Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Gov. hopeful 'troubled' by Parnell's gas line optimism
Gov. hopeful 'troubled' by Parnell's gas line optimism
Bill Walker, a Republican running for governor, issued a press release expressing dismay at Gov. Sean Parnell's refusal to veer from the current course in pursuit of a natural gas pipeline.
Walker rolled out his candidacy largely on a platform calling for the state to scrap its deal with TransCanada under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, and instead to invest its own money in a line straight from the North Slope to Valdez.
In Parnell's State of the State speech to lawmakers earlier Wednesday evening, he stood by the AGIA commitment and touted "significant progress."
Bill Walker, a Republican running for governor, issued a press release expressing dismay at Gov. Sean Parnell's refusal to veer from the current course in pursuit of a natural gas pipeline.
Walker rolled out his candidacy largely on a platform calling for the state to scrap its deal with TransCanada under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, and instead to invest its own money in a line straight from the North Slope to Valdez.
In Parnell's State of the State speech to lawmakers earlier Wednesday evening, he stood by the AGIA commitment and touted "significant progress."
Governor targets oil taxes, federal 'war' on Alaska: Government | adn.com
Governor targets oil taxes, federal 'war' on Alaska: Government | adn.com
Gov. Sean Parnell used his first State of the State speech Wednesday night to criticize the federal government and defend his proposals for oil company tax breaks and a big new college scholarship program based on grades rather than need.
The Republican governor's speech comes as many legislators in his own party say he's not doing nearly enough to reduce how much the state taxes oil company profits. Parnell is getting heat on the other side, too. Democrats say he's trying to give tax concessions to the oil industry that aren't needed.
Gov. Sean Parnell used his first State of the State speech Wednesday night to criticize the federal government and defend his proposals for oil company tax breaks and a big new college scholarship program based on grades rather than need.
The Republican governor's speech comes as many legislators in his own party say he's not doing nearly enough to reduce how much the state taxes oil company profits. Parnell is getting heat on the other side, too. Democrats say he's trying to give tax concessions to the oil industry that aren't needed.
Monday, January 18, 2010
A Martin Luther King Day editorial - Southeast Alaska energy development needs support
Martin Luther King day marks an important, but sad third anniversary of the BC Provincial Government's effort to garner the state of Alaska's interest in interconnecting a proposed Province of British Columbia transmission extension project near Southeast Alaska. Southeast Alaska's hydroelectric capacity, if it all were developable would be near BC's present installed capacity of 11,000 megawatts. Developing roughly a third the Alaska Panhandle's energy capacity would bring a significant amount of renewable energy production (some 3000 megawatts) benefits to the region and North America.
Interestingly, three years ago, had then Governor Palin and her administration replied affirmatively to a visiting BC provincial government's representative regarding an Alaska - Canada electrical interconnection - when she later ran for vice-president, she would have indeed been able to legitimately claim some foreign policy experience. Instead she chose Russian-Alaska geography as her foreign policy experience and it only begat ridicule.
Today as in three years ago, the Southeast minority communities of Angoon, Hoonah, Klukwan and Kake continue to pay outrageous and discriminatory electrical energy pricing. This is a sad fact of reality that racial minorities throughout Alaska are not receiving efforts to at least achieve parity in electrical energy costs. Most rural Alaskan communities aren't lacking sufficient energy resources, they are missing economies of scale for the resources which are present. This is precisely what an Alaska - Canada Intertie would help bring to Alaska.
Alaskans whom travel to and through Canada mostly are quite fond of their fellow Northerners because there is an implicit understanding of the grit it takes to live in the North. We Northerners know that we have different national governments, but we are all so distant from Washington, D.C and Ottawa that somehow our differences are more to the background than in the forefront. Canada, both nationally and provincially has reached out to Southeast Alaska acknowledging its significant promise to bring more green energy production to North America.
The City and Borough of Wrangell has sponsored the formation of the Alaska Canada Energy Coalition. It is a membership organization which is comprised of Alaskans and Canadians of Alaska municipalities, native corporations and tribal organizations in both countries. Other southeast communities are moving towards support for this organization's efforts. This effort hold more promise for the region's economic success than anything that has come before.
