A precarious section of the undersea power cable that delivers hydroelectricity from Skagway to Haines likely will be replaced in the fall, Alaska Power & Telephone (AP&T) said in a March 15 press release.
The cable is expected to be delivered by August, and AP&T plans to install it in the “third quarter” of this year, depending on the timing of permits and approval, the press release said.
The power company in 2019 discovered damage along the northern section of the cable, connecting Skagway and Haines with the Kasidaya Creek hydroelectric plant. The damage, identified by an unmanned submarine, was caused by underwater landslides, which frequently occur in the Taiya River delta.
At the time, AP&T’s power operations manager in Skagway, Darren Belisle, told the CVN that the cable, which was installed in 1998, is “going to fail… It could be tomorrow, it could be a year from now.”
If it were to fail, Haines would need to rely fully on its diesel backup. Diesel is more expensive than hydropower, so the switch would cause electricity rates to rise for AP&T customers in Haines.
AP&T in 2020 decided to replace the cable and move its landing site to the west of the Skagway River. “The new route will avoid submarine hazards discovered along the existing cable route; minimize conflicts with port operations and expansion plans; and minimize marine vessel-related risks,” the press release said.
The company expects no outages during the cable replacement process, according to the press release.
Belisle declined to comment on the cost of the replacement project and whether or not customers should expect a rate increase from it. He said AP&T is currently working through the permitting process and would provide the public with more details in the coming months.
The 17-mile cable is 4.5 inches in diameter and below 800 feet of water where its damage is worst.