Our Mission
Recognizing Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA)’s importance to the economic, environmental, and social viability of our communities, the Cooperative’s mission is to safely provide its member-owners with reliable electric service, quality customer service, and innovative energy solutions at fair and reasonable prices.
The cooperative operates and maintains 3,261 miles of transmission and distribution lines, 35 substations and 9 generating facilities. Our system is interconnected with Fort Wainwright, Eielson AFB, Fort Greely, the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and all electric utilities in the Alaska Railbelt, which extends from Homer, Alaska to Fairbanks. Peak load in 2018 was 196.6 megawatts (MW). The system peak of 223 MW was set in December 2007.
Our Vision
Working together to improve the quality of life for the members we serve.
History
Incorporated in 1946 in Fairbanks, Alaska, Golden Valley Electric Assn. took shape when a small group of locals became interested in bringing electric service to rural areas and furthering the agricultural industry in Interior Alaska. These pioneers applied to the Rural Electrification Administration, which granted a loan to form a not-for-profit rural electric cooperative.
GVEA now serves nearly 100,000 Interior residents in Fairbanks, Delta Junction, Nenana, Healy and Cantwell. We also serve Interior residents out to 48-mile Steese Highway, 11-mile Elliot Highway (Haystack Subdivision) and 26-mile Chena Hot Springs Road.
The 9.500 kilowatts (kW) Fairbanks Exploration (F.E.) Co. power plant was built in 1927 to serve the gold dredges operating in the Tanana Valley. GVEA purchased power from the F.E. Company until 1952 when GVEA purchased the plant. It was retired in March 1972.