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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRural Technical Assistance Audit, Nikolai 1985Alaska Power Authority . Rural Technical Assistance Audit NIKOLAI June 11,1985 SS MEMORANDUM State of Alaska TO FROM Emil Notti, Commissioner pate: July 30, 1985 Dept. of Community & Regional Affairs FILE NO: TELEPHONE NO: ‘Robert Heath sugvect. Memorandum of Executive Dir Agreement APA & DCRA Enclosed is a recent staff report we prepared in response to a request for electrification technical assistance from the Village of Nikolai. I am quite concerned that the state has invested a substantial amount of funds in the Nikolai electric system and that the result is at best a sometimes functioning, dangerous mess. The state and villages should really be able to do better than this. With past results such as this I believe the need for technical cooperation between Community and Regional Affairs and the Power Authority is essential in order to have a better product for the villages. Again I would like to encourage immediate implementation of some form of the Memorandum of Agreement that has been under consideration. My offer of June 3, 1985 to assign Power Authority staff to work out the details still stands. Please do not hesitate to contact me or Sue White of my staff if you wish to discuss this further. BP/RH/ah 93/365 ALASKA POWER AUTHORITY Rural Technical Assistance Nikolai Audit Table of Contents A) Alaska Power Authority Letter Regarding Recommended Follow-up B) Request for Technical Assistance from Nikolai C) Alaska Power Authority Response D) Field Trip Report E) Photographs Taken During Site Visit F) List of Electrification Grants 466/427 ALASKA POWER AUTHORITY °” VEST 5th AVENUE - ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99501 Phone: (907) 276-0001 July. 26, 1985 City of Nikolai General Delivery Nikolai, Alaska 99691 Attention: Mr. Jay Law, City Administrator Subject: Technical Assistance Survey of Nikolai's Power System. Dear Mr. Law: Our staff appreciated your help and cooperation in connection with the Technical Assistance survey conducted by Peter Hansen in Nikolai on June 11, 1985. As you had suggested in your letter of March 1, 1985 the power sys- tem in Nikolai did indeed display serious problems. Some of the problems can be solved over time through an on-going upgrade of the system; however, several problems are so severe and so dangerous that immediate remedy is absolutely necessary. Some of the specific preheat: noted during the survey of the system were as follows: 1. Several poles had fallen over. and the lines were lying on the ground. 2. Several poles still standing were untreated local spruce; several of these poles were in poor shape. 3. Many poles were missing; these poles had never been installed. In order to keep the lines off the ground, tri-pods constructed from 2-4 inch diameter spruce poles had been used. Some of these tri-pods had collapsed. 4. Lines insulated for over head service had been used underground for a runway crossing. 5. Transformers designed for interior service were used out-of-doors. 6. Several transformers could be reached from the ground; uninsulated wires and splices could be reached as well. 124/426/F1 Mr. Jay Law, City Administrator July 26, 1985 Page 2 7. All cabinets were accessible and were mounted so low that children could easily reach them. Exposed, hot wires were plentiful in these cabinets. 8. The power plant modules had no doors and children had . easy access to radiator fans and fan belts as well as hot exhaust manifolds and pipes. The design seemed to pre- sent a real fire hazard as well as being detrimental to the service life of the generators. During the survey a recording amp-meter was installed on the gener- ator in service. This confirmed reports by your power plant opera- tor that phase imbalance was a problem. The generators produce 480 volts, 3-phase power, and 3 phase power is supplied to the school and to the washeteria. However, no 3-phase power is used anywhere; all connected loads are 240 or 120 volts, single phase. The generator burn out experienced recently was most likely caused by overload on one phase only. The other phases do not seem to be loaded significantly and thus the phase imbalance forces your power plant operator to operate an oversize generator in order to avoid the overload of one phase. This in return provides for poor fuel economy. Another problem mentioned by the power plant operator was the inherent lack of frequency stability in the system. The operator had to constantly adjust the generator speed according to load in order to keep the frequency within 2-3 Hz. In general, the entire system in Nikolai appears to be a home made, jury-rigged system which presents a severe safety hazard. The rel- atively good reliability experienced during the past year can only be attributed to the ability of the your maintenance personnel to produce home-made solutions to equipment problems. A comprehensive plan should be developed for permanent solution of the power system problems in Nikolai. Some aspects of this plan could be as follows: 1. A conceptual design is developed by an engineer who also provides a cost estimate for improvements. 