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Sitka electric department reports record winter peak; Energy-to-Communities project moves to implementation
Summary
Sitka’s electric utility department reported a December peak of about 26 megawatts tied in part to a new hospital load and outlined staffing and spring project plans; the E2C project with national labs is moving toward instrument installation and workforce partnerships.
Ron Vincent, the city’s electric utility director, told the assembly the department reached a record winter peak of about 26 megawatts in December and is preparing spring capital projects and contract work. "We reached 26 megawatts," Ron said, noting that the new hospital accounts for roughly a 0.7–0.8 MW increase in typical cold-month load.
He reported staffing progress—22 field positions filled with three vacancies under active recruitment—and said completing the spring projects will reduce operational risk. Department spending was around 45% of budget as of Jan. 13, with lagging outlays tied to planned spring work.
Brie Gable updated the assembly on the Energy to Communities (E2C) project, explaining that modeling work by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Pacific Northwest National Lab has reached a stage that will support field instrumentation. She said hydrologists’ recommendations could lead to equipment to monitor penstock flows and reservoirs, and that the project includes workforce and education components in partnership with local conservation and science organizations.
Assembly members praised the department’s move from emergency-driven requests toward preventative budgeting for capital maintenance and thanked staff for filling key positions ahead of planned projects.
