Wind Power News: Alaska
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Audit finds fault with Air Force Alaska wind turbine project
The Defense Department’s attempt to go green at remote radar locations in Alaska by replacing diesel generators with wind turbines was poorly planned and delays could cost millions, according to an audit by the department’s inspector general. A test wind turbine constructed in 2008 at remote Tin City northwest of Nome was built without the benefit of a 12-month wind study. As of July it was producing “sporadic, unusable power,” according to the audit, which focuses on three projects that . . .
State approves GVEA wind farm project
FAIRBANKS — Golden Valley Electric Association has cleared the last permitting steps to build a 25-megawatt wind farm near Healy, putting the project on schedule to begin producing electricity in less than a year. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources gave its formal blessing to the Eva Creek project Thursday when no appeals were made to the state’s decision to permit the project. By Friday, GVEA President Brian Newton had spent $37 million for a dozen wind turbines to be . . .
Chugach board decides to proceed with Fire Island wind project
Crucial for the Chugach board members was a provision in the RCA decision allowing the association to recoup the costs of adding wind power by raising rates. Chugach must file a plan by March detailing how much customers will pay.
Alaska regulators approve Fire Island wind power project
A state regulatory agency has essentially given the green light for a large-scale wind power project on Fire Island. Three of the five commissioners with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska — Paul Lisanskie, Robert Pickett and Jan Wilson — issued a ruling late Monday saying the state’s largest electric utility, Chugach Electric Association Inc., can purchase power from Fire Island Wind Inc., a subsidiary of a regional Native corporation. Under the deal blessed by the RCA, Chugach will purchase 48,500 . . .
Alaska military wind project built in wrong spot, federal investigators report
A federal plan to spend nearly $15 million on three wind projects at remote military radar sites on the Alaska coast is hitting the fan. The Inspector General of the Department of Defense has issued a report saying the projects have been poorly planned. One should be canceled and the other two need more work as they are facing $1 million cost overruns, the independent agency recommends. There have been “multiple turnovers in project managers and a file server migration . . .
Winds of war
Apparently the Navy isn’t the only service that has trouble building projects with money from 2009′s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Air Force planned on spending $15 million for three wind turbines to generate electric power for remote Alaskan radar sites. Sure, there have been the typical problems: each turbine’s cost has risen by $1 million. But the real killer is the lack of planning done to ensure that the turbines make economic sense – the same problem the . . .
Trading barbs over Fire Island wind power
CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this story, a quotation from Steve Cleary of the Alaska Public Interest Research Group was incorrectly attributed to Jim Jager of CIRI. A third floor room in an office building in downtown Anchorage was breezy Tuesday as dark-suited attorneys aired arguments for and against allowing a new wind farm close to Anchorage to sell power to the state’s largest electric utility. Chugach Electric Association, Inc. needs approval from the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to . . .
Delta Wind Farm owners seek state certificate
Businessman Mike Craft and his partners in a Delta wind-power project filed a request for a certificate of public convenience and necessity with the state, according to a filing with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. One condition of a $2 million state grant they received to build the project was to file for such a certificate. Craft, the managing partner, owns 50 percent of the limited liability company, Alaska Environmental Power, while accountants Richard Clymer and Marvin Hall own 25 . . .
RCA suspends Fire Island wind farm
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska has suspended the tariff filing for the Fire Island wind farm. Under the order, issued Monday, the RCA raised concerns that Chugach Electric Association did not adequately address concerns raised by comments on the tariff filing, and has suspended the matter until February 8, 2012. Municipal Light and Power raised concerns that approval of the Fire Island wind farm could negatively impact the Railbelt grid. Other objections filed with the commission were related to initial . . .
State OKs Eva Creek wind farm near Healy
FAIRBANKS — The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has given preliminary approval to a large-scale wind farm near Healy, despite the objections of a competitor in the wind-power business. The DNR preliminary approval is the latest step forward for the Eva Creek project, a 24.6-megawatt turbine farm envisioned by Golden Valley Electric Association near Healy. The GVEA board of directors unanimously voted in favor of Eva Creek in June, advancing a 16-turbine project that will become the largest wind farm . . .