2. Options of financing an upgrade and rebuild are inves- tigated and pursued. 3. Detailed designs to remedy the most severe problems are provided by an engineer. 4. A contractor is hired to perform the most necessary repairs related to safety. 124/426/F1 Mr. Jay Law, City Administrator - July 26, 1985 Page 3 5. After financing has been obtained for a major reconstruc- tion of the power system, an engineer is hired to perform a detailed design. 6. A contractor is hired to reconstruct the system to Rural Electrification Administration standards. 7. Quality control inspection be performed on any major new electrical system construction so any deficiencies can be quickly corrected. The Alaska Power Authority can offer assistance in connection with items 1, 2, and 7 on request in the following manner: Items 1 and 7 can be accomplished by an engineer on contract to the Alaska Power Authority under the Rural Technical Assistance Program and by Power Authority staff if funding is available. Item 2 might be handled through two loan programs that are available at the present time: ‘a. The Rural Electrification Revolving Loan Fund. (RERLF) b. The Power Project Loan Fund. (PPLF) Both loan programs are administered by the Alaska Power Authority and we will be happy to assist you in the loan application procedures. The RERLF provides loans for service extensions for more than 3 new customers and the interest rate is currently 2%. The PPLF provides loans for general power projects at a variable interest rate not less than 5% and currently about 10.5%. A copy of the regulations pertaining to these programs are enclosed for your information. Other options of a bank loan and/or future legislative appropriations are also options for financing. We recommend that any funding option be based upon an engineered plan for improvements which include development of minimum specifica- tions for equipment and construction methods and which incorporates quality control inspections of the finished installations before they are accepted for operation. At least some of the future power projects in Nikolai should quali- fy for the RERLF loans since the section of the system supplying power for the area north of the runway can almost be considered a temporary, oversized extension cord. The Alaska Power Authority is very concerned about the safety haz- ards and the potential for a disastrous system failure during the upcoming winter. Within our budgetary constraints we will offer the City of Nikolai as much technical assistance as we possibly can to provide a permanent and reliable solution to these problems. 124/426/F1 Mr. Jay Law, City Administrator July 26, 1985 Page 4 If you have any questions regarding this subject, please do not hesitate to contact Peter Hansen of our staff at 276-0001. Very truly yours, Lhitbets. Mir Robert D. Heath Executive Director PH/RDH/nm 124/426/F1 CITY OF NIKOLAI NIKOLAI, ALASKA 99691 PHONE (907) 293-2113 BRR e Os fees March 1, 1985 oe MAR ¢ 1985 Alaska Power Authority ALASKA PUWwEH AulnORiTy Technical Assistance Program 334 West Fifth Avenue Anchorage, Alaska 99501 Dear Sirs, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and request your assistance on a matter of importance to the City of Nikolai. ¢ My name is Jay Law. I am the ew City Administrator for the city of Nikolai and am replacing Gary Ricketts and Kris Minelga, the previous administrator and interim adminis- trator, respectively. If you: have: ny questions or concerns with respect to the citys eration of its electrical generation facility, atter, please contact this office. : Presently the cit ig amelectrical facility supported by one 85 KWig, ne nc sne# 100 KW generator. Both powerplants are pfiredy 5 are the primary ely households, six of the present m concerned. The ty hazard and the ptible to a major Pkoctss and the facility and its dig present system is a: distribution system? eA] breakdown. The present C distribution system = normal operating life? I am requesting ; technical assistance the present system fa the present inadequaci ta in receiving appropriate fundings£o I would appreciate your -assignime this request. eae - 3 Thank you for your” rt “request. x y reduction of the t 5 Authority provide ai in correcting Jgfantial nature of’ Wetraints inherent 5 sary improvem ats, priority ia to RBS L. Law gf cs . on ay wm City Administrator JLL/ms TOP OF THE KUSKOKWIM RIVER INCORPORATED 1970 March 28, 1985 Mr. Jay L. Law City Administrator City of Nikolai Nikolai, Alaska 99691 Dear Mr. Laws We are in receipt of your letter requesting technical assistance in the form of generation system assessment and subsequent recommenda- tion to remedy any problems found. Peter Hansen, Rural Systems Engineer, will visit the community to evaluate the present system and to recommend solutions to problems. Mr. Hansen {is in Southeast Alaska through March 29 working on another project. He will be in touch with you before April 15th to ~ arrange a-visit to Nikolai. We understand that you are concerned about safety. hazards and that you want a system evaluation in time to make-a@ request-for grant assistance to remedy the situation: . 