Ketchikan Lakes Hydroelectric Project

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The 4,200-kilowatt (kW) Ketchikan Lakes Hydroelectric Project (Project) is located on Ketchikan Creek and Granite Basin Creek, near the City of Ketchikan in Southeast Alaska. The Project is owned and operated by Ketchikan Public Utilities (KPU) and currently provides 12% of KPU’s net generation. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a new 30-year license to KPU to operate the Project in August 29, 2000. The license went into effect on August 1, 2000, and will expire on July 31, 2030. KPU intends to file an application for a new license prior to July 31, 2028, two years prior to the license expiration date. Unrelated to the FERC license but related to Project operations, the Project also provides 100% of the municipal water supply.

The existing Project facilities include a rockfill dam at the outlet of the natural Ketchikan Lakes, which have a useable storage of 13,800 acre‐feet. From Ketchikan Lakes water is conveyed a short tunnel section, two above ground penstocks, and another tunnel to Fawn Lake. In addition, there is a concrete diversion dam on Granite Basin Creek. Water is conveyed from Granite Basin Creek through a tunnel to Fawn Lake where it mixes with water from Ketchikan Lakes.  From Fawn Lake, water is conveyed through a tunnel then three penstocks to the powerhouse. The concrete powerhouse contains three horizontal Francis turbines directly connected to three 1,400 kW generators. Water is discharged from the powerhouse into Ketchikan Creek. The Project also supplies water to the Deer Mountain Hatchery and City Park.

This site provides information on the FERC relicensing process for the Ketchikan Lakes Hydroelectric Project, including announcements, project schedule, and relicensing documents.