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AEA drops one Bradley Lake alternative
Project expected to increase hydroelectric output by 10%; Dixon Diversion will be focus; Martin River powerhouse proposal dropped
Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
The Alaska Energy Authority issued an update March 27 for its proposed Dixon Diversion for the Bradley Lake Project, dropping one of two alternatives it had been considering for increasing the power output from Bradley Lake, which provides some 10% of the electric power used by Railbelt utilities.
AEA is pursuing Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authority to amend the license associated with the 120-megawatt Bradley Lake hydroelectric project.
The amendment would authorize it to divert water from Dixon Glacier to generate additional power.
AEA said it had initiated the pre-filing amendment process in April 2022, describing two alternative project configurations.
The Dixon to Bradley Lake alternative would be “an interbasin transfer of water from the toe of the Dixon glacier to the southwestern portion of Bradley Lake,” AEA said, while the Dixon to Martin River alternative would direct water to a new powerhouse on the Martin River.
AEA said it has continued to review project feasibility and economics and based on additional review, no longer intends to pursue the Dixon to Martin River alternative, because consultation and additional review indicated Martin River “would result in potential increased impacts to wildlife, wetlands, and cultural resources” compared to the Dixon to Bradley Lake alternative. AEA also said that preliminary engineering assessment indicated the Dixon to Martin River alternative “would result in greater capital and operational costs and reduced potential energy” compared to the Dixon to Bradley Lake alternative.
Revised study plan AEA said it will develop a revised study plan and intends to provide the revised plan and a summary of 2023 field season studies for agency review and comment in January 2024.
This work is part of the study planning and implementation stage, which will result in a draft amendment application in January 2026, and comments on the draft amendment application from FERC and stakeholders in March 2026.
A final amendment application will be filed in June 2026 with comments anticipated through November 2026.
A date for a FERC amendment order is to be determined, AEA said.
An earlier expansion, the Battle Creek diversion project, was completed in 2020 and increased output at Bradley Lake by some 10%.
When AEA pre-filed for the amendment last year, the agency said the expansion could increase power output at Bradley Lake by almost 50%. Five years of studies and permitting were estimated when the agency filed in 2022, followed by 5 years of construction, at an estimated cost of $400 million to $600 million, with no source of construction funding yet determined.
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