HomeMy WebLinkAboutSUPPORTING INFO - 2. REF Site Selection Memo
TO: Alaska Energy Authority
FROM: CIRI Energy, LLC
DATE: December 5, 2022
SUBJECT: Renewable Energy Fund Application – Site Selection
Background
The proposed projects – Beluga and Healy Renewable Resource Assessments – will
conduct a wind and solar resource assessment to determine the extent of energy
resources sufficient for the development of a 40 MW+ renewable energy project on
the privately owned lands of Cook Inlet Region, Inc.
Site Selection
The CIRI Energy team selected the Beluga and Healy sites for a renewable resource
assessment using a three-phase filtering process:
Phase I
The initial screening exercise narrowed CIRI’s 1.6 million acres of land to
approximately 47,000 1 acres of surface estate using the following criteria:
• Road access
• Greater than 30 acres
• Within one mile of main Railbelt transmission lines
• Not within an oil and gas unit or under CIRI lease
• Established site control
CIRI Energy retains access to all lands owned through its parent company, CIRI, and
therefore does not foresee any issues with the establishment of site control. CIRI
acquired the surface and subsurface rights pursuant to Sec.14(e) of the Alaska Claims
Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA). The rights of the lands in the study area were
conveyed between 1979 and 2010 by Interim Conveyance, patent, or a combination
of Interim Conveyance and patent 2. Section 1410 of the Alaska National Interest
Lands Conservation Act of 1980 amended Section 22(j) of ANCSA by adding “… the
force and effect of such an Interim Conveyance shall be to convey to and vest in the
recipient exactly the same right, title, and interest in and to the lands as the recipient
would have received had he been issued a patent by the United States”.
1 Reference attached “Renewable Resource Phase 1 Map”
2 Reference attached “Beluga/Healy Conveyance Documents”
Alaska Energy Authority
Renewable Energy Fund Application
December 5, 2022
Page 2 of 3
Figure 1 shows the general area of study between Homer and Fairbanks, and
Attachment #1 is a detailed map of the of the 47,000 acres that were identified for
Phase II evaluation.
Figure 1. Renewable Resource Assessment Project Area
Phase II
The second phase of the filtering process narrowed the 47,000 acres to six large
parcels that could support a 40 MW+ wind and/or solar project. The six parcels were
selected by considering the following criteria:
• Greater than 1,500 acres
• Minimum distance to transmission lines or substations with appropriate voltage
• Site accessibility sufficient for continuous O&M
• Clear of potentially conflicting infrastructure/land uses
o Airports and runways
o Residential and highly populated areas
• Free of protected and sensitive areas
• Insignificant waterbodies, wetlands and floodplains
• Constructable terrain
Alaska Energy Authority
Renewable Energy Fund Application
December 5, 2022
Page 3 of 3
Figure 2. Parcels Selected for Phase II Evaluation
Phase III
The final phase of the filtering process applied a third set of criteria to reach a final
site selection. The Beluga and Healy parcels were chosen for the renewable resource
assessment after further consideration of the following:
• Land characteristics
• Estimated buildable area, shape complexity and land use
• Technical considerations
• Interconnection considerations
o Distance to transmission line at appropriate voltage
o Transmission constraints
o Future transmission line upgrades
• Railbelt utility service territories