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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAEA Board Meeting June 2012Alaska Energy Authority BOARD MEETING MINUTES Thursday, June 28, 2012 Anchorage, Alaska 1. CALL TO ORDER ENERGY AUTHORITY Chair Short called the meeting of the Alaska Energy Authority to order on June 28, 2012 at 1:17 pm. A quorum was established. 2. ROLL CALL: BOARD MEMBERS Members present: Chair Hugh Short (Public Member); Commissioner Susan Bell (Commissioner DCCED); Deputy Commissioner Bruce Tangeman (Deputy Commissioner DOR); Gary Wilken (Public Member); and Robert Sheldon (Public Member). 3. AGENDA APPROVAL The agenda was approved as presented. 4. ROLL CALL: STAFF, PUBLIC Staff present in Anchorage: Sara Fisher -Goad (Executive Director, AEA); Sean Skaling, (DD-AEEE); Sandra Moller (DD-Rural Energy); Valorie Walker (DD-Finance); Alan Baldivieso (AEA -Program Manager); May Clark (AEA -Executive Assistant); Yolanda Inga (AEA -Administrative Assistant); and Teri Webster (AIDEA Administrative Assistant). Others Present in Anchorage: Jerry Juday (Department of Law); Rachel Bylsma (Office of the Governor); Ray Baker (Accu-Type Depositions). S. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no public comments. 6. PRIOR MINUTES— May 10, 2012 Minutes from the May 10, 2012 board meeting were approved as presented. 7. NEW BUSINESS MOTION: Commissioner Bell moved to reverse the order on the agenda and move Item 7A to 7C, Item 7B to 7A, and Item 7C to 7B. Motion seconded by Mr. Sheldon. The motion was approved unanimously. 813 West Northern Lights Boulevard Anchorage, Alaska 99503 T 907.771.3000 Toll Free (Alaska Only) 888.300.8534 F 907.771.3044 AEA Board Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 3 June 28, 2012 7A. AEA Resolution No. 2012-04, Appointment of Sean Skaling, Officer of the Authority MOTION: Commissioner Bell moved to approve AEA Resolution No. 2012-04. Motion seconded by Mr. Wilken. The motion was approved unanimously. 7B. Emerging Energy Technology Fund process and status update Ms. Fisher -Goad stated the Emerging Energy Technology Fund, AEA's most recent program, is being implemented. Ms. Fisher -Goad asked Mr. Skaling and Mr. Baldivieso to answer any questions from the Board. Currently, there are 31 full applications that will continue onto the next round of analysis by the Emerging Energy Technology Fund Advisory Committee (EETFAC). Those application reviews, an oral presentation from the applicants, will occur in August. Three of the 31 did not submit full applications and have some match issues. Ms. Fisher -Goad said there are many diverse projects that the Committee will be looking at and working on, including biomass, high voltage direct current transmission system, oil recovery and other diverse energy projects. The 31 applications that have been offered to present in the full application cycle is roughly a little over 200% of the funding that is available. Ten to 12 of these projects are expected to advance. MOTION: Mr. Sheldon moved to go into Executive Session to discuss the AEA Executive Director Review. Motion seconded by Commissioner Bell. The motion passed unanimously. 7C. Executive Session —1:24 pm. The Board reconvened its regular meeting at 1:42 pm. 8. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTS 8A. Program and Project Fact Sheets Ms. Fisher -Goad said she expects to bring the full recommendations of the funded projects to the Board at the meeting after next. Ms. Fisher -Goad stated AEA met with Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) to reach out to them with respect to the regional planning and how AEA may contribute to their energy work sessions. Ms. Fisher -Goad said the Renewable Energy Fund Round VI Request for Applications should be out on July 9 and we will continue with the same structure as previous Rounds. Ms. Fisher - Goad said a separate application for biomass is being provided to concentrate on the heat projects. The most significant difference that will be addressed this year is technical outreach and assistance to potential applicants to inform them of the program and that AEA is available to help them submit the best applications they can. Ms. Fisher -Goad stated Energy Awareness Month is October and AEA is working with the Governor's Office in getting information out to the communities. There has been a proclamation every year with respect to Energy Awareness Month. Ms. Fisher -Goad said AEA is very busy in recruiting nine new positions. Two are shared positions with AIDEA and AEA and seven are AEA positions only. Chair Short asked Ms. Fisher -Goad what kinds of positions were being recruited. Ms. Fisher -Goad said there are two planner positions to work with Ms. Moller on the energy planning and technical assistance and outreach. There is an accountant position AEA Board Meeting Minutes June 28, 2012 Page 3 of 3 and procurement position for the support of the Susitna-Watana project. There is an assistant engineering manager position open for an electrical engineer. Also open is a position for an environmental manager and a position for an assistant for licensing. The energy economist position is still vacant, but interviews will begin next week. The two shared positions are procurement contract specialist and financial analyst, which will support the Power Project Fund and the new SB25 program. Chair Short asked Ms. Fisher -Goad if all the new staff will fit in the existing building. Ms. Fisher -Goad stated Mr. Drewry, the new procurement manager, came up with a very good plan with respect to how everybody can fit in the building. Ms. Fisher -Goad commented there are more benefits than inconvenience for everybody to be in the same building. The parking issues are being worked on also. 8B. Next regularly scheduled meeting August 14, 2012 - Talkeetna 9. BOARD COMMENTS Mr. Sheldon said he was delighted with the accommodations for meetings in the basement of the AEA building. Mr. Sheldon commented he was excited to see that the aquatic studies for the lower sections of Battle Creek in the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric Project have been accomplished and believes there will be a positive impact on salmon there. Mr. Sheldon stated he is delighted to see 11 additional community powerhouses under construction due to the Rural Power Systems Upgrade Program. Mr. Wilken asked Ms. Fisher -Goad if the Susitna effort is going to request funding from Legislature. Ms. Fisher -Goad answered yes, and a discussion is necessary in a future meeting about how it is worked into the Governor's budget request and if there will be any potential legislation. Mr. Wilken asked Ms. Fisher -Goad if problems or opportunities are created if Golden Valley Electric Association requested another 40MW of power out of Watana by 2022. Ms. Fisher -Goad said Mr. Dyok will provide Mr. Wilken with an answer. Ms. Fisher -Goad said there have been discussions with the utilities with respect to the precedent agreements and having a further commitment to purchasing of power. Ms. Fisher -Goad stated she wants to get to the point where the utilities can progressively take greater steps in committing to purchase the power and ultimately, getting to the point of signing a Power Sales Agreement. Ms. Fisher - Goad said she wants to make sure the railbelt is looked at as a holistic system to make sure that the state investment really does impact those higher cost areas like Fairbanks. Commissioner Bell stated she had received a wonderful compliment about AEA and the assistance they provided to a recent grant applicant. 10. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business of the Board, the AEA meeting adjourned at 1:55 pm. Sara Fisher -Goad, Executive Director/Secretary Alaska Energy Authority