Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation | 7
environmental conditions. Lifewater started
life as only a small consulting firm, but today
is tackling large scale projects which include
its recent creation of water and sewer plants
that specifically cater to the needs of more
than 500 workers on Alaska’s North Slope.
This is one of numerous businesses which
have emerged out of an effort to provide
unique products and services to this indus-
try segment, but as Dodson attests, there is
room for more.
Otherwise, one of the hottest topics of
debate involving energy is how much it costs
to keep homes heated. Fairbanks North Star
Borough residents reportedly pay as much
as $5,000 per year for home heating fuel.
To counter these costs, community lead-
ers recently resolved to establish their own
utility company, an initiative supported by
the EDC. This has since led to the creation
of what is known as the Interior Alaska Gas
Utility (or IGU). According to recent regu-
latory filings, IGU plans to invest some $484
million to develop infrastructure that will
serve upwards of 13,000 customers by 2019.
The existing utility known as Fairbanks Nat-
ural Gas has since announced that it too will
expand service coverage in the same area,
