Electrical Power for Valdez and the Copper River Basin-1981

However,techno10gy has not yet developed enough to consider it as analternative resource in the. area before the year 2000.Wind MachinesThis resource only supplements a basic power supply. Energy storagetechnology needs to develop before wind can serve as primary energy.The Alaska Division of Energy and Power Development report dated January1979 and titled, Alaska's Energy Resources, Phase 1. Volume III hasranked wind power sites in Alaska. Based on sketchy data, out of a listof 67, Valdez is number 54 and the Glennallen area number 41.Demonstration units (under 100 kW) in Colorado are presently estimateda t over $5, OOO/kW not including installation. Costs will undoubtedlydecrease as the technology develops.Overall, for the Valdez/Glennallen area, wind machines cannot be consideredan alternative to Allison Creek. However, they certainly must be investigatedas supplemental power to any future electric supply system.Exogenous SupplyExogenous to the Valdez/Glennallen utility system are several possibilitiesfor generation import:1. Rai1be1t interconnection.2. Other large hydroprojects; such as Rampart, Porcupine, Woodchopper.(Wood Canyon and Cleve, within the Valdez general region,were mentioned under hydropower.)The large hydro projects should not be considered as alternativesfor this area or any other area, at this time.The 1979 Susitna power market study included a section on costs of aPalmer-Glennallen transmission line. A $40.8 million investment and$3.3 million annual cost result in 3.3~/kWh transmission costs at atransfer of 100 million kWh (1978 costs). 50 million kWh would morenearly fit the Valdez/Glennallen system; so the unit cost would aboutdouble. This would probably be economically feasible. Delivery to CVEAat Glennallen would supply Valdez over the Glennallen-Valdez transmissionline. The Susitna study indicated Railbe1t generation costs averageabout 5~ per KWh to 6~ per KWh at 1978 prices.Other Alternatives1. Pressure Reducing Turbines (PRT's) in the A1yeska pipeline.2. A1yeska pipeline terminal generation at Valdez.3. ALPETCO petrochemical installation at Valdez.26