March 15, 2006

O&M staff keep their cool at Alaskan plant

Peter S. Jackson, PE, Tetra Engineering Group Inc. and John Kotrotsios, Chugach Electric Association Inc.

The Anchorage, Alaska–based Chugach Electric Association (CEA), incorporated in 1948, operates and maintains a combined-cycle plant in one of North America's coldest climates. The company began with its post-WWII purchase of a shipwrecked tanker whose boiler and generator were adapted to bring reliable electricity service to nearly half of the city of Anchorage. Since then, Chugach Electric has grown into the largest electric utility and power generator in the state. Its service territory now extends from Anchorage to the northern Kenai Peninsula and from Whittier on Prince William Sound to Tyonek on the west side of Cook Inlet. Chugach Electric also provides power to Alaskans from Homer to Fairbanks through sales to wholesale and economy energy customers.

The public portfolio

Chugach Electric owns and operates three thermal power plants, and operates and is part owner of two hydro stations. The utility's total installed capacity is about 530 MW. Load swings are 60 to 80 MW during the course of a typical day. Following are the five plants, by name and capacity:

• Beluga Power Plant (385 MW)
• Bernice Lake Power Plant (67.5 MW)
• International (46.7 MW)
• Cooper Lake Hydro-Electric Plant (19.2 MW)
• Eklutna Hydro-Electric Plant (47 MW; CEA ownership: 11.7 MW)

Also among the company's assets are more than 2,000 miles of power lines; they comprise 400 miles of high-voltage transmission lines, 930 miles of overhead distribution lines, and more than 700 miles of underground distribution cables. To support transmission and distribution, Chugach Electric owns and operates 36 substations: 11 for transmission and 25 for distribution.