Enrollment is open in Alaska’s first community solar program. Offered by Chugach Electric Association, Inc., the program gives members a chance to voluntarily subscribe to solar panels from a solar facility built and operated by Chugach. Chugach Community Solar is a 500-kilowatt (kW) AC, four-acre project with 1,560 bifacial panels. The project is located next to Chugach’s Retherford Substation in South Anchorage, about a half mile south of the Dimond Center.
 
The program provides members with the option to pay a subscription fee to receive solar energy output from 1 to 20 panels and have the energy from those panels credited to their bill. Each solar panel subscription costs $9.21 per month, and each panel is anticipated to generate 399 kilowatt hours in year one. After one year, members can choose to end their subscription at any time. The project is expected to start producing power in the summer of 2025.
 
“We are very excited to offer our members the opportunity to subscribe to solar panels and add renewable energy to their personal energy portfolio,” said Chugach CEO, Arthur Miller. “This is a project members have been requesting for years, and we are happy to announce enrollment is open.”
 
The community solar program gives those who can’t or don’t want to put solar panels on their property the opportunity to participate in a solar project. If there is more interest than panels available, Chugach will hold a lottery to determine who receives a subscription. Those not chosen will be put on a waiting list.
 
For more information and the enrollment form, please go to Chugach’s website: https://www.chugachelectric.com/energy-solutions/chugach-community-solar