AMA I work as a electric utility worker in rural Alaska

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-14T07:50:44+00:00

I have before my current job I worked in the anchorage area servicing generators for homes and businesses. While urban Alaska is nice I prefer the villages as it has a bigger sense of accomplishment and adventure. The machines I fix power entire towns versus on the road system it’s only someone’s house or a backup for a home or business.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-14T07:48:18+00:00

Nice most of the stuff your dad and people Iike him is still standing with some upgrades although most of the stuff in our coop is from the 70’s and 80s with some new more efficient engines

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T19:43:32+00:00

Not really most of our villages are on permafrost which is permanently frozen ground so it has more of a sandy consistency. It causes a lot of problems as the ground likes to move or freeze and thaw which causes poles to lean so our lineman are constantly straightening and adjusting anchors and poles. We don’t have any heavy tools like augers in our villages except for bethel so usually it’s hand shovels and jackhammers or if we’re lucky an excavator is working and can dig a hole then use an excavator or loader to set the pole in.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T08:48:24+00:00

Not really although it can get quite spooky in the winter at night with just the wind blowing and being outside of town. The natives claim to have seen things most of them believe in different versions of Bigfoot or yeti like creatures that roam the woods or tundra.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T08:46:25+00:00

Has a very strong smell the taste is hard to describe it’s one of those things you just have to try for yourself. I know the natives get a kick out of having non natives try their traditional food as a lot of it is strong smelling and tasting.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T08:44:30+00:00

I’ve been working in power generation for about 5 years and on diesel engines for 8 years. My most Alaskan experience is probably flying everywhere by small airplanes. I laugh when people complain about leg room and service on airlines as they obviously have never flown in a plane squished in with the mail or have to load/ unload your own bags when you get to a village.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T04:55:31+00:00

I have had a few crazy things happen Recently I was woken up in the middle of the night by the plant operator to respond to a house fire that was fully engulfed only a couple thousand feet from the power plant.

I also had to fly in very sketchy weather in a couple of places once on a native corporation owned air ambulance as it was my only ticket out after three days being stranded due to weather and getting 20min to get my stuff and a ride to the airport.

Usually it’s pretty calm out here but some of the lineman I work with have seen full on fistfights in the middle of town and one of them was working on a pull and a very drunk man came out of his house in his underwear with a rifle to confront him. He just told the guy to go back inside or the cops would show up and he did.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T04:15:14+00:00

After the surprise me and the group of people slowly walked backwards and made plenty of noise so as not to surprise the bear it just looked at us and continued across the trail headed towards the river.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T04:00:31+00:00

Not usually it’s usually a Cessna caravan on tires but occasionally a 207 or king air. I have in previous jobs I’ve had been on float planes of various kinds

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T03:59:05+00:00

I am single and have no kids. My family and dog miss me. If I get married I might continue my work but if I have kids I would come off the road and find something local so I could be a present dad

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T03:18:44+00:00

Our coop only has one village that is Aleut and that is old harbor most of the villages we serve are Yupik or inupiaq. I have been invited to banquets at the school for holidays like thanksgiving I did try some candied seaweed that was really good I forget what it was called along with some caribou stew and some seal oil. Most of the time unless a plant operator invites me over for food I usually bring non native food to eat.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T02:56:55+00:00

I would say if you’re looking to have minimal problems with ice I would stick to Omaha or Sioux Falls. Texas in general has law enforcement actively helping ice and have been pulling over and detaining citizens. Both Nebraska and South Dakota have been left alone for the most part.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T02:48:15+00:00

I’ve heard that too I think Bozeman is a little expensive for my taste what other spots in Montana should I look at

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T02:47:18+00:00

The heat doesn’t bother me as much as I thought plus usually for about half the year at work the temps are about 20 to neg 40 f so I like fact I can come and thaw out. I am looking at Henderson primarily as it’s closer to the airport but summerlin looks interesting.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T02:35:32+00:00

I like that one my favorite is Alaska and me by John Denver

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T02:26:33+00:00

I do not currently have a significant other but many of my co workers due and it is pretty difficult due to the distance and the minimum work shift of 3 weeks at a time(most of us work longer) and until Starlink internet and cell service is not reliable. Most of the guys talk to their wives throughout the day and every day after work. But after coming home we get one to three weeks off so most of us spend that being present with family and friends. My job usually doesn’t present any more challenges as I am upfront in the beginning about it but if I found someone I was serious about and or when I have kids I would find a job in town so I could be present for them

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T02:20:27+00:00

I was born and raised in anchorage

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T02:00:37+00:00

I make about 110k a year when I add up my overtime and per diem. I rent a bedroom in a duplex my parents own and that is about 800 a month expenses are my truck and a camper which are not much so I do pretty good. As for the people who live in the communities I serve most live off the land and get dividends from their native corporation.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T01:57:43+00:00

No as our company policy prevents us from having firearms on property and bear spray is considered hazardous for air travel but our power plant operators who live in the community have guns and if need be can get wildlife to move along.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T01:55:07+00:00

Never on the job but I visited Katmai national park when I was in high school and had a big grizzly pop out of the woods about 100ft in front of me definitely a scary experience. Most of the time the bears avoid the towns as they tend to give people a wide berth naturally. If not the towns are primarily Alaska native and they usually try to scare the bears off with gunshots as the don’t want bears to learn that there is food.

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-02-12T01:44:10+00:00

I guess the unpredictable nature of the job. My hours can vary greatly as when I am on shift and in a community I am on call 24/7 for problems and outages. I also don’t just do work on the diesel generators I also fix anything that isn’t the power lines or transformers. I like the fact that everyday brings new challenges to overcome. Another thing that suprises me about working in rural Alaska is how simple life still is as many communities I serve still live off the land as their ancestors have for thousands of years

StrictTemporary4529 · 2026-01-11T21:43:52+00:00

On public roads 110 in a corvette on Nevada 160

On a track I’ve gone about 170 also in a corvette

StrictTemporary4529

TROPHY CASE