Hydroelectric advances in Alaska: harnessing cleaner, cheaper power.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

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Living in Alaska, one often deals with inclement weather. But while rain and sleet and snow can sometimes be an inconvenience, the elements can also be a benefit for residents wanting lower electric bills. Hydropower, or power that is derived from the force of moving water, has long been a source of energy in the 49th state and interest in this renewable resource continues to grow.

Despite having earned a reputation as a leader in oil and gas production, Alaska also has made major inroads in harnessing this alternative natural resource.

"To have hydropower, you need elevation and water, and we have lots of that, especially in Southeast Alaska," said Scott Willis, vice president of generation, Alaska Electric Light and Power Co. (AEL&P).

Hydropower currently accounts for approximately 24 percent of the state's power generation, and provides 100 percent of the electrical power in Juneau, the state's capital city.

"When you look at electric rates in Alaska, you can see that the communities with the lowest rates are those with the most hydroelectric facilities," Willis said. "Our utility is paying the same price for fuel as it did in 1893, because the fuel we use to run our hydroelectric plants is water."

That's not to say building a hydroelectric facility is cheap, however.

"Building a hydroelectric plant is capital intensive--there are a lot of costs in building dams and tunnels and pipelines," Willis said. "But while hydro facilities cost a lot to build, they are cheap to run. They last a long time, which provides for low, stable rates over the long term, compared to the cost of diesel generation, which can fluctuate quite a bit as the cost of oil rises. There's no more inexpensive power generation than that provided by an 'old' hydro plant."

OLD CONCEPTION

While all the talk about renewable energy has brought the concept of hydroelectric power to the forefront, the fact is, Alaska has been using this form of energy for more than 100 years.

"We've been in the renewable energy business since 1893," said Willis of the utilitity's Gold Creek Plant, a 1.6 MW run-of-the-river plant built that year, and then rebuilt in 1914 after the original powerhouse burned down.

Juneau's mines also needed power to run, which resulted in the 3.6 MW Annex Creek plant and the 6.7 MW Salmon Creek plants being built by mine owners. AEL&P bought these plants in the 1970s and still runs them today. Together, the Gold Creek, Annex Creek and...