Heads-up to anyone in Juneau, and to anyone moving here soon... (Anchorage: house, assess)

[DannyL]

NEW - Juneau loses Snettisham power for extended period, avalanche to blame



Juneau has been choked off from its chief supply of electricity by an avalanche.

Gayle Wood of Alaska Electric Light and Power says it happened at about four this morning.

She says it was hardly noticed, except by Thane Road residents, because of diesel generation they had running at the time and low load demands at that hour.

She says it was a massive avalanche about three miles from the Snettisham power house that took out about a mile and a hour of transmission line. That includes damage to four to five towers, she says.

Wood says the community will be virtually reliant on diesel generated power for two to three months with the exception of power that can be generated through the Gold Creek, Salmon Creek and Annex Creek facilities.

The electric utility official says customers can expect to see some very high bills. She figures a 200 hundred percent jump. Wood says she wouldn't be surprised to see an increase to 30 to 35 cents per kilowatt hour prices. It's at eleven cents now.

Since the area is very unstable, Wood says they don't expect to start repairs for two to three weeks since they need to wait for avalanche danger to subside. She describes the terrain in the area as very steep. At this point, they're trying to assess the damage from the air.

Wood calls it the worst disaster they've ever had on the Snettisham line. She used the word "catastrophic" and called it "a hard hit."

Wood stressed the importance of conservation during this time. Right now, she says they're trying to figure out how to secure enough diesel to handle this kind of long term need.

[cobolt]

Originally Posted by DannyL

NEW - Juneau loses Snettisham power for extended period, avalanche to blame



Juneau has been choked off from its chief supply of electricity by an avalanche.

Gayle Wood of Alaska Electric Light and Power says it happened at about four this morning.

She says it was hardly noticed, except by Thane Road residents, because of diesel generation they had running at the time and low load demands at that hour.

She says it was a massive avalanche about three miles from the Snettisham power house that took out about a mile and a hour of transmission line. That includes damage to four to five towers, she says.

Wood says the community will be virtually reliant on diesel generated power for two to three months with the exception of power that can be generated through the Gold Creek, Salmon Creek and Annex Creek facilities.

The electric utility official says customers can expect to see some very high bills. She figures a 200 hundred percent jump. Wood says she wouldn't be surprised to see an increase to 30 to 35 cents per kilowatt hour prices. It's at eleven cents now.

Since the area is very unstable, Wood says they don't expect to start repairs for two to three weeks since they need to wait for avalanche danger to subside. She describes the terrain in the area as very steep. At this point, they're trying to assess the damage from the air.

Wood calls it the worst disaster they've ever had on the Snettisham line. She used the word "catastrophic" and called it "a hard hit."

Wood stressed the importance of conservation during this time. Right now, she says they're trying to figure out how to secure enough diesel to handle this kind of long term need.

Geez. I just read that in the empire before you posted it. That's a hard blow.

[Rance]

Thane Road? My middle name is Thane. How cool.

Bummer about the electric bills increasing tho.

[Xa'at]

Man, this sucks!

[Rance]

Xa'at you might consider building a cold fusion reactor, or at least suggest they bury the electric lines across that avalanche zone.

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by Rance

Xa'at you might consider building a cold fusion reactor, or at least suggest they bury the electric lines across that avalanche zone.

Cold fusion? As far as I know that is physically impossible. To get nuclei to fuse together, you have to hurl them at each other at thermonuclear speeds and temperatures. We're talking really, really fast and really, really hot. So far this is the only way we've been able to get past the coulomb barrier...

[Rance]

So I guess just burying the cable rather than using towers in an avalanche path is the best thing.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

Cold fusion? As far as I know that is physically impossible. To get nuclei to fuse together, you have to hurl them at each other at thermonuclear speeds and temperatures. We're talking really, really fast and really, really hot. So far this is the only way we've been able to get past the coulomb barrier...

Why not use that particle accelerator they just built in Switzerland?

[DannyL]

and it's snowing like hell outside right now. kinda ironic, or maybe karma. the villages deal with diesel generatored power every winter, and it was something the legislator's were supposed to deal with this last time.

[Barkingowl]

I bet the legislators planned this. No reason not to move the capital to Anchorage now.