Today Governor Sean Parnell and Alaska legislators have a similar choice to make. Except it is one which can make a huge economic difference to the Southeast region which is predicted lose to two state legislators in the upcoming reapportionment. For a number of years about this time, representatives of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region's "PNWER" board travel to Alaska to gather information regarding mutually beneficial opportunities. Should they meet with the Alaska's governor and legislators on this - let's hope our leaders will make a decision for developing Southeast's economy by supporting an Alaska Canada Electrical Interconnection.
Interestingly, three years ago, had then Governor Palin and her administration replied affirmatively to a visiting BC provincial government's representative regarding an Alaska - Canada electrical interconnection - when she later ran for vice-president, she would have indeed been able to legitimately claim some foreign policy experience. Instead she chose Russian-Alaska geography as her foreign policy experience and it only begat ridicule.
Today as in three years ago, the Southeast minority communities of Angoon, Hoonah, Klukwan and Kake continue to pay outrageous and discriminatory electrical energy pricing. This is a sad fact of reality that racial minorities throughout Alaska are not receiving efforts to at least achieve parity in electrical energy costs. Most rural Alaskan communities aren't lacking sufficient energy resources, they are missing economies of scale for the resources which are present. This is precisely what an Alaska - Canada Intertie would help bring to Alaska.
Alaskans whom travel to and through Canada mostly are quite fond of their fellow Northerners because there is an implicit understanding of the grit it takes to live in the North. We Northerners know that we have different national governments, but we are all so distant from Washington, D.C and Ottawa that somehow our differences are more to the background than in the forefront. Canada, both nationally and provincially has reached out to Southeast Alaska acknowledging its significant promise to bring more green energy production to North America.
The City and Borough of Wrangell has sponsored the formation of the Alaska Canada Energy Coalition. It is a membership organization which is comprised of Alaskans and Canadians of Alaska municipalities, native corporations and tribal organizations in both countries. Other southeast communities are moving towards support for this organization's efforts. This effort hold more promise for the region's economic success than anything that has come before.
Today Governor Sean Parnell and Alaska legislators have a similar choice to make. Except it is one which can make a huge economic difference to the Southeast region which is predicted lose to two state legislators in the upcoming reapportionment. For a number of years about this time, representatives of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region's "PNWER" board travel to Alaska to gather information regarding mutually beneficial opportunities. Should they meet with the Alaska's governor and legislators on this - let's hope our leaders will make a decision for developing Southeast's economy by supporting an Alaska Canada Electrical Interconnection.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Link would give Alaskans access to North American Power Grid - Vancouver Sun, January 13
Link would give Alaskans access to North American Power Grid - Vancouver Sun, January 13
British Columbia's plan for a $400-million high voltage power line into the northwest has Alaskans buzzing about the project's potential to spark green power development in their state.
Southeast Alaska has more than 3,000 megawatts of potential electricity generation at 80-plus sites, including hydro, wind and tidal power.
But with a population of 70,000 people scattered across a 650-kilometre area, the geographically isolated southeast market is too small to absorb even a fraction of that electricity. It's not economical unless it can be exported.
The northwest line would give Alaska access, for purposes of electricity sales, to the entire western North America electricity market.
Alaska-Canada Energy Coalition spokesman Paul Southland was in contact last week with BC Transmission Corp., which is responsible for construction of the 287-kilovolt line, and has a face-to-face meeting with BCTC officials later this month.
British Columbia's plan for a $400-million high voltage power line into the northwest has Alaskans buzzing about the project's potential to spark green power development in their state.
Southeast Alaska has more than 3,000 megawatts of potential electricity generation at 80-plus sites, including hydro, wind and tidal power.
But with a population of 70,000 people scattered across a 650-kilometre area, the geographically isolated southeast market is too small to absorb even a fraction of that electricity. It's not economical unless it can be exported.
The northwest line would give Alaska access, for purposes of electricity sales, to the entire western North America electricity market.
