{"id":361705,"date":"2025-01-12T09:33:03","date_gmt":"2025-01-12T08:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=361705"},"modified":"2025-01-12T09:33:05","modified_gmt":"2025-01-12T08:33:05","slug":"alaska-energy-shenanigans-eklutna-dam-and-the-rps-part-i-background","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=361705","title":{"rendered":"Alaska Energy Shenanigans: Eklutna Dam and the RPS (Part I: Background)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From Master Resource<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By\u00a0<\/em>Kassie Andrews<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ed. note: <\/strong>Alaskans are waking up to a sneak attack on electric affordability and reliability by agenda-driven special interests and their pliable politicians. The latest incident concerns the state\u2019s third largest hydro project, which has become a Trojan Horse for Green New Deal programs. \u201cCronyism, abuse and manipulation of our critical energy infrastructure is the result of \u2018stakeholder inclusion\u2019,\u201d as energy expert Kassie Andrews writes in this two-part post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At 40 MW capacity, the Eklutna Hydro Dam Project<\/a> generates 5\u20136 percent of the total electricity for the Railbelt.  Eklutna provides the most significant share of renewable energy, 44 percent of Matanuska Electric Association (MEA)\u2019s renewable portfolio and 25 percent of Anchorage area-service-provider Chugach\u2019s renewable portfolio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With capital depreciation and small operating costs, Eklutna is the lowest-cost electricity source for Southcentral Alaska.  Assuming carbon dioxide is of concern, this project offsets approximately 72,500 metric tons of CO2 annually, equivalent to 16,911<\/a> gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year, equating to roughly half of daily commuters on the Glenn Highway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chugach\u2019s effective share of Eklutna is 64.3 percent, up to 25.7 megawatts.  Allowing for storage of spring and summer runoff, Eklutna Hydro acts as a pseudo storage battery for power generation and provides firm on-demand spinning reserve capacity<\/em>. Natural economics, no special government subsidy required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was demonstrated in the early 2024 cold snap. During the seven-day coldest duration (January 28\u2013February 3, Anchorage Airport reading), the average capacity factor of Eklutna was 77 percent.  Compare this to 17.6 MW Fire Island Wind at an average capacity factor of 20 percent, with 0% on February 1, 2024.  For Alaskans, wind and solar is 100% unreliable, when we need it most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Hydro Politics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Upper Eklutna Dam was a Federal Bureau of Reclamation Project, constructed in the 1950s.  While the transfer of ownership in Eklutna Hydro to the parties of today became official in 1997, a stipulation of the sale was a congressionally approved Fish and Wildlife Agreement<\/a>.  Think politics, and of the worst kind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 1991 Fish and Wildlife Agreement acknowledged that hydroelectric developments may have resulted in a \u201cyet to be quantified impact to fish and wildlife resources.\u201d Since the project was not subject to FERC licensing, there \u201cis no opportunity to determine the extent of that fish and wildlife impact.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Project Owners, the Municipality of Anchorage, Chugach Electric Association, and Matanuska Electric Association were required to examine and quantify \u201cif possible\u201d the impacts to fish and wildlife from the Eklutna Project.  They were to develop proposals for the protection, mitigation and enhancement of fish and wildlife affected by hydroelectric development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Municipality of Anchorage lost voting rights on the Eklutna Hydro Electric Project and, subsequently, the 1991 Fish and Wildlife Agreement, when Chugach acquired<\/a> Municipal Light & Power in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The timeline set forth in the agreement required the owners to initiate the study process \u201cno later than 25 years after the transaction date,\u201d this process began in 2019, three years early.  A final fish and wildlife plan was due to the Governor at least three years prior to implementation in 2027.  The final proposed<\/a> plan was submitted in April of 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Proposed Agreement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agreement gave the power to the Governor to issue the final program and remediation plan.  The agreement stipulates that the Governor must give equal consideration to the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n