# One Unit, Counted Up. Alaska's Data Center Scale Ladder > House District 9 runs from South Anchorage to Whittier. Its data center debate reaches a proposed lease 26 miles south of Deadhorse. Published 2026-10-30 by Alaska AI. 10 slides. Canonical: https://alaskaaihq.com/archive/2026-10-30/ ## The story 50 to 100 MW, or 3 gigawatts. One South Anchorage seat. Stack Holland's top size 30 times. That's 3 GW. Rep. Ky Holland, an independent who co-chairs House Energy, wants data centers of 50 to 100 MW. Republican John Boyle, a former DNR commissioner, is chief strategy officer at STAK Energy, whose North Slope project ADN describes as 3 gigawatts. Start with one box. About 100 kilowatts. UAF's AURORA-AI project with Cordova Electric Cooperative uses modular data centers of about 100 kilowatts each, "about the size of" two large refrigerators, UAF professor Richard Wies told Alaska's News Source. Every block in this deck is built from it. Alaska has drawn lines at 5 MW and 15 MW. Fairbanks Borough Mayor Grier Hopkins proposes pausing permits for data centers of 5 MW or more until December 31st, 2027. SB 250 would have exempted those under 15 MW. It passed the Senate 14 to 5 on May 16th, then was held in a House committee. From South Anchorage to Whittier, one seat. House District 9 spans South Anchorage, the Lower Hillside, Girdwood and Whittier. Nearly 44 percent of its registered voters cast an August primary ballot, 16 points above the state average, ADN reported. Holland's line sits at 50 to 100 MW. Holland, who worked on building data centers in the Lower 48, calls hyperscale in Alaska "a fantasy idea." He wants "purpose-built, strategic, modest-sized" facilities and cites limited bandwidth, distance from markets and infrastructure challenges. STAK's lease ground, 26 miles south of Deadhorse. Boyle, STAK Energy's chief strategy officer, is open to large North Slope data centers, where gas could ease power generation. He says they must avoid "the negative externalities that we see in the Lower 48." 3 GW tops Alaska's net summer capacity. EIA counted 2,853 MW of net summer generating capacity statewide in 2024. ADN describes STAK's project as 3 gigawatts. Every size on the record, on one ladder. Where should Alaska's line sit, in megawatts? SB 250's sponsor returns next year. District 9 votes November 3rd. ## What we verified - The Alaska Division of Elections lists Ky Holland, with the party label NON, as a candidate in the House District 9 general election contest. [Alaska Division of Elections](https://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/26GENR/GA_ENR_Precinct_State_of_Alaska.csv), primary document, 2026-10-30. - The Alaska Division of Elections lists John C. Boyle, with the party label REP, as a candidate in the House District 9 general election contest. [Alaska Division of Elections](https://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/26GENR/GA_ENR_Precinct_State_of_Alaska.csv), primary document, 2026-10-30. - Ky Holland is a co-chair of the House Energy Committee of the 34th Alaska Legislature. [Alaska Legislature BASIS](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Committee/Details/34?code=HENE), primary document, 2026-10-30. - Alaska DNR published a preliminary decision to lease state land to STAK Energy Corporation under ADL 422741 on May 12th. [Alaska DNR Division of Oil and Gas](https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=223817), primary document, 2026-05-12. - The DNR preliminary decision would offer STAK Energy a 50-year lease. [Alaska DNR Division of Oil and Gas](https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=223817), primary document, 2026-05-12. - The STAK lease parcel covers 715.4 acres. [Alaska DNR Division of Oil and Gas](https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=223817), primary document, 2026-05-12. - The STAK lease site lies next to the Dalton Highway about 26 miles south of Deadhorse. [Alaska DNR Division of Oil and Gas](https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=224224), primary document, 2026-06-17. - The DNR notice describes the proposed use as a commercial natural gas-powered energy facility including modular high-performance computing units. [Alaska DNR Division of Oil and Gas](https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=224224), primary document, 2026-06-17. - DNR extended public comment on the STAK lease to 4:30 p.m. on July 17th. [Alaska DNR Division of Oil and Gas](https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=224224), primary document, 2026-06-17. - The original comment deadline on the STAK lease was June 15th. [Alaska DNR Division of Oil and Gas](https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=223817), primary document, 2026-05-12. - The Senate-passed version of SB 250 does not apply to data centers that draw less than 15 megawatts of peak power demand from an electric utility. [Alaska Legislature, CS for SB 250(CRA) bill text](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0250B.PDF), primary document, 2026-05-16. - The Alaska Senate passed CSSB 250(CRA) on reconsideration by 14 to 5 on May 16th. [Alaska Legislature BASIS](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SB%20250), primary document, 2026-05-16. - The House Community and Regional Affairs Committee heard and held SB 250 on May 18th. [Alaska Legislature BASIS](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SB%20250), primary document, 2026-05-18. - HB 259, titled Large Energy Use Facilities, was sponsored by Rep. Donna Mears. [Alaska Legislature BASIS](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=HB+259), primary document, 2026-02-03. - The House Energy Committee heard and held HB 259 on January 29th. [Alaska Legislature BASIS](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=HB+259), primary document, 2026-01-29. - The House Energy Committee heard and held HB 259 again on February 3rd, its last recorded action. [Alaska Legislature BASIS](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=HB+259), primary document, 2026-02-03. - Alaska's net summer electric generating capacity was 2,853 megawatts in 2024. [U.S. Energy Information Administration, Alaska Electricity Profile 2024](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/alaska/), primary document, 2025-11-10. - The FCC approved with conditions the transfer of control of Quintillion Subsea Operations' cable landing license to GCI Holdings. