MEA Spokeswoman Lorali Carter said the co-op cleared a major hurdle earlier this month when, on May 12, the Anchorage Assembly unanimously decided to rezone the site of its future plant from residential to industrial with the caveat that the zoning change expires if ground isn’t broken by June 2013.
“They didn’t want to see 70 acres of industrial land out there if it wasn’t going to be used as a power plant,” Carter said.
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“(Co-generation) is the process by which waste steam can be used to heat nearby facilities or for other purposes,” Carter said. “If they were to put in something there they could potentially take the steam and use it to heat their buildings,” she said.
She said the corporation has been interested in co-generation since the start of the process.
The site in question is nearly 70 acres of land surrounding an existing substation and next to the old Eklutna Power House.
Having hopped the rezoning hurdle, the co-op needs to now formally buy the land from Eklutna. The purchase price MEA’s board of directors agreed on in February is $2.7 million.
MEA is also starting to move ahead on work that needs to be done ahead of breaking ground — emissions testing, permitting requirements, platting changes.
“We’re working with a company that knows a whole lot more about this than we do,” Carter said.
They’ve already completed an archeological study of the area, which turned up one small area of historical significance containing some artifacts.
“We’re going to preserve the site, we’re going to fence the site and then let the village come in and do what they want to do with it,” she said.
Other work to come this summer will possibly include erecting a security fence and doing some initial land clearing. The power plant the utility is seeking to build would put out 180 megawatts of electricity, which Carter said is enough to handle its regular power load, but is less than the utility’s initial plan to build two 180-megawatt plants.
“We will look into power purchasing agreements from other utilities to make up for the peaks,” Carter said. “If the governor gets Chakachamna going, that would definitely be something that we would look into.”
Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.
Comments
17 comment(s)Gas Plant wrote on Jun 8, 2009 7:40 PM:
Yep, you guessed right, all toys built with gov't grants and heavy subsides from Usibelly.
Call it begging or scaring or whatever, The railbelt needs to COOPERATE. 5 Little fiefdoms will not make the power cheaper. "
Gas Bag at it again wrote on Jun 8, 2009 7:57 AM:
Gas Plant wrote on Jun 5, 2009 8:24 PM:
Gas Plant wrote on Jun 5, 2009 3:28 PM:
180MW coal plant is too small to be economically feasible even if the the greens weren't fighting it. "
cottonwood49 wrote on Jun 5, 2009 7:08 AM:
Can't imagine why anyone would be "deeply offended" by Lorali's comments, she has a 'real job' and is simply doing it. "
Elizabeth is two faced wrote on Jun 4, 2009 7:25 PM:
Elizabeth wrote on Jun 3, 2009 12:33 PM:
I find it deeply offensive to hear comments from only Loralei Carter. From past experience, she is definitely no one in whose word I trust in any way, shape, or form.
This is a very important subject, and certainly deserved a good news piece rather than this apparently hastily written, one-sided, and uninformative article.
And, to "You idiots" - by resorting to gratuitious insults you have marked yourself as having a weak argument, disrespect for others, and little trustworthiness. "
Gas Plant wrote on Jun 2, 2009 3:49 PM:
To Chugach Employees wrote on Jun 2, 2009 10:39 AM:
to You Idiots wrote on Jun 2, 2009 8:38 AM:
Gas Plant wrote on Jun 1, 2009 6:47 PM:
If a new 180MW Gas plant in Eklutna is connected to the grid at 115kV. Beluga will look like it's next door with it's 230kV connect . The new Eklutna pant will look like it's in Anchorage. "
you idiots wrote on Jun 1, 2009 1:32 PM:
Line Loss wrote on May 31, 2009 11:02 AM:
MEA ratepayer wrote on May 31, 2009 9:31 AM:
For the love of God, can you all just stop giving MEA the stamp of absolute uncontested validity by letting one of their own steer the story? How hard is it to call a board member, someone from MEA Ratepayers Alliance or the state, or -- gasp -- an actual regular ratepayer?
Instead, the most urgent questions remain ignored: Where will the gas come from? And how does this plan fit in with the move toward consolidation of Railbelt energy assets? "
What is wrong with Palmer wrote on May 31, 2009 9:20 AM:
ReadyKilowatt wrote on May 31, 2009 8:58 AM:
Gas Plant wrote on May 31, 2009 5:57 AM: