Nuvista files Six-Month Progress Report with FERC

Since August of 2012 Nuvista has had a preliminary permit allowing study of Chikuminuk Lake as a potential hydroelectric project. The Preliminary Permit was issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). As part of the permit, Nuvista must report progress to FERC every six months. On January 28, 2013, Nuvista filed with FERC an Initial Six-Month Progress Report that describes the consultation and studies that have occurred to date as well as the plans for 2013.

You can find the Progress Report at www.nuvistacoop.org and www.ferc.gov.

Nuvista Seeks Project Workgroup Participants

Nuvista Light and Electric Cooperative remains busy planning and prepping for the continued environmental field studies that need to occur to assess whether the Chikuminuk Lake Hydroelectric Project makes sense for Western Alaska.

Key to successful studies and analysis will be input and guidance from community members and people knowledgeable about the Chikuminuk Lake area, surrounding region, and its resources.  The project team will be developing community-based workgroups to provide meaningful input on the project, the process, and the necessary analysis.  We are just getting started organizing these advisory bodies.  If you are interested in participating in a Project Workgroup please contact Tanya Iden with your particular areas of interest and your contact information. We will make sure you are invited to participate when the time comes.  We expect workgroups to meet as early as this Spring. Project Workgroups will provide a link to community knowledge and help make sure the right decision is made on this potential project.

Electricity 101: Watt, Kilowatt, Megawatt – WHAT?

MW, kWh, what does it all mean?
Watts, kilowatts (kW) and megawatts (MW) are all measurements of the rate at which energy is generated or used, at three different scales. We can think of these as Small (individual appliance, described in watts), Medium (household usage, described in kilowatts), and Large (the power plant, described in megawatts). One kilowatt (kW) equals 1,000 watts, and one megawatt (MW) equals 1,000 kilowatts (or 1,000,000 watts).

Small: When you buy a light-bulb, the package usually tells you how many watts the bulb uses. We think of this as a measurement of how bright the bulb is, but actually it’s telling us how much electricity the bulb uses. Most light bulbs use somewhere between 40 and100 watts. Following are some typical wattages of various appliances: Coffee maker 900-1,200; clothes dryer 1,800-5,000; refrigerator 650; television 150; dvd player 25 (Source: Energy.gov).

Medium: Perhaps someone in your community or a neighboring village has put up a wind turbine recently. They proudly tell you it is a 100kW turbine, which means that when the wind is blowing strong and steady, it can generate 100kW of power at a given moment in time. That’s enough to power about 1,000 of those 100-watt light bulbs we just looked at.

Large: Megawatts are usually used to describe the output of power plants. One megawatt is enough for 10,000 100-watt light bulbs. Initial estimates of Chikuminuk’s generating capacity range from 13-60 MW.

When it comes to your bill: A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a measure of how much electric energy is used over time. When you buy gas they charge you by the gallon. When you buy electricity they charge you by the kilowatt-hour (kWh). When you use 1,000 watts for one hour, that's a kilowatt-hour. For example, in a Bethel household, electricity costs 34.5¢ per kWh (with PCE, without PCE it would be 50.8¢), the average customer in the Lower Yukon/Kuskokwim region uses approximately 4,300 kWh/year, which means more than $1,400 each year or $120/month is spent on electricity. The cost per kWh in urban Alaska averages about 14¢.

What do we use all this energy for?
We use energy to heat buildings, warm water, turn on the lights, and power the appliances that allow us to live, work and play. Alaskans total household energy costs break out as follows: (Source: Energy Saving Tips for Rural Alaska, 2011)

• Space Heating: 38%
• Water Heating: 15%
• Lighting: 13%
• Electronics: 8%
• Refrigeration: 7%
• Cooking: 7%
• Clothes Dryers + Dishwashers: 7%
• Computers: 1%
• Other: 4%

Energy Star: Iceland - A Renewable Energy Leader

Iceland is a small European country located just south of the Arctic Circle. Like Alaska, it has a young government – Iceland became a nation only 10 years before Alaska became a state, with a relatively small population and a landscape of tundra, glaciers and volcanoes. Icelanders care about their natural environment, social impact of development, and economic prosperity.

Icelanders get 80% of their energy from hydro and geothermal power and the remaining 20% from imported fossil fuel. Renewables provide nearly 100% of Iceland's electricity and space heating needs; imported fuels are mainly used in transportation and fisheries. Iceland has two 900kw wind turbines installed in 2012 that are showing great potential for wind energy, but Iceland does not really need the extra power.

Iceland has used its natural, renewable energy resources to build its economy, creating jobs and prosperity for its people. Their energy cannot be exported directly, but the country can develop and attract new jobs in energy-intensive industries.  As a small and open economy, Iceland recognizes the importance of diversifying its economy, which is about one-third energy intensive industries and one-third fishing.

The primary energy intensive industry in Iceland is smelting aluminum, which consumed about 73% of the electricity produced in Iceland in 2010. Aluminum extraction operations around the world ship their raw materials to Iceland for smelting. New industries that are benefitting from geothermal energy include carbon fiber production, renewable methanol/carbon recycling, algae production, fish farming, and industrial scale greenhouses.

FAQ: How much will this project cost?

Recently the project team was asked: How much will this project cost?

Answer: The project is still in the preliminary stages, so it is not yet possible to estimate the total cost with much confidence. Total cost will depend on the engineering required to build the dam and transmission infrastructure (climate and site conditions may require special engineering solutions), construction costs when it is built (these may change over time, due to inflation or the availability of needed materials and labor), financing rates, and the regulatory and policy environment (such as requirements for additional environmental or technical studies) that could slow the project schedule. As studies go forward over the next 1-2 years, initial cost estimates will be developed and shared with the public.

Did you know that Nuvista maintains a frequently asked questions link on their website. Is there a question that you would like to have answered?  Send an e-mail to Chuck Casper, ccasper@nuvistacoop.org, with your question.