The West Creek hydro project near Skagway, Alaska, would bring plentiful summer time energy for the cruise ships that dock in Skagway and offer a very tempting export potential for hydro exports to Canada. All that is needed now is a proponent.
The Alaska Power & Telephone Company Limited (AP&T) filed a preliminary permit application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on 14-Mar-2014 to develop hydroelectricity at the West Creek, near Skagway. AP&T basically filed the permit application to prevent other parties from applying for the permit for a three year period. The company stated that it was moving to protect the interest of the Town of Skagway. AP$&T is not interested in building a facility at West Creek. AP&T figured that such a move would draw other players into the scene and made its preemptive move.
The Yukon and Alaska Governments also issued a joint RFP to secure a contractor to determine the viability of creating new electric transmission and telecommunications facilities.
Alaska Power & Telephone Company was established in 1957 and through its’ subsidiaries, provides regulated electric and telephone service to a combined total of 34 communities. AP&T is privately held (not listed). AP&T also has non-regulated telecom operations.
AP&T has a number of small micro-hydro sites in the upper Lynn Canal:
The Goat Lake dam, a 4.0-megawatt hydroelectric facility located seven miles north of Skagway. The 204-acre glacially fed lake has the winter storage necessary to sustain year-round hydro generation. Goat Lake Hydro became operational in December 1997, and was interconnected with Haines via a 15-mile submarine cable in September 1998. The submarine cable was laid in Taiya Inlet, a fjord with depths up to 1,500 feet. This project allowed diesel-powered generators at both the Skagway and Haines plants to be quiet for the first time in nearly 80 years.
The 943 kilowatt Dewey Lakes Hydro facility is located adjacent to downtown Skagway. This facility was built in the early 1900’s and has been operated by AP&T since 1957.
See : http://northof56.com/energy/article/west-creek-hydro-project-needs-a-path-forward
The Canadians are anxious to tap into winter power from Alaska, as the Yukon Energy grid is at capacity. It would be a great project for Skagway and for Yukon, as the power demands are at opposite times—Skagway needs energy in the Summer, Yukon in the Winter.
What is needed is a proponent.