrigerant-based Advanced Geothermal System (AGS) in Beaver and Millard counties, Utah, seeking to validate efficiency versus traditional water-based systems.
Background/details: The company is Utah-based with operations in Calgary, Canada, claims its organic working fluid yields ~50% more power output than water-based systems, targets data centers and communities for baseload power, and lists investors including Evok Innovations, TDK Ventures, Toyota Ventures, TechEnergy Ventures, MCJ, Active Impact Investments, Renewal Funds, The Grantham Foundation, and Giga Investments.

Jan 21, 2026

Despite its steep environmental costs, AI might also help save the planet

The author argues that AI increases environmental footprints while also enabling efficiency and emissions reductions across multiple sectors.

Main claim and examples:AI can both raise energy/water use and improve efficiency across sectors; examples include Kilimo (precision irrigation) where farms in Chile’s Biobío region have reduced water use by up to 30% and farmers can earn 20%–40% profit above initial investment; Alaska Airlines saved 1.2 million gallons of fuel in 2023 using AI route optimization; Shell aims to nearly eliminate methane leaks by 2030 using AI monitoring.
Background and supporting details: The article cites data center impacts and efficiency: U.S. data centers used 176 TWh in 2023 (rising to 183 TWh in 2024) and global data-center electricity rose from ~1% (2010) to ~2% (2025) of global electricity use; Equinix in Frankfurt improved operations by 9% using AI-driven cooling adjustments; Copenhagen district heating pilots reduced building energy by 15%–25%, peak heating demand by up to 30%, and cut ~10,000 tonnes CO2/year.

Jan 20, 2026

Switched Source Expands Grid-Enhancing Technology Deployments by 60%

Switched Source reported a 60% increase in deployments of its Phase-EQ grid-enhancing technology over the past year, with units now operating across more than 10 utility service areas from Alaska to Florida.

Deployment growth & scope: Switched Source reports a 60% increase in deployments year-over-year, with Phase-EQ units operating in more than 10 utility service areas including New York, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Texas, and Washington state; field data from operational sites shows 10% to 25% increase in load-serving capacity on active distribution circuits.
Device function & program support: Phase-EQ is described as the first distribution automation device that balances power flow between the three phases by exchanging real and reactive power; the company was founded in 2016 and the project is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E SCALEUP program. A recent Georgia Power deployment is designed to reduce load imbalance by half and voltage imbalance by more than 30%, with the utility supplying substation-level data to track performance.

Jan 14, 2026

Climate Change Solutions - January 13, 2026

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) announced its first Congressional briefing of the year, a wildfire solutions briefing on Tuesday, January 27, hosted with the Federation of American Scientists.

Main announcement: EESI will host a Congressional briefing titled “Igniting Innovation: Progress and a Path Forward for Wildfire Policy” on Tuesday, January 27, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (reception to follow) at Russell Senate Office Building, Room SR-385 and online; RSVP available on the EESI briefing page and a reception follows the briefing.
Background & related actions: The newsletter summarizes recent federal actions signed by the President including MAPWaters (P.L. 119-62) improving recreational waterway data collection, Save Our Seas 2.0 (P.L. 119-65) reauthorizing EPA marine debris programs, Great Lakes Fishery Research Reauthorization (P.L. 119-67) for USGS research funding, and La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act (P.L. 119-68) (expected to create more than 700 jobs and provide enough solar and battery capacity to power about 75,000 homes); it also notes wildfire costs of $424 billion annually and highlights EESI coverage on data center water use (cited by multiple media outlets).

Jan 12, 2026

GCI Fiber Line Break Repaired After Alaskan Blizzard

GCI in Alaska announced it repaired a damaged subsea fiber line near Unalaska on Jan. 12, 2026, restoring cellular and Internet service after recent blizzard conditions.

