From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage –

State senators today released a series of recommendations for lowering energy costs. The suggestions include consolidating the six Railbelt utilities and putting a combined $200 million into weatherization and the state program that helps homeowners pay for their energy efficiency improvements.

The recommendations are in draft form and described as a compilation of ideas. A final report is to come out before the next legislative session begins in January. In the meantime, the “Alaska Senate Energy Policy Group” has a web site to solicit input on what the public thinks ought to be done about energy costs.

The site contains a link to the full list of draft recommendations, put together by Senate Resource Committee co-chairs Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage) and Lesil McGuire (R-Anchorage). The senators talk about spending $50 million a year to fund renewable energy projects, creating a state tax credit for geothermal production and a low interest loan program for businesses and homeowners who want to invest in their own renewable project.

Some of the recommendations, like the Railbelt utility consolidation, are for the Legislature to take action on bills already filed. The idea is that the utilities need to be united to pursue big projects like potentially the Susitna dam.

Then-Gov. Sarah Palin proposed utility consolidation but it didn’t get very far in the Legislature last spring, in part because of objections of Golden Valley Electric Association of Fairbanks.

The senators talk about working with the utilities and passing a new version of the bill.