Nome could soon get power from geothermal energyBy Julie Estey
September 04, 2013
After several years of research, a project team this week is drilling a large-diameter exploration hole in an effort to verify the size and extent of the geothermal resource at Pilgrim Hot Springs, which is 60 road miles from Nome. Once completed, a successful flow test would confirm the hot springs contain sufficient quantity of hot water to support construction of an on-site power production facility and transmission lines to Nome. Research in 2011 and 2012 by the UAF Alaska Center for Energy and Power and the UAF Geophysical Institute indicated that the hot springs was likely to have adequate water temperatures to generate power. Projections show that Pilgrim Hot Springs has the potential to generate at least two megawatts of electricity, which is sufficient to satisfy a sizable portion of Nome’s needs. The exploration project at Pilgrim Hot Springs is a result of a public-private collaboration. Beginning in 2010, with funding from the Alaska Energy Authority and the federal Department of Energy, ACEP partnered with Unataaq, LLC, a consortium of seven regional Native corporations and nonprofit organizations, to test an exploration technique developed by the UAF Geophysical Institute. The project gained momentum when ACEP’s initial findings attracted the interest of a private developer, Potelco, Inc. Today, ACEP is working with Unaatuq, the City of Nome, Nome Joint Utility Services, and Potelco, Inc., with the goal of delivering geothermal energy to Nome by the end of 2014. In addition to exporting power from the site, the geothermal resource offers substantial opportunities for on-site development, such as bathing and tourism, greenhouses and fish hatcheries. The site is on the National Register of Historic Places and has long held special significance for residents of Nome and the greater Seward Peninsula, both as a recreational destination and because of the historical, subsistence and cultural significance of the site. “The Pilgrim Hot Springs project represents the benefits that can follow when university researchers partner with communities and developers,” said Gwen Holdmann, ACEP director. “Our goal is to make a real difference in meeting the energy needs of Alaskans.” The historic church at Pilgrim Hot Springs, which served an orphanage operated by the Catholic Church that was opened after the 1918 flu epidemic. Pilgrim Hot Springs is now owned by Unataaq Corporation, a partnership between seven local native corporations and nonprofit organizations.
That support, along with additional funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, is enabling progress toward the project’s milestone this week. “Cooperative partnerships between the public and private sector can solve problems. The Pilgrim project is a great example,” said Nome Mayor Denise Michels. “It gives renewed hope for tackling the energy availability and affordability issues that burden families and businesses not just in Nome, but across rural Alaska.”
Source of News:
E-mail your news &
photos to editor@sitnews.us
|