Alaska-Canada Energy Coalition spokesman Paul Southland was in contact last week with BC Transmission Corp., which is responsible for construction of the 287-kilovolt line, and has a face-to-face meeting with BCTC officials later this month.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Ketchikan supplements with diesel generation - KRBD Ketchikan, Alaska -
KRBD - Public Radio in Ketchikan, Alaska - Local News
Deanna Garrison
KETCHIKAN, ALASKA (2010-01-07) Beginning Friday, Ketchikan Public Utilities will start operating diesel generators at a cost of $36,000 a day. KPU says a surge in electricity usage and dry weather last year is causing the utility to rely on costly diesel power.
Deanna Garrison
KETCHIKAN, ALASKA (2010-01-07) Beginning Friday, Ketchikan Public Utilities will start operating diesel generators at a cost of $36,000 a day. KPU says a surge in electricity usage and dry weather last year is causing the utility to rely on costly diesel power.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Terrace Standard - Big push for Alaska-B.C. power line
Terrace Standard - Big push for Alaska-B.C. power line
PROPONENTS of a power line connecting Southeast Alaska with B.C. providing access to the North American electricity market say they need their governor to speak to B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell.
They’re convinced a groundswell of support in southeastern Alaska can now be transformed into action on a senior political level, says Paul Southland, a Wrangell, Alaska resident and key backer of the ACEcoaltion with ACE standing for Alaska Canada Energy. The key now, says Southland, is the planned Northwest Transmission Line which would run north of Terrace up to a place called Bob Quinn on Hwy37 North.
PROPONENTS of a power line connecting Southeast Alaska with B.C. providing access to the North American electricity market say they need their governor to speak to B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell.
They’re convinced a groundswell of support in southeastern Alaska can now be transformed into action on a senior political level, says Paul Southland, a Wrangell, Alaska resident and key backer of the ACEcoaltion with ACE standing for Alaska Canada Energy. The key now, says Southland, is the planned Northwest Transmission Line which would run north of Terrace up to a place called Bob Quinn on Hwy37 North.
BC Iconoclast: The strong need - to build a powerline to Alaska and Yukon
BC Iconoclast: The strong need - to build a powerline to Alaska and Yukon
Currently the plans are to build a new transmission line part way up Highway #37, this line is proposed to be a 287kV line. The power line is very important for the development of numerous projects in Northwest BC, but it could have a much more important role if it were built all the way to Alaska and much larger.
BC can play a very important role in North America by making it possible for northern power to be wheeled to the south. The northwest of BC along highway #37, Alaska and Yukon all have very high potentials for sustainable energy production. About 1/3 of the untapped hydroelectric generation potential in the US lies in Alaska.
Currently the plans are to build a new transmission line part way up Highway #37, this line is proposed to be a 287kV line. The power line is very important for the development of numerous projects in Northwest BC, but it could have a much more important role if it were built all the way to Alaska and much larger.
BC can play a very important role in North America by making it possible for northern power to be wheeled to the south. The northwest of BC along highway #37, Alaska and Yukon all have very high potentials for sustainable energy production. About 1/3 of the untapped hydroelectric generation potential in the US lies in Alaska.
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner -Alaska Railroad gets federal OK to extend tracks to Delta
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - The voice of Interior Alaska since 1903
A federal board has cleared the state railroad’s plan to extend track to Delta Junction.
The decision follows months of review by the Surface Transportation Board, which considered public testimony on the plan and a slate of potential environmental issues.
The three-member board said in a statement Tuesday it was satisfied the plan, which includes drawings for a half-mile bridge near Salcha across the Tanana River, would provide safe and reliable year-round freight options and access to vast military training grounds.
A federal board has cleared the state railroad’s plan to extend track to Delta Junction.
The decision follows months of review by the Surface Transportation Board, which considered public testimony on the plan and a slate of potential environmental issues.
The three-member board said in a statement Tuesday it was satisfied the plan, which includes drawings for a half-mile bridge near Salcha across the Tanana River, would provide safe and reliable year-round freight options and access to vast military training grounds.
Friday, January 1, 2010
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