Power Plan Under Study

By 250 News

Proposed  power line project

British Columbia could become an importer of hydro electric power from Alaska if all goes well in the project’s feasibility study.

Dubbed the Alaska-BC project  it would see currently untapped hydro electric sources turned into a system that would not only meet the growing needs of the area of South East Alaska, but would provide up to 200 MW of export power to BC and make available excess power for export into the 48 States to the south.

The preliminary report, is expected to be presented to the Alaskan government by years end, involves 10 to 15 previously undeveloped power plants, a transmission line connecting the plants as well as an 80 mile connecting line along the Iskut River to the power line being extended north along Highway 37 as announced earlier by the BC government.

The state of Alaska has yet to commit any funds to the Alaska-BC project. 

In addition to providing export power, the new power coming on stream will be used for an ever increasing demand in Ketchikan, Petersburg and Wrangell.

Ketchikan is expected to require more power to feed the growing demand by cruise ships, along with other industries establishing in that region.
 
The first phase of the project is to evaluate engineering, economic and political factors for development of a transmission inter connecting with BC.  That portion of the project will be made available to the State by Dec 31st of this year.

Originally the project was known as the "Alcan Intertie Feasibility Study". That name was chosen to tie in Highway 37 north which is known as the Alcan Highway. The name was subsequently changed for clarity so as to differentiate the project from  Alcan Aluminum which is in the power business in Kitimat, British Columbia. 

Recently, B.C.’s Mines Minister Bill Bennett told Opinion250 hydro electric power would be extended all along Highway 37 north. That move would form the bulk of the lines necessary to move Alaska power onto the BC grid.

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us