HomeMy WebLinkAboutSBS Letter of Support - False Pass Hydro 1.27
Sitka ✦ Craig ✦ Valdez ✦ Naknek ✦ False Pass ✦ Kodiak
January 27, 2022
Dear Mayor Hoblet:
Silver Bay Seafoods is pleased to offer this letter supporting the City’s proposal to complete
design and permitting of a hydropower project on Unga Man Creek to provide local and
sustainable electricity to our community.
We are aware that False Pass has been actively studying hydropower for several years now, and
we are heartened to know that the feasibility study phase is coming to a successful conclusion
and that the City is turning to the next stage of development.
Based on the 2016 feasibility study progress report, the approximately 140 kW run-of-river
project is expected to provide about 75% of the electric utility load. Excess generating capacity
can be dispatched to public buildings to reduce heating fuel usage. Total community fuel
savings are estimated to be about 45,000 gallons per year.
We support this project for several reasons.
1. We expect that hydropower will over time reduce electric rates in the community,
benefiting residents and businesses with direct cost savings and indirect local economic
benefits.
2. The project will help to insulate False Pass from the fuel price volatility and resultant rate
shocks that hit all electric consumers. These harm our businesses and residents. Price
stability is a significant benefit to our community.
3. Local hydropower will be a long-term renewable energy resource for the community. It
will directly improve our resilience, energy security, and long term environmental and
economic sustainability.
4. The project is well-researched. Fisheries studies and hydrology studies conducted since
2015 have demonstrated the water resource is there and that it can be developed without
undue impact on local fisheries.
5. Hydropower is a proven robust technology that has been successfully used for many
decades by many remote communities throughout the Aleutians, Alaska and the world.
There is minimal technology risk with this project.
We appreciate the City’s on-going efforts to develop this hydropower project, and we are pleased
to support the current application for grant funding to complete project design and permitting.
Respectfully,
Abby Fredrick
Director of Communications