Golden Valley Electric details tree‑clearing, crew and grant plan to reduce Cantwell‑area outages

Golden Valley Electric Association (GBEA) briefed the Denali Borough Assembly on Nov. 12 about a cluster of outages along the Cantwell‑to‑McKinley corridor and outlined a multi‑pronged plan to reduce outages and wildfire risk.

"A lot of those trees that have been dead for some time are reaching that point where they're starting to fail," COO Nathan Minima said, summarizing field reports that attribute many recent outages to beetle‑killed spruce falling into lines. Minima told the assembly that GBEA logged about five outages on the Cantwell feeder during the first nine months of the year and around 11 outages from October to the present.

To improve response times, GBEA said it has reestablished a line crew in Nenana and is adding personnel there to shorten travel times for repairs. But because so many trees outside standard easements are now hazards, the co‑op said it will likely need a mechanical‑clearing approach rather than isolated hand crew removals. Options under discussion include tracked aerial saws to remove canopy tops, negotiated full removals with the Alaska Department of Transportation and on‑the‑ground mulching plans to reduce slash and fire risk.

Minima said GBEA applied earlier for a community wildfire defense grant (to create shaded fuel breaks and thin hazard trees outside utility easements) and plans to reapply in 2026. The proposed clearing area covers Cantwell north to the Nenana River crossing around Milepost 215 and then south back to Cantwell, with plans to expand further north afterward. He said the clearing would involve outreach to DOT, private landowners and other agencies to secure permissions and coordinate debris handling.

Longer‑term reliability work includes a proposed seven‑mile tie line to close a gap between the Cantwell and Healy feeders; Minima said the project has funding for permitting and that a permit application to the park service is in preparation. He warned construction costs could vary based on park permitting requirements (e.g., buried conductor versus overhead), which would affect required financing.

Assembly members asked for clearer outage‑duration estimates on the utility's website; Minima agreed to ask member services to post expected durations when possible and said the additional line crew in Nenana should reduce response times. GBEA also discussed coordination with borough fire and forest programs to address post‑clearing slash and to minimize fire hazards.

Next steps identified were continued outreach to affected landowners, coordination with DOT and park service permitting for any corridor work, reapplication for wildfire defense funding in 2026 and on‑the‑ground clearing if permissions and funding are secured.