Electrical Power for Valdez and the Copper River Basin-1981

A Solomon Gulch article in the December 1978 issue of Alaska Constructionand Oil magazine and a January 1980 CVEA power cost study both discusspressure reducing turbines in the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. A twomillion barrel per day (MBD) oil flow can produce 77,263 MWh with a9.8-MW installed capacity. However, a more likely flow of 1.6 MBD and acapacity factor of 80 percent results in 56,000 MWh energy and 8 MWcapacity. Investment W0uld be $9.7 million or $1,200/kW. This isdefinitely an alternative to Allison Creek, but requires industry/utilityagreements.A 1974 power cost study for Copper Valley Electric Association by Robert W.Retherford Associates suggests oil pipeline pressure reducing turbinesin conjunction with hydro pumped storage at Solomon Gulch. This schemeappears quite favorable and therefore worth more investigation.The interties to the industrial installations at Valdez (Alyeska pipelineterminal and ALPETCO) conceptually are feasible but considered unlikely.The industries would not have excess firm energy; so these were notincluded as Allison Creek alternatives.27