AEA releases report on railbelt utilities

The Alaska Energy Authority has released its final report on the analysis of combining all railbelt energy utilities into one electrical authority.

The study looks at the feasibility of combining all six railbelt utilities into one entity called the Railbelt Electrical Grid Authority, whose purpose would be to manage and dispatch electric power to all consumers on the grid. Currently there are four utility cooperatives and two municipal utilities providing electric power to consumers and businesses along the railbelt.

Governor Sarah Palin recently included consolidation of railbelt utilities in her energy plan. She plans on asking the legislature this session to combine the railbelt utilities into one authority so all consumers along the railbelt will pay the same rate.

The governor’s energy plan also has a goal for Alaska to provide 50% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025, from sources to include the Susitna River hydroelectric project. Currently that project is under evaluation. In their last session the legislature passed House Bill 336, which gave the Alaska Energy Authority $2 million to study the feasibility of the hydro project and provide a report to the legislature by the end of June 2010. Other projects included in the renewable energy plan are the start-up of the Healy clean coal power plant and the in-state natural gas pipeline.