How Alaska can Use our Energy Advantage to Capitalize on the AI Gold Rush
By U.S. Rep. Nick Begich
Artificial intelligence and the infrastructure that supports it - data centers, advanced computing and next-generation manufacturing - are expanding rapidly across the United States.
Across the country, states are moving aggressively to attract this new wave of investment and build out energy capacity. Texas is projected to become the largest data center hub in the United States by 2030, according to a 2025 year-end report from JLL’s North America Data Center. Texas understands what is at stake: jobs, economic growth and the opportunity to benefit from the technologies that will define the next century.
But there’s a deeper reality driving this competition: Artificial intelligence runs on energy, and lots of it. That is exactly where Alaska has an advantage.
While other states are beginning to bump against limits on power availability, land and infrastructure, Alaska remains one of the most energy-rich regions in the world. We have vast reserves of natural gas, significant untapped renewable potential and large-scale energy assets that are currently underutilized or stranded. At a time when developers across the Lower 48 are scrambling to secure reliable power, Alaska can offer something increasingly rare: energy abundance.
Just as important, we have geography on our side.
Modern data centers no longer need to be concentrated in dense urban corridors. Increasingly, they are being built in rural areas where land is available, permitting is more straightforward and energy generation can be developed alongside the project itself. Alaska’s sheer size and our proximity to resource development make us uniquely suited for this model.
That is a competitive advantage for Alaska.
That’s why I introduced the DATA Act of 2026, legislation designed to support the growth of advanced data infrastructure while protecting American families from rising energy costs.
The DATA Act would allow large-scale energy users, such as data centers and advanced manufacturers, to operate on a “grid of one” - fully self-contained, isolated power systems that do not connect to the broader grid.
In simple terms, these facilities bring their own power.
That matters because one of the biggest concerns surrounding data centers is the energy demand they require. These facilities consume significant electricity, and without the right policies in place, that demand can sometimes strain local utilities.
By ensuring that new energy-intensive projects are self-sufficient, we protect ratepayers from subsidizing massive new electricity loads; we safeguard grid stability; and we create the conditions for innovation to scale responsibly.
For Alaska, this approach is particularly powerful.
Instead of forcing new industries to compete for limited grid capacity, we can pair development with new energy production, unlocking stranded assets and expanding supply. That means new revenue streams, new jobs and long-term economic growth that is built on Alaska’s strengths.
But none of this happens if we choose to sit on the sidelines.
Right now, investment is moving. Companies are making decisions about where to build, where to hire and where to commit long-term capital. States that are prepared - those with clear rules, reliable energy and a willingness to lead - are winning that investment. Others are already considering restrictions, not because demand is slowing, but because they lack the capacity to support it.
Alaska has a choice.
We can hesitate, regulate too early and risk becoming an observer in one of the most important economic shifts of our time, or we can engage thoughtfully, strategically and on our own terms.
The DATA Act is a step in that direction. It ensures we can support the growth of artificial intelligence and advanced infrastructure without compromising affordability or reliability.
We have the resources. We have the space. We have the potential.
The future is being built right now. The only question is whether Alaska will be part of it.