AEA to hold Railbelt hydro meetings

The Alaska Energy Authority will host Railbelt hydroelectric energy open houses in five communities, beginning in Fairbanks Feb. 24 and ending in Kenai March 16.

In November AEA recommended that the Low Watana site on the Susitna River be the primary hydroelectric project for Alaska’s Railbelt. The open houses provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about the project.

“Alaska’s goal of producing 50 percent of our power from renewable resources by 2025 can only be met by building a large hydroelectric project on the Railbelt,” said AEA Executive Director Sara Fisher-Goad. “The Susitna Project will help us reach this target and will provide cost-effective, reliable, long-term power for generations. I encourage the public to take advantage of these opportunities to learn why the Susitna Hydro Project is favored.”

The meeting schedule is:

Fairbanks, Feb. 24, 5-8 p.m. open house; 6 p.m. presentation, Princess Riverside Lodge;

Talkeetna, Feb. 28, 5-7 p.m. open house, 5:30 p.m. presentation, Talkeetna Elementary School gym;

Palmer, March 1, 5-8 p.m. open house, 6 p.m. presentation, Palmer Community Center (Depot);

Anchorage, March 2, 5-8 p.m. open house, 6 p.m. presentation, Dena’ina Center; and

Kenai, March 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m. open house, 6 p.m. presentation, Challenger Learning Center.

Additional information can be found at www.akenergyauthority.org.

—Petroleum News