Alaska Coal

Alaska possesses vast amounts of coal, probably a major portion of the world's remaining coal resource. As a result, the choices that are made in Alaska regarding coal development will have a major local and global impact.

Even though small-scale mining began here in the 1850's, coal mining has never taken off in Alaska. Usibelli Coal Mine has been the only active coal mine in the state since 1971, producing 1.5 to 2 million tons of coal per year. But rising global energy demands and rising prices for other fuels have led to a new surge of interest in developing Alaskan coal. Current proposals to utilize Alaskan coal include a conventional coal strip mine at Chuitna, several coal-to-liquids plants, and an underground coal gasification plant in Cook Inlet.

Coal provides 50% of the electricity in the US, providing it with a reliable and cheap source of energy. However, coal has greater environmental impact than almost any other energy source, and those impacts can have serious economic implications.

As Alaskans, we stand at a decision point. Do we send Alaska and the world into a coal-based future? Or do we choose other, less polluting fuels, either non-renewable or renewable?

Here on our Alaska Coal page you can find information about coal ranging from general knowledge topics such as coal combustion and carbon capture to descriptions of every coal-related project or proposal in the state of Alaska.