In an interview, Metlakatla Power and Light Board Chair Keolani Booth applauded the council’s decision. Acting Ketchikan Public Utilities Electric Division Manager Jeremy Bynum estimates it’ll be at least a couple of years. It’s not clear when the grids will actually be connected. “It’s exciting to see that it’s actually being executed.” I knew about it before I sat here,” she said. Council member Abby Bradberry thanked senior city officials for getting the agreement over the finish line after 57 years of discussions and false starts. The council unanimously praised the project. “It’s truly a win-win for both of us, and it makes our region stronger and more resilient.” We both can reduce our reliance on diesel use, and we both have opportunities to sell excess power when available,” Smith said. “Through this agreement, both of our communities have access to backup power when needed. Smith told the council that connecting the grids would benefit both communities. The agreement is just a few pieces of paper - there’s still a multimillion-dollar, two-mile-long undersea cable to fund, build, and bring online - but officials on both sides of Nichols Passage see it as a big step towards making the electrical intertie a reality. “But the most important thing, the foundation of making it all work, is the power purchase agreement in front of you.” And on our side, the land-based electric lines are in place,” he said. “We’ve been working on this project for decades. “For Metlakatla, today’s a big day,” Metlakatla Mayor Albert Smith told Ketchikan’s City Council, underscoring the historic significance of the agreement to connect the two communities’ power grids. Ketchikan’s City Council voted unanimously to allow Metlakatla Power and Light to purchase power from the city-run utility, and vice versa.īut it’s another kind of connection that has the chair of Metlaktala’s utility especially excited. (Eric Stone/KRBD)Ī half-century-old plan to connect Metlakatla and Ketchikan’s power grids took a big step forward on Thursday. Metlakatla has run electrical and telecommunications cables to the ferry terminal at the end of the 14-mile road in preparation for the interconnection. Metlakatla is seen in the distance in 2020 from a turnout on Walden Point Road on Annette Island.
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