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - The FCC adopted and released order DA 26-1124 on October 20th. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - The FCC denied ACS Communications' petition to deny the GCI and Quintillion application. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - The Quintillion system lands at Prudhoe Bay, Barrow, Wainwright, Point Hope, Kotzebue and Nome. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - The Quintillion system has three fiber pairs and six cable landing station sites. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - The Quintillion system is 1,176 miles long. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - GCI is acquiring Quintillion at a $310 million enterprise value, subject to adjustments. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - GCI Holdings will reimburse up to $50 million of qualifying capital spending on Quintillion's Nome to Homer Express project. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - The transaction includes upgrading the Quintillion-GCI network gateways from 10 Gbps to 100 Gbps. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - The FCC cited growing competition from low Earth orbit satellite providers, particularly Starlink. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - Under the conditions, GCI may seek an inflation-based price adjustment on contract extensions only after three years from closing and only when yearly inflation exceeded 5 percent. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - GCI committed to offer open access to the rural portion of the Quintillion network. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - GCI must file its wholesale contracts with the FCC for seven years after closing. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - GCI must file all other contracts with the FCC for five years after closing. [Federal Communications Commission, Office of International Affairs](https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1124A1.txt), primary document, 2026-10-20. - Rep. Ky Holland, a one-term independent, is seeking to keep his South Anchorage House seat against Republican John Boyle in the November 3rd general election. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - John Boyle is a former commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - House District 9 spans South Anchorage, the Lower Hillside, Girdwood and Whittier. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Holland led Boyle 59.9 percent to 40.1 percent in their head-to-head August primary contest. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Nearly 44 percent of registered voters in the district cast a ballot in the August primary. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - District 9 primary turnout was 16 points higher than the state average. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Holland previously worked on building data centers in the Lower 48. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Holland called enormous hyperscale data centers "a fantasy idea" in Alaska. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Holland envisions Alaska data centers in the 50 to 100 megawatt range. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - ADN describes STAK Energy's proposed North Slope project as a 3 gigawatt project. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Holland said he is excited about purpose-built, strategic, modest-sized, more traditional data centers. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Holland said worrying about hyperscale data centers is distracting Alaska from practical projects. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Holland said he is tired of Alaska wasting billions of dollars on megaprojects. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Holland cites limited data bandwidth, distance from major markets and infrastructure challenges as obstacles to hyperscale projects in Alaska. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - John Boyle is chief strategy officer at STAK Energy. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - STAK Energy is an Anchorage-based company specializing in Arctic energy infrastructure. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Boyle is more open to large-scale data centers, especially on the North Slope where natural gas access could ease power generation. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Boyle cautioned against overlooking data center problems elsewhere, including competition for land and water. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Boyle said data centers in Alaska must avoid the negative externalities seen in the Lower 48. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Boyle pointed to Juneau, where industrial demand from the Greens Creek and Kensington mines helps support the hydropower grid. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Both candidates say large industrial customers could help spread energy costs among more users. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - Gas industry leaders say Southcentral Alaska may need imported LNG or North Slope gas by winter 2029. [Anchorage Daily News](https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2026/10/21/energy-takes-center-stage-in-race-to-represent-south-anchorage-house-district/), report, 2026-10-22. - More than 500 public comments on the STAK lease reached DNR before the preliminary deadline. [Anchorage Press (Northern Journal), Nathaniel Herz](https://anchoragepress.com/data-center-critics-flood-alaska-land-managers-with-opposition-to-north-slope-project/), report, 2026-07-03. - Fewer than a dozen of the public comments on the STAK lease endorsed the project. [Anchorage Press (Northern Journal), Nathaniel Herz](https://anchoragepress.com/data-center-critics-flood-alaska-land-managers-with-opposition-to-north-slope-project/), report, 2026-07-03. - Boyle said the North Slope project would cost more than $10 billion. [Anchorage Press (Northern Journal), Nathaniel Herz](https://anchoragepress.com/data-center-critics-flood-alaska-land-managers-with-opposition-to-north-slope-project/), report, 2026-07-03. - The STAK project's generators could produce a gigawatt or more of power, according to Anchorage Press. [Anchorage Press (Northern Journal), Nathaniel Herz](https://anchoragepress.com/data-center-critics-flood-alaska-land-managers-with-opposition-to-north-slope-project/), report, 2026-07-03. - Sen. Löki Tobin, an Anchorage Democrat, sponsored SB 250. [Alaska Beacon via Alaska Public Media, James Brooks](https://alaskapublic.org/news/politics/elections/2026-09-21/where-do-alaskas-four-governor-candidates-stand-on-data-centers), report, 2026-09-21. - Each modular data center in UAF's AURORA-AI project is about 100 kilowatts, according to UAF professor Richard Wies. