CEA rebuilds section of transmission line

Chugach Electric Association is rebuilding a four-mile section of the electrical transmission intertie that links Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula, the Anchorage based utility announced Feb. 1. The section of the intertie, between mileposts 55 and 61 of the Seward Highway, was originally constructed in 1962 and is nearing the end of its useful life. As part of the rebuild, the line will be upgraded from 115-kilovolt to 230-kilovolt standards, to maintain reliability and accommodate anticipated future load growth, Chugach Electric says.

As the only electrical power connection between the Kenai Peninsula and the Anchorage region, the intertie plays a crucial role in electricity supplies along the Alaska Railbelt. The line carries power produced at the Cooper Lake and Bradley Lake hydropower facilities, and from Homer Electric’s Nikiski gas-fired power station, to Anchorage.

Clearing for the construction work began in December, with construction beginning in January. The project, which involves the replacement of the existing transmission line structures and conductors, is scheduled to be completed by May, Chugach Electric says. Although the project will generate increased truck traffic on the Seward Highway, the utility does not anticipate any resulting traffic delays.

- ALAN BAILEY