Brief: Eklutna power plant plan – Anchorage Daily News

Updated: 17 minutes ago Published: 17 minutes ago

I would like to respond to the false statements in Rick Sinnott’s recent commentary regarding the Eklutna Hydroelectric Project and the recent final Fish and Wildlife Program submitted to the Governor for review and approval.

Most importantly, the Eklutna Hydro project is not a “cash cow” for the utilities. Both the Chugach Electric Association Inc. and the Matanuska Electric Association Inc. are nonprofit, member-owned electric cooperatives. Eklutna Hydro is a low-cost, renewable energy source, which means we reduce carbon emissions and help keep rates low. We do not make a profit like investor-owned utilities. Any lower-cost power generation is a direct benefit to all members with lower rates.

The process described in the 1991 agreement—the contract that the utilities and state and federal agencies signed when they purchased the project—is very specific in terms of dates and time frames.

Contrary to Mr. Sinnott’s claims, we did not “rush through a plan,” but rather spent five years and nearly $8 million on studies, field work, dozens of meetings with interested stakeholders, public meetings, alternatives analysis, and a number of other things that led us to our proposed recommendation to protect, mitigate, and enhance the fish and wildlife affected by the hydroelectric project. We did not pressure state or municipal employees, nor did we intimidate our board members. On the contrary, over the course of five years there were dozens of meetings with the Native Village of Eklutna and several agencies, including our own boards and the Anchorage Assembly. The Municipality of Anchorage provided both an attorney and the manager of the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility as part of the project team.

The final program proposal submitted to the Governor is a careful compromise between protecting the city’s water supply, continuing to use low-cost hydroelectric power at a time when Southcentral Alaska is facing a gas shortage, and returning water to the Eklutna River to create fish habitat. It was a thoughtful, comprehensive and transparent process. Anything less than that description is incorrect.

We look forward to the final program decision and the opportunity to begin work restoring water to the Eklutna River. Our goal is to protect, conserve and enhance fish and wildlife, including salmon populations, in the Eklutna River for years to come.

— Julie Hasquet

Senior Manager of Corporate Communications, Chugach Electric Association

Anchorage

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