Ketchikan Public Utilities System Description

KPU owns and operators Ketchikan Lakes Hydro Project, Beaver Falls Hydro Project (which includes Silvis Lakes), and the recently completed Whitman Lake Hydro Project.  Ketchikan also receives energy via  SEAPA’s  Swan-Tyee Intertie transmission line, which connects the community to Wrangell and Petersburg’s electrical grids.”

Ketchikan’s total dedicated hydro capacity is approximately 40 megawatts (MW), including KPU and SEAPA-owned projects.    KPU maintains four peaking/standby diesel generators at Bailey Powerhouse totaling 24MW, and two other diesel generators at the North Point Higgins Substation totalling 3.2MW.  The diesel generators provide power to the community in times of low reservoir levels, hydro maintenance periods, and for emergency use during outages.

KPU's infrastructure includes seven distribution substations, 30-miles of 34.5kV sub-transmission lines, 100-miles of 12.47kV distribution lines, and nearly 7,700 meters.

KPU is participating with other regional utilities to develop an "integrated resource plan" to facilitate growth and development throughout the greater Southeast Alaska region.