The Alaska Energy Training Group discusses new and tried-and-true training initiatives for bulk fuel operators, managers, and administrators

Safe, reliable, and efficient bulk fuel operations are crucial for the successful operations of powerhouses, generators, and any integrated renewable technology in Alaska’s rural communities. But funding support for repairing or replacing bulk fuel facilities has been trending downward in the past decade, while costs are only increasing—making it even more important for local operators and administrators to maintain and lengthen the lifespan of their bulk fuel infrastructure.

In response to today’s challenging funding landscape, the Denali Commission and the Alaska Energy Authority are investigating different aggregated ownership and operation models that could drive down costs in an ongoing bulk fuel aggregation study. At the beginning of the joint effort, the study identified common challenges to bulk fuel operations across the state, including a lack of consistent maintenance, implementation of safety standards and protocols, system knowledge, and documentation. To address these challenges in a financially sustainable way, solutions like regional initiatives and cooperatives are currently being investigated. And at the heart of these new models will be successful training and long-term support for local staff. 

At its summer meeting on June 10, the Alaska Energy Training Group discussed training and capacity building initiatives for bulk fuel operators, managers, and administrators. The group is facilitated by REAP’s Alaska Network for Energy Education and Employment, in partnership with the Denali Commission. Its quarterly meetings bring together diverse professionals involved in training and workforce development for energy technologies and infrastructure throughout Alaska. With bulk fuel’s overarching importance in so many communities, from power generation to transportation to heating, figuring out how to best support local staff is of the utmost importance for community health and wellbeing. And many of these facilities have been in service across the state for decades—far longer than most other energy infrastructure. Their workforce development successes and lessons can provide a powerful example for other technologies, ensuring that all rural and remote infrastructure is better off.

AEA’s “bulk fuel bible” is an important source of operations and maintenance information for rural bulk fuel operators.

First, the group heard from the Alaska Energy Authority’s Rural Assistance Manager Justin Tuomi and Circuit Rider Lucas Jury about AEA’s bulk fuel training offerings. AEA offers regular Bulk Fuel Operator (BFO) and Person In Charge (PIC) courses at the Alaska Vocational Technical Center campus in Seward and onsite training from Circuit Riders. The classes and support are available for operators from communities with populations between 20 and 2,000 residents, which amounts to more than 100 villages across the state. 

The BFO course and itinerant Circuit Rider training both revolve around introducing operators to resources like the Rural Bulk Fuel Facilities Operator Handbook, also known as “the bulk fuel bible,” and hands-on practice. The predominantly in-person instruction is informed by AEA’s brief foray into online instruction during the pandemic. “There’s not as much of that [theory] for bulk fuel. Really, bulk fuel is just, you need to get your hands on it and get them dirty and learn that way,” said Tuomi. PIC is also an in-person course that focuses on the regulatory side of bulk fuel operations, like meeting Coast Guard reporting requirements. Students are encouraged to complete BFO or AEA’s Power Plant Operator course as a prerequisite to PIC.

During onsite bulk fuel training, Jury works to involve as many operators, managers, and interested community members as possible. These visits are during the summer, when the group can access all of the tank farm and when most maintenance and repair work occurs. But communication and forward planning is often a challenge. “Ultimately, if you can get the whole team there, whether it’s their work schedule or not … it’s a lot more productive,” said Jury. “That doesn’t happen all of the time or that often, but that’s what I shoot for.”

Next, the group learned about a newly reborn bulk fuel management training initiative at the state’s Division of Community & Regional Affairs. Local Government Specialist Lynn Kenealy discussed the effort, which builds on lessons learned from DCRA’s Rural Utility Business Advisor (RUBA) program aimed at water and wastewater utilities, their past work on a bulk fuel manager’s instructional manual, and management and financial trainings for bulk fuel and electric utilities that the agency delivered in 2019. 

The new training partnership, supported by the Denali Commission, will update the training manual and provide three-day administrative trainings at least four times a year. Lesson topics will include personnel and organization, operations, financial management, and financial stability. The trainings will draw from practices that have proved successful in RUBA courses, like using a pre-test and post-test and having two instructors available at all times. The first training is planned for this fall in Kotzebue, but future sessions could be delivered remotely. Kenealy shared that DCRA plans to send out updates about the program via their bulk fuel listserv topic.

Kenealy’s presentation included insights gleaned from DCRA’s many years of training water and wastewater utility administrators.

After Kenealy’s presentation, all three experts answered questions and shared candid insights about lessons learned, common challenges, and success stories. Staff turnover and vacancies are among a few of the shared barriers that both programs have to combat. “It’s really hard when these utilities don’t have any support. And it’s such a small community, it’s unlikely there’s going to be any local support, so we’re definitely here for a reason,” shared Kenealy. Local Government Specialists like her do constant outreach to ensure they get in touch with and support new managers and administrators as quickly as possible.

During his community visits, Jury works to identify and praise the often invisible labor of bulk fuel operators. “Using words like ‘pride’ and ‘ownership,’ and understanding how important it is to keep the fuel flowing or the lights on,” said Jury. “I sometimes refer to it as a thankless job. No one’s coming to tell you, ‘Hey, thank you for keeping the lights on for six months.’ They show up when the lights are out and call you bad names. So it’s one of those things where it’s not really looked upon as something, but ultimately, it’s really important, and doesn’t become important until someone doesn’t have it.”

REAP proudly facilitates these quarterly knowledge sharing meetings through its Alaska Network for Energy Education and Employment and hosts the notes from each meeting here. If you want to participate in future conversations about energy training in the state, sign up for the Alaska Energy Training Group and join the next quarterly meeting on Sep. 9, from 11 a.m to noon.

By Jenny StarrsJuly 2nd, 2025

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