Funding issues, local opposition, and permitting hurdles are grinding the progress of the proposed Connelly Lake hydroelectric project to a slow crawl.
Officials from project developer Alaska Power & Telephone say public perception and opposition to the project have contributed to its under-funding. The Alaska Energy Authority’s Renewable Energy Fund recently ranked Connelly Lake 45th on its list of projects to possibly receive funding. AP&T asked for $1.7 million; the AEA said it would give…