GE Installed Wind Turbines Saves Diesel for Kodiak Electric Association

The City of Kodiak, located in Kodiak Island, away from the southern shoreline of Alaska, utilizes wind turbines provided by GE to lower its use of fossil fuel and to reduce its energy costs. Kodiak Electric Association, the power utility of the island has installed three GE 1.5 MW wind turbines in 2009 as a component of its Pillar Mountain Wind Project.

The turbines after a year of successful functioning have permitted the utility company to save money that would have been spent on the purchase of nearly 930,000 gallons of Diesel. The wind turbines have a total power production capability of 4.5 MW and covers nearly 25% of the peak power demand of the utility company. The wind turbines also generated around 9% of the annual system generation for the island during the year. Before the installation of wind turbines KEA was depending on the diesel power generators to meet the growing peak power demand of the island. Most of the island’s 15,000 population that reside in the eastern part of the island were receiving power from the two hydro electric plants and diesel generators.

The wind turbines provided by GE incorporates features such as sophisticated electronics and advanced controls to allow the wind turbine to produce power by meeting the requirement of the grids even during worst weather conditions. Such features enabled the turbines to produce high percentage of wind power to meet the smaller grid requirements of the company. GE is also making studies to manage higher wind incursions on smaller type of grids. GE also has extended a two year service agreement with KEA for performing the required maintenance for the wind turbines and to train the staff members of KEA.