Utility Service Areas
represent the broader operational territory managed by a retail utility, which often encompasses multiple communities and interconnected regional infrastructure.
Local Service Areas
represent the geographic boundaries of retail utility's service area within an integrated electrical grid.
In Alaska, multiple combinations exist:
Integrated Grid:
Multiple retail utilities physically connected via a shared transmission grid (e.g., Railbelt).
Regional Utilities:
Physically isolated Service Areas that are administratively grouped under a single retail utility provider (e.g., AVEC).
Isolated Microgrid:
A single, self-contained grid managed by a dedicated local retail utility (e.g., Kotzebue).