Electricity use reaches all time peak

 

Januar 19, 2012

The cities of Wrangell and Petersburg maxed out the available power from the Tyee Hydroelectric Project on Tuesday, as temperatures in Petersburg dipped to zero during the evening.

“This morning we set a new all time peak for Wrangell and Petersburg right at 20 megawatts. Tomorrow morning it will be even higher,” said Joe Nelson, Petersburg Municipal Power and Light Superintendent. Tyee is basically a 20-megawatt plant, Nelson explained.

The re-built, re-wound plant is capable of delivering as much as 24 megawatts, according to Nelson who said the Tyee transmission line is not connected to Ketchikan at the present time. He said it takes 1-1/2 megawatts just to energize the line to Ketchikan.

According to Nelson, diesels were not required to supplement the peak loads on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Nelson said as the refurbished Tyee generators operate, their output will diminish slightly after 20 years or so.

 

See print edition for complete local coverage. Content (C) 2012 Petersburg Pilot