Electrical Power for Valdez and the Copper River Basin-1981

Based on the most up-to-date load forecast for the Glennallen-Valdezarea (including ALPETCO), the energy required to meet system demandsaoove the output of Solomon Gulch is relatively small. This is furtherreduced oy the possiole presence of the pressure reducing turbine.Besides the limited demand, the lack of a stable, reasonable costsource in the railoelt area tends to eliminate the interties as a viablealternative at present. However, if the proposed Susitna Project isultimately constructed, it may be able to supply a stably priced energysource. If the current studies prove favorable and the State pursuesFERC licensing and construction, current estimates call for a Susitnapower on-line date of 1994. Even if this were the case and power wasavailable by the mid-1990's, the intertie would not be feasible based oncurrent demand expectations. Therefore, at this time, the intertie hasbeen dismissed as all but a very long range alternative.PRESSURE REDUCING TURBINEDescription:The Trans-Alaska Pipeline hydraulic energy recovery turbine facilitywould consist of a single hydraulic turbine installed in parallel withthe 48-inch main line block valve located approximately 5 miles east ofthe Valdez terminal. Diversion of crude oil through the turbine byclosing the main line block valve could generate nearly 65,000 MWH ofenergy per year at the pipeline flow rate of 1.5 MBD. This recoveraoleenergy is contained in the crude oil stream as it reaches the main lineolock valve #125 and, if not extracted by the hydraulic turbine, would bedissipated in pipeline friction.Crude oil flow through the PRT facility would be controlled bypressure reducing and bypass valves. A standard multifunction integratedelectronic control system would be provided responding to both loadchanges and pipeline conditions.The deSign provides overriding control of crude oil flow through thePRT facility to Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. All station valvingsuoject to utility control would be interlocked with Alyeska block valvecontrol. The paramount operational consideration is that of maintainingstaole continuity of flow of the crude oil stream.Inasmuch as this facility would De an integral part of theTrans-Alaska Pipeline, its design, construction, and operation would besUbject to all applicaole criteria established for the pipeline as wellas tne approval of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Alaska StatePipeline Coordinator, and the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. Ifapproval could be reached, the PRT could be on-line oy 1984.The primary disadvantage to this plan is its tenuous ability toprovide firm energy. Whenever a routine or emergency shutdown of the oilpipeline occu~red no energy could be produced. This is not uncommon,particularly during winter storms when the loading of tankers is32