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Assembly backs continuity of ownership for Snettisham hydropower assets amid interconnection dispute
Summary
The Assembly adopted Resolution 4 0 1 1 on May 19 urging that ownership of assets directly connected to the Snettisham Hydroelectric Project remain with the current owner to ensure uninterrupted service to Juneau. The item followed extensive testimony from Alaska Electric Light & Power and representatives of Juneau Hydro Power.
The Juneau City and Borough Assembly on May 19 adopted Resolution 4 0 1 1, expressing support for continuity in ownership of assets directly connected to the Snettisham Hydroelectric Project.
The resolution was requested by Mayor Weldon on behalf of Alaska Electric Light & Power (AEL&P). Testimony at the meeting emphasized that the Snettisham project supplies roughly two‑thirds of Juneau’s electricity and that changes in ownership or title to equipment connected to the Snettisham transmission line could risk reliability and raise costs.
Alec Mesdag, president and CEO of AEL&P, said ownership of the switchyard and assets that connect to the Snettisham transmission line should remain with the current state authority that holds title (Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority) to avoid creating operational risk. Mesdag told the assembly that only AEL&P holds the full obligation to serve Juneau customers and that allowing a third party with no experience in utility operation to own the interconnection equipment “is an unacceptable risk.”
Representatives of Juneau Hydro Power, including Chris Hart and Duff Mitchell, spoke in favor of their project and said the proposed interconnection equipment would be configured with bypass and redundancy. They said the project has engaged expert consultants and is structured to operate safely and reliably; they urged the assembly not to use the resolution to block development of local generation.
Other witnesses supported keeping Snettisham infrastructure in public ownership, citing the project’s long history as low‑cost generation and its importance to local rates and economic stability.
Assembly members debated the balance between protecting a critical utility asset and not pre‑judging a pending Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) docket. Several members said the resolution was narrowly framed to urge continuity of ownership for equipment directly connected to the Snettisham line while allowing the RCA process to continue. The assembly approved the resolution by roll call: 8 yes, 1 no.
Motion and outcome: Resolution 4 0 1 1 was moved and adopted by the assembly. The vote on the record was 8‑1 in favor; one assembly member voted no.
The RCA was scheduled to rule on related interconnection issues on June 11. The resolution is a formal expression of the assembly’s view on continuity of ownership and reliability risk; it does not change title or regulatory authority.
