At KEA’s Annual Membership Meeting on April 23, 2018, prize drawings included two round-trips for two to the Terror Lake Hydroelectric Project on September 6, 2018. Prize Winners Terry Gunter and Kenny Nelson were unable to make the trip, so they invited Kerri Gunter, Elliot Blacha, Katrina Refior, and Nancy Sweeney to make the tour. On the way over, the travelers enjoyed a short scenic flight with Andrew Airways Pilot Josh Shine, who pointed out the names of landscape features along the way.
After landing at beautiful Kizhuyak Bay, near the jetty of the Terror Lake Project, Aaron Ellison, Power Generation Technician at Terror Lake, was their tour guide to provide a thorough understanding of the hydro project. The group toured the powerhouse, hydroelectric generators, tailrace channel, steel penstock, diversion structures, dam, and reservoir. They saw firsthand where the water resources come from, and how the water supplies renewable energy for Kodiak communities. They also learned how the Terror Lake Hydroelectric Project works in conjunction with the Pillar Mountain Wind Project and Battery Energy Storage System, enabling KEA to achieve 98.3% of our power from cost effective renewable energy in 2017.
The travelers were filled with praise at the end of their journey! Here are some of the things they had to say:
“Elliot and I were delighted to visit Terror Lake last week. The site is so well maintained and clean that it’s hard to believe that it was built in the early 1980’s. We were pleased to see that everything possible is being done to reduce our dependence on diesel.” – Kerri Gunter
“I was surprised at how close the site is to Kodiak, and I couldn’t help but wish more in the community could have the opportunity to see how the facility works and how beautiful it is. We couldn’t have wished for a more pleasant day to visit and Aaron was a perfect host! ” – Elliot Blacha
“What a joy to be able to see firsthand how our power is generated. All of the work and the vision that had gone into the project is unbelievable. Being in this beautiful and remote location just brings home how blessed we are to be able to receive renewable generated electricity that keeps our isle ’emerald’. It was a wonderful experience.” – Katrina Refior
“The Terror Lake Hydroelectric Facility is truly an amazing source of renewable power for our remote island community – now and for the future. Thank you for the opportunity to see it first hand!” – Nancy Sweeney
Kodiak Electric Association 