2% Sincerely, ao : we SSS : ‘ : “ itete a 4 = Edwin L. Morris, ee Associate Executive Director of Planning ELM/nm tolls tid 8893/346/F1 N. Hansen, Rural Systems Engine heip: Technical Assistance visit at the request of the Olai to evaluate the severity af the problems with the doacal power generation and distributiean io left Anchorage International Airport at 9.30 a.m. in a Cessna i?2 rented from Aviation -Network., Arrived in Nicolai at 121.15 Aa Me T met with Mr, day law, City Administratar for the City of Nicolai. After an initial briefing about the various problems, we walked along all distribution lines. Unfortunately the problems were much worse than first anticipated. Among these problems were: Several poles had fallen over and the lines were laying on the ground. poles still standing were untreated lecal spruce and af these poles were in poor shape. Many peles were missing. These poles had never been installed and in order ta keep the lines off the ground, tri-pads constructed trom 2-4 inch diameter spruce poles had been used. Some of these tric-pods had collapsed. 4, Lines insulated for over head service had heen used under ground for cunmay crossing etc, ansformers were designed far interior service. teanstormers could be reached fram the graund and id splices could be reached as well. uningulated wires mounted osed, hat 4 he stem in Nicolai enced during the to the ability of the local Home-made saolutians to equipment grade the RS are £5 is ta pends. given to inmediate accident recommend before ea reviewing the system I installed a recerding ampe-meter on rerator in service. This canfirmed reports by that ance man that phase imbalance was a prablem. The generators produce 48% volts, INaSe power, and 3 phase power is supplied to the school and to the washeteria. However, na S-phase i uged anywhere} ali canmected loads are 24a ar 128 volts, 2. It was reported that especially when the school was che imbalance was a problem. The city has experienced generator burn-outs due to phase averload even though the total load did net exceed generator capacity. This has caused the operators to aperate over-sized generators and as a result of this, the fuel efficiency has been poor. ft should be considered to convert the generatian and distributian system to all single phase in oarder tai improve 3 em stability and efficiency. Another problem wenhiamed by the coueratar was the inherent lack requency stability ain the system. The operater had ta ntily adjust the generator speed accerding to load in order a to keeg the frequency within 2-% Hz. fore departing Nicolai T met with Mr. Jay Law again and Mr. Law plained ta me that the City of Nicalai would be interested in baind a loan from the Alaska Fower Authority for the Woarades. { proamised Mr. Law toa investigate the ef such loan funds. steam serving the part af the vilage Lly be regarded om the trees. tion of the current s north the runway can basi cord which is hanging fr Glaska Power Authority can provide mys merification Revelving Loan Fund at 3H. O.he ane arrived ba in Anchorage at 4.45 ba 1. Welcome to Nicolai! 2. Interior type transformers, exterior mounted 3 and 6 feet above ground. Uninsulated splices accessible behind cover. Voltage: 480 volt. 3. 480 volt duplex line on tripod, sag to 3 feet above ground. Note interior type transformer approximately 5 feet above ground in back ground. 4. 240 volt duples service connection. Note fallen pole and sag to 5 feet above ground. 5. Pole mounted interior transformer approximately 10 feet above ground. 6. Close up view of 480 volt duplex line mounted on tripod approximately 8 feet above ground. 7. 480 volt duplex line on tripod. Line sags to ground. 8. 480 volt duplex line on corner pole. Note labor saving utilization of "local materials". 9. 480 volt duplex line on tripod. Sag to 5 feet above ground. 10. l-phase and 3-phase service connections to Washeteria. 11. 480 volt duplex line, sag to ground. 12. New generator in existing power house module. 13. Generator modules and switch gear module. 14. Generator modules and "fuel transfer facilities". 15. 480 volt duplex line on 5 ft. tripod. Line sags to ground and runs as it is under the runway. Hot runway has been reported. 16. Generator module. 17. Spare parts and lube oil storage. wi diet. 18. Tank farm and "fuel transfer facilities". Note condition of tank dike at corner. The following grants have been recieved by the City of Nicolai for -electrification and power related projects in recent years: Year Grant no. Amount Admin. Through Purpose of grant. 19735 75-11-98 26, BBD DCRA Electrification 1978 78-11-89 25, BS DCRA Electrification 1978 78-11-18 26, BBD DCRA Electrification 1989 Ge-1 1-11 58, OS DCRA . Electrification 1981 61-11-12 7G, BOS DCRA Electrification 1984 84-11-14 35, 548 DCRA New generator 1984 84-11-15 38, BOD DCRA Bulk fuel facility 1985 aa 1 17 3B, BBD DCRA Bulk fuel facility Source: City of Nicolai, 7/9/85.