Wrangell Sentinel -

The Southeast Alaska Power Agency has applied for a preliminary permit to build a hydroelectric generation facility at Sunrise Lake on Woronkofski Island.

The proposed project would build a powerhouse near the 120-foot elevation on the island, a small rockfill dam across the outlet of the lake, and a submerged intake siphon on the east bank of Sunrise Creek. The maximum generating capacity, according the permit application, would be 4 MW using a turbine at approximately 5,360 horsepower.

The total annual energy output would be approximately 12,208 Megawatt hours, according to the application.

A potable water supply for Wrangell would also be piped from the powerhouse, across Zimovia Strait, and would be estimated to carry up to 3 million gallons per day.

In SEAPA’s application, a number of studies are planned to study the feasibility of the project.

Among those are environmental studies to determine the impact the project would have on aquatic resources and habitat on Sunrise Lake and stream. The presence and identification of wildlife in the area would also be studied and coordinated with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

The study would also evaluate potential impacts on recreation, hunting, fishing and subsistence gathering.

The plan is drawing the ire of local businessman Ernie Christian, who said the project is usurping the ability of Wrangell to own the source of water coming off the lake.

“The City and Borough of Wrangell could have utilized this water source in the summer and winter months when our current water reserves are low,” Christian said in an emailed letter to the borough. “The City and Borough of Wrangell could have sold the hydro power on the current grid system to Ketchikan or to Kake in the future.”

Christian also said he is concerned over what he considers the failure of Wrangell’s assembly to pursue the permit.

“I hope everyone will stand up and voice their concerns over this major screwup by our assembly in not taking up the permits concerning Sunrise,” Christian added. “For everyone’s information, our current mayor is our SEAPA representative, so you cannot tell me he didn’t know about this filing.”

SEAPA’s CEO, Dave Carlson, said he disagrees on the premise of Wrangell paying extra for water.

“It’s nonsense to think Wrangell will have to pay for this water,” Carlson said. “This is an application for a preliminary permit. That gives us 3 years to look at the options for Sunrise while understanding that Wrangell has an interest in using it as a water supply. Wrangell will not have to pay anything extra to use the water if we develop that location.”

For his part, Mayor Jeremy Maxand said he absolutely knew about the permit – and that it is a good move for the borough.

“We’re not taking up the permit but we are taking up the project,” Maxand said. “We want to see this built and our best chance to do it is by collaborating with SEAPA, who we are a voting member of.”

Any implication that Wrangell would have to pay for water off the Sunrise Lake project is wrong, Maxand added.

“It is patently false that we’ll have to pay for the water from SEAPA,” Maxand said. “The bottom line is that one vote from Wrangell can stop the project. If we’re not happy with the deal that’s what will happen.”

With the lake and surrounding lands on Woronkofski Island considered traditional to the Tlingit people of Wrangell Island, the Wrangell Cooperative Association is speaking up about their non-inclusion in the project’s feasibility study.

Carol Snoddy of the WCA said she is concerned – but looking forward to better communication from SEAPA in the future.

“When I first heard we were not in there, I was surprised,” Snoddy said. “I want to take the high road, however, and believe it is an oversight that we were not mentioned. We’ll certainly be paying attention from now on.”

Snoddy added that WCA would be working to ensure its inclusion in any studies as the process moves forward.

Among the tribes and groups included in the permit application are the Petersburg Indian Association, Kake Tribal Corporation and Sealaska Corporation.

The total cost for the studies to be completed is estimated in the application at between $400,000-$900,000, which SEAPA would self-fund. Long-term loans and government grants could also be used in the future, according to the document.