Wagoner calls for energy credit for electricity

A Kenai Republican state senator says Alaskans need an energy credit program to ease the pain of home electricity bills triggered by high oil prices.

Tom Wagoner says he is putting together legislation to get a discussion started about ways to cut energy costs of residential users.

Wagoner proposes that the energy credit be triggered when the price of a barrel of oil stays above $60 for one year.

The measure would give every person in Alaska who paid for electricity distributed through a meter system a $750 credit.

Wagoner says the money would go directly from the state to utilities.

—The Associated Press