Nov 29 2010
According to a State Agency, the Alaska Energy Authority, the state would be engaged in the pursuit of developing a 600 MW hydro project on the Susitna River, to the North of Anchorage. The Low Watana Project proposal, which is a smaller-sized version of the 1980 two-dam hydro plan, would be coming up for a license. The larger project had to be abandoned because of prohibitive costs.
According to Mike Harper, the State Energy Authority’s acting Executive Director, a project is also in the consideration as an alternative to the abandoned Low Watana Project. This would be a 300 MW Lake Tap Hydro Project, located at Chackachamna, to the West of Anchorage. He stated that the main aim was to recognize and identify a project that would be feasible. According to him, a huge hydroelectric project in the south central Interior Alaska region, which is the State’s rail belt should supply long term power that is both dependable and cost-effective. It should also help the state to achieve its energy targets of production of 50% power from renewables by 2025. He was certain that the Susitna Project would definitely be able to accomplish this.
The Alaska Energy Authority with a financial outlay of $10 million from the State Legislature has been evaluating both the hydro projects. Harper revealed that consultants have assessed that the cost for the Low Watana Project would be approximately $5 billion almost double that of the Chackachamna Project, but there was also chance of increasing costs in the Chackachamna project.
The Agency would be conducting a number of Public meetings in February for discussing the proposal. They also plan to gain more funding from the Legislature for studies that were required for applying to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Alaska has always been in the forefront with regard to development of hydro projects. In the 1980’s many projects were constructed in the southeast Alaskan region close to the Kachemak Bay to the South of Anchorage. The Authority also operates and owns the Bradley Lake Hydro Project, which provides power to the interior and south-central Alaska utilities. It is also the owner of the Snettisham Hydro Project in the southeast region supplying to the capital city of the state, Juneau.