Snettisham Hydroelectric Project

 

Location

Juneau, Alaska

Partners

  • Owner: AIDEA
  • Operator: Alaska Electric Light and Power Company

Jobs

  • 11 full-time jobs
    • 5 jobs at AEL&P
    • 6 jobs at DIPAC
  • 10 indirect jobs
  • 5 seasonal jobs at fish hatchery

Economic Benefits

  • Facility provides approximately 70% of Juneau's electricity
  • Provides reliable, low-cost power to Juneau residents and businesses
  • When available, provides power to Princess Cruise Ships
  • When available, provides power to the Greens Creek Mine

Project Description

The purpose of this project is to provide a renewable, long-term and low-cost power source for Juneau, support local jobs and reduce costly diesel consumption, while minimizing air emissions. Ever since Juneau’s gold-mining heyday over a century ago, the majority of the electric power required for the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) has come from hydroelectric facilities. Rapidly growing power demand in the 1950s and 1960s prompted the search for a long-term, low-cost power source. Long and Crater lakes, located about 30 miles southeast of Juneau, were identified as developable hydroelectric resources. In 1967, construction began on the Long Lake hydroelectric project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In 1973, 47.2 megawatts (MW) of power were delivered to the City of Juneau by the recently completed facility that included an 8,400-foot power tunnel (to deliver water from the lake to the turbines), a remote camp, a boat slip, an airstrip, and a 44-mile high-voltage transmission line.

In 1990, the nearby Crater Lake facility was brought online, contributing an additional 31 MW. The combined 78.2 MW from the project now provides approximately 65% of the power for the local electric utility, AEL&P.

Support

Support for Snettisham comes from the City and Borough of Juneau as well as local consumers, Alaska Electric Light and Power Company, local businesses, Princess Cruise ships and Greens Creek Mine, when excess power is available. The Snettisham Fish Hatchery & State of Alaska also support this project.

Current Status

The Snettisham power station infrastructure provides key support to the associated Snettisham Fish Hatchery, owned by the State of Alaska and operated by DIPAC, a non-profit focused on salmon sustainment. Alaska Electric Light and Power (AEL&P) is owned by Avista Corp Juneau Hydropower, Inc. (JHI) has applied for an interconnection agreement with AEL&P to utilize a portion of the Snettisham transmission system operated by AEL&P. AIDEA has entered into an MoU with JHI to help facilitate their facilities study for the interconnections.

 

 

 

1. Land Ownership (Surface Management Agencies)

a. (Top Filed and State Selected)

b. Mental Health and University Trust Lands

c. State Parks

2. Mineral Resources (Go to DGGS)

3. AKDOT Route Data

4. Borough/City Roads

5. Wilderness

6. Wild and Scenic River System

7. Alaska Regional Native

8. Communities

9. Boroughs and Cities

10. Village Corporations and Lands

11. Federal Recognized Tribes and contacts

12. USA National Hydrography

13. Anadromous waters catalog

14. House and Senate Districts (STATE of Alaska)

15. Airports

16. Rail Roads

17. Ports and Harbors