Meetings next week will give residents and resource agencies officials opportunities to weigh in on plans for the proposed Connelly Lake hydro-electric project. At 9 a.m. Tuesday on the fourth floor of Juneau’s federal building, Alaska Power and Telephone officials will meet with agency managers about the utility’s draft study plan. The plan is a description of […]
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Connelly Lake gets 1st permit
Characterizing concerns about the Connelly Lake project as either premature or not applicable, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on March 19 issued Goat Lake Hydro, Inc. a preliminary permit for the proposed hydroelectric project. Goat Lake Hydro is a subsidiary of electric and phone utility Alaska Power and Telephone. Much of the opposition to the project is […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
LNG better option than hydro power
As an observer at last week’s Connelly Lake hydro project meeting, it quickly became obvious that it’s simply not cost effective to build that project. It also became obvious that Schubee Lake would be way too expensive. A very rough estimate for Connelly Lake is $34 to $40 million. That’s for someplace between five and six megawatts of power. […]
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Study: Chilkoot Watershed a diverse habitat
A recently completed comprehensive fish study of the Chilkoot watershed found a diverse and healthy habitat for several species of fish, including areas of a now underwater roadbed that is being suggested for reconstruction to develop the Connelly Lake hydro project. The Takshanuk Watershed Council decided a few years ago that the Chilkoot watershed from the lake […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Connelly hydro would improve fisheries
When starting a fire this morning I glanced through a letter expressing opposition to the construction of a power plant using water from Connelly Lake. The writer’s objection was based on the belief it would result in great harm to the fishery. At the present time, Connelly Lake is a liability. When the snows melt and the summer […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Is submarine cable really an issue?
Alaska Power and Telephone proposes to reduce the cost of what they admit would be “very expensive” electric power from Connelly Lake by selling electricity to summertime cruise ships in Skagway. If the underwater cable to Skagway fails, preventing transmission to Skagway, who will pay for this “very expensive” electricity? If the cable doesn’t fail and AP&T […]
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Assembly wants more Connelly Lake studies
The Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday voted 4-2 to request the federal government require developers of a potential hydro-electric project above Chilkoot Lake to conduct additional studies, including examination of insuring against potential losses to fisheries and other values there. About 35 residents turned out for the special meeting and all but eight of the 25 who testified were cricital […]
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Assembly to revisit Connelly Lake issue
The Haines Borough Assembly will hold a special meeting 6 p.m. Tuesday to formulate comment on a preliminary permit sought by Alaska Power & Telephone. It would give the utility exclusive rights to develop a hydroelectric power plant and rock-fill dam about four miles upstream of Chilkoot Lake. The privately-owned utility that provides phone and electric service […]
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Connelly Lake comment period extended
Federal officials on Wednesday extended a public comment period on a permit for the proposed Connelly Lake hydro-electric project for 60 days due to concerns about sufficient public notice. Brooks Carter, who works in the office that serves public notice on actions by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, said the agency advertised a recent comment period in […]
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AP&T to Chamber: Schubee Lake poses challenges
As a source of hydro-electricity, Schubee Lake poses a host of construction challenges and would produce only about half as much power as Connelly Lake, Alaska Power and Telephone’s Danny Gonce told a full house at Friday’s chamber of commerce luncheon. Schubee is located above Long Falls, at 3,300 feet elevation, about nine miles due north […]