Regulatory Commission of Alaska

Public Comment for U-24-036 by Brad Austin

December 3, 2024

John Espindola, Chairman
RCA Commissioners
Regulatory Commission of Alaska
701 West Eighth Ave, Suite 300
Anchorage, AK 99501

Juneau Building Trade Council Support for Juneau Hydropower Utility CPCN Application-Docket No. U-24-036

Dear Chairman Espindola and RCA Commissioners,

The Juneau Building Trades Council represents the Juneau Building and Labor Trades in the Juneau area and collectively fully supports Juneau Hydropower's utility application to build and operate a new 19.8 Megawatt hydropower facility, over 40 miles of new high voltage transmission lines and a battery energy storage system that will provide decades of advanced energy security for Juneau while providing new electrical service to unserved areas of Juneau. As the local Juneau Building Trade Council, we support the building of critical energy infrastructure for the job creation, energy security, and economic prosperity that energy and transmission infrastructure bring to our community. Like our nation, Alaska requires critical energy infrastructure to provide reliable and resilient electricity to fuel our economy and prosperity. Our members and their families are an integral component of our local community and understand that we must develop energy infrastructure for current and future jobs in Juneau. 

Juneau Hydropower's significant infrastructure investments provide employment and workforce development opportunities for Alaska's current and future workforce. Our Juneau Building Trade Council is at the forefront of building critical infrastructure for our community that is required for our community to grow and support our economy. The Juneau Hydropower hydroelectric, transmission, and battery energy storage infrastructure is required to open up the City and Borough of Juneau areas for development through access to electrical utility services in unserved areas. 

The Juneau Building Trade Council has seen Juneau Hydropower invest millions of local dollars, years of persistent permitting, and community outreach to develop this qualified utility service to serve our community. We have witnessed how Juneau Hydropower supports local Juneau community values and local hire. The State of Alaska and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska should applaud Juneau Hydropower for their energy infrastructure development and community relations into their community and, without reservation or conditions, approve their electrical utility application to provide utility electrical services in the unserved areas of the City and Borough of Juneau. 

Providing electrical services to unserved areas has many benefits, including expanding emergency services communications and electricity required for internet, sewer, and water treatment. This leads to more developable land within the borough. Juneau Hydropower's bringing utility-grade electrical services to the borough's unserved areas opens up new land and resources required to build critically needed new housing and increase our community's property tax base for essential services. 

We have read over the utility application filing in docket U 24-036 and find that the state and local community benefits are clear and unequivocal. We find ourselves blessed to have this magnitude of investment occurring in our area and the support of Juneau Hydropower for our building trades. We understand and support the creation of Juneau Hydropower's utility to preserve and protect jobs and tax base in our community while providing the energy resources for additional economic expansion, prosperity, growth, and opportunities in Juneau. Like all utility hydropower and transmission infrastructure, the community dividends are perpetual, but they must first be built and provide utility service. We ask that the RCA timely and convincingly support without restrictions and expedite Juneau Hydropower's utility application and resolve all other regulatory matters so that Juneau Hydropower can break ground, employ our members, create jobs, and add hydropower resources, energy security and energy reliability to the Juneau community for years to come. 

Sincerely,


Brad Austin
Juneau Building Trades President




CC: Mayor Beth Weldon, Assembly members, City Manager Katie Koester, City and Borough of Juneau

Type

Comments

Date Filed

12/3/2024

Tracking Number

TR2405275

Filed By

Brad Austin

Entities

Certificate(s)

Means Received

Internet

Related Matters

U-24-036	Application-New Certificate for Juneau Hydropower, Inc.

Show Supporting Documents

No files found

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