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/28/uaf-study-ai-use-rural-power-grids/), report, 2026-08-27. - UAF's AURORA-AI project is being done with the Cordova Electric Cooperative. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/28/uaf-study-ai-use-rural-power-grids/), report, 2026-08-27. - The Fairbanks North Star Borough mayor's proposed moratorium defines a large-scale data center as one with 5 megawatts or more of aggregate peak demand. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/24/fairbanks-borough-mayor-proposes-temporary-data-center-moratorium/), report, 2026-10-23. - The proposed Fairbanks moratorium also covers data center operations occupying more than 50,000 square feet. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/24/fairbanks-borough-mayor-proposes-temporary-data-center-moratorium/), report, 2026-10-23. - As written, the proposed Fairbanks ordinance would halt permits for large data centers until December 31st, 2027. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/24/fairbanks-borough-mayor-proposes-temporary-data-center-moratorium/), report, 2026-10-23. - Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Grier Hopkins proposed the temporary data center moratorium. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/24/fairbanks-borough-mayor-proposes-temporary-data-center-moratorium/), report, 2026-10-23. - Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche called the underwater data center approach sloppy at this stage. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Rebecca Palsha](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/28/sloppy-is-way-i-would-describe-this-approach-unknown-plans-an-underwater-data-center-cook-inlet/), report, 2026-10-28. - The Cook Inlet proposal calls for 330 to 350 marine hydrokinetic turbines. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Rebecca Palsha](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/28/sloppy-is-way-i-would-describe-this-approach-unknown-plans-an-underwater-data-center-cook-inlet/), report, 2026-10-28. - The Cook Inlet proposal includes 66 modular subsea compute hives. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Rebecca Palsha](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/28/sloppy-is-way-i-would-describe-this-approach-unknown-plans-an-underwater-data-center-cook-inlet/), report, 2026-10-28. - The Cook Inlet proposal includes a 3.5-mile, 115 kV subsea power and fiber cable. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Rebecca Palsha](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/28/sloppy-is-way-i-would-describe-this-approach-unknown-plans-an-underwater-data-center-cook-inlet/), report, 2026-10-28. - There are 20 proposed hyperscale data center sites in Alaska, according to Northern Center. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Rebecca Palsha](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/28/sloppy-is-way-i-would-describe-this-approach-unknown-plans-an-underwater-data-center-cook-inlet/), report, 2026-10-28. - The Department of the Air Force is offering 9,417 acres for up to 12 commercial data centers. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Rebecca Palsha](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/28/sloppy-is-way-i-would-describe-this-approach-unknown-plans-an-underwater-data-center-cook-inlet/), report, 2026-10-28. - About 300 Cook Inlet beluga whales remain, according to NOAA as cited by KTUU. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Rebecca Palsha](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/28/sloppy-is-way-i-would-describe-this-approach-unknown-plans-an-underwater-data-center-cook-inlet/), report, 2026-10-28. - The Center for Biological Diversity filed on September 1st to intervene against DeepGreen's preliminary permit. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU), Rebecca Palsha](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/28/sloppy-is-way-i-would-describe-this-approach-unknown-plans-an-underwater-data-center-cook-inlet/), report, 2026-10-28. - About 150 Fairbanks residents attended a data center town hall at the Wedgewood Resort. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU/KTVF), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/31/data-center-concerns-top-mind-fairbanks-town-hall/), report, 2026-10-30. - The Northern Alaska Environmental Center, Families Over Billionaires and Native Movement were among the town hall hosts. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU/KTVF), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/31/data-center-concerns-top-mind-fairbanks-town-hall/), report, 2026-10-30. - Legislators Scott Kawasaki, Maxine Dibert, Mike Prax and David Guttenberg attended the Fairbanks town hall. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU/KTVF), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/31/data-center-concerns-top-mind-fairbanks-town-hall/), report, 2026-10-30. - Organizer Sarah Hollister said the largest concern is that nobody asked residents. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU/KTVF), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/31/data-center-concerns-top-mind-fairbanks-town-hall/), report, 2026-10-30. - Attendee Randy Griffin spoke in favor, saying every bit of development helps Alaska's economy. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU/KTVF), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/31/data-center-concerns-top-mind-fairbanks-town-hall/), report, 2026-10-30. - Attendee Aimee Moore called for very strict regulations on data centers. [Alaska's News Source (KTUU/KTVF), Alex Bengel](https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/10/31/data-center-concerns-top-mind-fairbanks-town-hall/), report, 2026-10-30. Slides and the deck PDF are linked from the canonical page.