KPU and Hydro-Electric Generation

Ketchikan Public Utilities is a member of SEAPA (Southeast Alaska Power Agency), along with the Utilities of Wrangell and Petersburg, who both get their hydropower primarily from Tyee Lake.  Ketchikan and the Northern communities are linked by large transmission lines, called the intertie. SEAPA and Ketchikan have a Power Sales Agreement (PSA), which requires that Ketchikan purchase SEAPA's power for any requirement beyond what it can generate from its grandfathered projects Ketchikan Lakes and Silvis/Beaver Falls.

Hydropower is Ketchikan's primary source of power generation. Ketchikan gets its hydropower from several projects: Ketchikan Lakes, Silvis Lakes, Beaver Falls, Whitman Lake, along with SEAPA's Swan and Tyee Lake projects when available.  When lake levels are low, supplemental diesel power may be required.  KPU has several very large diesel generators at Bailey power plant and two smaller units at North Point Higgins. These are only used as backup generators, not for primary power generation unless lake levels are too low, and power is not available from SEAPA. 

Ordinarily, Ketchikan receives enough precipitation through rain and snow to supply about 50% of its firm power requirements with its own hydropower.  The additional 50% comes from the power sales agreement with SEAPA. SEAPA owns both Swan Lake and Tyee Lake, and only SEAPA, under the power sales agreement, could develop the next energy production facility in their network. 

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Lake Level Status

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225-5505 (Office)

225-4011 (24-Hour Outage Calls)