Main action & operational details: GCI repaired subsea fiber line near Unalaska after blizzard conditions with reported 110 miles per hour wind gusts and heavy snow; the outage caused temporary loss of cellular and Internet service for thousands, particularly in rural areas. According to an email from spokesperson Josh Edge to Policyband’s Ted Hearn, “the cause of the fiber break is unknown.” GCI said “Crews will continue to work in the area as conditions allow. Customers will automatically receive service credits applied to their accounts. We appreciate our customers’ patience as our teams worked to restore services as quickly and as safely as possible,” and that service credits will be applied automatically.
Background & timeline: The repair follows earlier subsea cable incidents including a March 2025 break that briefly disrupted service in Juneau/Sitka and a series of undersea fiber complications since summer 2024. The article notes broader concern about undersea cable vulnerabilities and security (coverage in July 2025) and references undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea in September that disrupted internet access in Asia and the Middle East.

Jan 10, 2026

Environment and Rule of Law Under Trump

The second Trump Administration has slashed environmental regulations and programs, rescinded environmental justice orders, curtailed climate reporting and grants, and moved to withdraw the U.S. from international climate agreements while seeking to repeal the EPA “endangerment finding.”

Administrative actions and rollbacks: The administration rescinded past environmental justice orders, stopped Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) grants, eliminated EPA’s environmental justice arm, relaxed air and water pollution limits, and proposed ending mandatory greenhouse gas reporting; it also announced withdrawal from IPCC processes and the UNFCCC (the treaty was ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1992 and went into effect in 1993). EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is expected to issue a final decision repealing the endangerment finding “this month” (Jan 2026), which would trigger judicial review in the D.C. Circuit and likely further appeals to the Supreme Court.
Legal and project-specific details / background:States, environmental groups and courts are challenging many rollbacks; a NYU study alleges repeated DOJ misrepresentations to courts, and the Supreme Court’s conservative majority has intervened earlier in cases; the administration has stopped five major offshore wind farms (one — the Revolution Farm off Rhode Island — was reported ~80% complete and a court ordered it allowed to finish), halted solar development on public lands, and opened the Alaska wildlife refuge to oil and gas development. Courts, appeals panels with numerous Trump appointees, and Congressional dynamics are central to implementation timelines.

Jan 9, 2026

CES2026: On AI and Energy, It's Nevada vs. Alaska

Nevada and Alaska governors outlined how their states are positioning for investment tied to artificial intelligence, data centers, and energy‑intensive industries during a CES panel on Jan. 9, 2026 in Las Vegas.

Main announcement/action: Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy promoted state competitiveness around permitting speed, land access, and long-term power availability at CES 2026; Lombardo emphasized regulatory simplicity, a stable tax environment, and workforce alignment while noting ~80% federal land in Nevada and that solar supplies roughly 50% of Nevada’s electricity.
Background and details: Dunleavy highlighted ~60% federal land in Alaska, 65% share of U.S. wetlands, geothermal potential from >150 volcanoes, and a proposed 800-mile natural gas pipeline with 20 million tons/year capacity and ~4.2 billion cubic feet per day throughput to support long‑duration electricity for data centers and energy‑intensive uses; both governors said businesses prioritized energy cost, reliability, and regulatory certainty over incentives.

Jan 8, 2026

Data Center Compliance in 2026: What Changed, What’s Next, and How to Prepare

Data Center Knowledge published a 2025 overview distilling the current compliance environment for data centers, highlighting cumulative regulatory tightening across cybersecurity, AI governance, and sustainability, and noting distinct federal-versus-local dynamics in permitting and operations.

The overview’s primary action: it synthesises 2025 regulatory changes and their operational implications, emphasising transparency for AI workloads (EU AI Act), stricter incident reporting and third-party controls under DORA and NIS 2, and enhanced sustainability reporting under the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) (EED revised in 2023; requires reporting of PUE and WUE). It also documents U.S. actions: a July 2025 federal executive order to accelerate permitting, FedRAMP 20x introduced in early 2025 to streamline agency procurement, and Oregon’s POWER Act enacted in August 2025 establishing a special electricity rate for large power consumers.
Background and concrete details: the piece records tightened audit expectations from ISO 27001 and SOC 2, notes local constraints such as land-use rules, water rights, and grid interconnection queues, and cites specific regulatory outcomes (e.g., Minnesota Public Utilities Commission denied Amazon’s request concerning 250 diesel backup generators). It stresses that permitting simplifications at the federal level coexist with material local approval risks and supply-chain pressures from tariff-driven cost increases.

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