In what otherwise was a largely ceremonial evening, the Sitka assembly on Tuesday (10-14-14) conducted some business, and heard about the first major setback in the Blue Lake project.
Sitka utility director Chris Brewton, with the hundreds of pages of planning documents for the Blue Lake project. (KCAW photo/Ed Ronco)
Utility director Chris Brewton delivered the news that one of the step-up transformers — which convert the 12,000 volts produced by the hydroelectric turbines to 69,000 volts for transmission into town — is defective.
“We opened up the defective transformer today and did in fact find internal damage… Evidently there was a loose connection and it arced internally to the transformer.”
Brewton said a representative of the manufacturer was in Sitka to assist in diagnosing the trouble. According to information supplied in the assembly packet, the transformers cost just over $603,000.
The snafu occurred during testing of the three new turbines in the Blue Lake powerhouse — testing which has gone very well.
“Other than that, all three turbines are pretty much ready-to-roll and go on line. Units 5 and 3 have been energized and placed on the grid. Unit 4 — the mechanical testing’s done. We’re ready to roll it and energize it electrically.”
Basically, Sitka has a functioning hydroelectric plant, but no way to deliver all the power.
Until this event, the Blue Lake hydroelectric expansion looked like it would be wrapped up early. Brewton told the assembly they would now have to settle for being on time.
“We were ahead of schedule on everything. This is really going to cause us some problems, and we’re kind of slipping back to being on schedule, instead of being ahead.”
New parts for the transformer are expected to arrive in Sitka on Monday. But that’s not all of the solution. Brewton said he needs to find and condition 1,500 gallons of oil to refill the transformer. The Electric Department has only 400 gallons in stock.
The setback is not just for the delivery of power — Sitka’s water supply is also affected. Plans to reconnect the community to Blue Lake as early as this weekend have now been pushed back to November 15.
In other business Tuesday night, the assembly approved sending a surplus ambulance to the community of Hollis, free of charge.
The ambulance was slated to be sold, and might have brought in around $5,000.
Assembly member Matt Hunter, who is also a member of Sitka’s emergency medical services, defended the idea. He said the Alaskan tradition of taking care of each other was definitely alive in the world of emergency services.
“If we can take something that this small community — one of our neighbors — cannot afford, and is a small amount of money, I think it more than outweighs the benefit to the city of keeping that ambulance, or selling it for $5,000.”
The assembly voted 5-0 to take the ambulance off the market and give it to the town of Hollis. Member Ben Miyasato approved on condition that Hollis send a photo of their new equipment in action.
