At National Hydropower Association’s (NHA) upcoming Alaska Regional Meeting in Anchorage (August 5-6), hosted by Chugach Electric Association, Inc., the exciting state of Alaskan water power development is on the agenda.

Hydropower is Alaska’s largest renewable, supplying more than 20% of the state’s electrical energy in an average water year. With fifty operating utility-scale hydroelectric projects in Alaska, the technology’s reliability is a cornerstone of the state’s energy mixture.

In addition to robust hydropower, the state possesses vast marine energy resources — National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found Alaska’s total marine energy technical resource potential to be 1,100 TWh/yr, which is enough to power 100 million homes. Of this, tidal energy alone accounts for 210 TWh/yr. In their 2021 report, NREL identified ten key tidal sites, with Cook Inlet leading the field with an 80 TWh/yr technical resource potential.

NHA’s Alaska regional meetings also sports an exclusive tour opportunity for attendees. This year, Chugach Electric Association, Inc. is offering a tour of the 40 MW Eklutna Hydroelectric Project, which provides power to almost 25,000 Alaskan homes each year!

EKLUTNA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT

The Eklutna Hydroelectric Project, constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation, is located in Southcentral Alaska and has served as an essential energy resource since 1955.

In 1997, the project was sold to Chugach Electric Association, Matanuska Electric Association, and the Municipality of Anchorage following a federal purchase agreement. As part of a 1991 agreement, the project owners were required to assess and address the project’s impact on fish and wildlife every 35 years, balancing environmental concerns with community needs.

Eklutna Hydroelectric Project is an embankment dam that stands 26 ft high and 555 ft long, and it is powered by two 23.5 MW Francis turbine-generators. Additionally, the reservoir created by the dam, Eklutna Lake, covers 3,247 acres and is 7 miles long; the reservoir holds 182,000 acre feet of water.

On Tuesday, August 5, attendees will have two opportunities to tour the Eklutna Hydroelectric Project, and the schedule is as follows:

• 8:00 AM: Meet in Hotel Lobby, bus will leave at 8:15 AM
• 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Morning Tour of Eklutna Hydroelectric Project
• 12:00 PM: Meet in Hotel Lobby, bus will leave at 12:15 PM
• 1:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Afternoon Tour of Eklutna Hydroelectric Project

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Alaska Regional Meeting attendees interested in signing up for the tour can learn more here.

If you have questions about the Alaska Regional Meeting, please reach out to Ellie Rubalow at [email protected].