The Alaska Energy Authority has approved the top of the clear-cut across from Muskeg Meadows Golf Course as a test site for a meteorological research tower and work will proceed on construction when all necessary permits are in place.
The purpose of the tower is to collect wind data for potential power generation.
The current plan calls for the Southeast Alaska Power Agency to enable Forest Service permitting issues, with staff from the City and Borough of Wrangell working with the AEA to cover local data collection for another Wrangell Island site set to be located near Salamander Ridge.
“As SEAPA has also been approached to participate in this study, it was suggested by the local Forest Service staff that any sites on Federal lands all be covered by one permit rather than many individual permits,” said Borough Manager Tim Rooney.
Wrangell electrical superintendent Clay Hammer said any development of wind generation could be of benefit to the city and its ratepayers.
“If the data checks out it could potentially open the door to wind generation on the island,” Hammer said. “To date, no data collection has been available, but once done we’ll know if wind power is viable. It would not be enough to run the town, but would take load off Tyee Lake and help with water storage.”
According to the city, SEAPA staff is looking into the possibility of addressing that through the Ketchikan Forest Service district because most of the current meteorological tower sites are located within that jurisdiction.
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