Lighting up 47 rural Alaska communities

Petroleum News

The Alaska Energy Authority, or AEA, said Oct. 14 that 47 rural Alaska communities from across the state have been selected to receive funding under a new Village Energy Efficiency Program initiative that is supported with a $1 million grant from Wells Fargo.

Eligible communities under VEEP are those with a population no greater than 8,000, ARA said in a press release.

The 47 communities will receive approximately $1.1 million in Wells Fargo and AEA funding, with local match at approximately $397,000.

The city of Ouzinkie and the municipality of Skagway are just two examples of communities that can anticipate annual savings after using the funds to replace existing lighting with the latest in LED technology, AEA said:

In Ouzinkie, 55 streetlights and six harbor lights are expected to be replaced, reducing the city’s electric consumption by nearly 60%, with more than $8,000 in annual savings anticipated.

Skagway will replace 27 streetlights. Its electric use is expected to be reduced by nearly 50%, resulting in more than $1,200 savings annually.

The Wells Fargo Outdoor Lighting Program, announced in August, is a unique public/private partnership designed to benefit rural Alaska communities by providing efficient outdoor lighting that can help reduce long-term fixed energy costs, while supporting community health and public safety.

AEA is a public corporation of the state. Its mission is to reduce the cost of energy in Alaska.

- Petroleum News