SITKA, ALASKA Sitka is entering the winter with two full reservoirs above its hydro-electric plants, but that was also the case last year. Low rainfall in the end of November and in December 2007 caused Blue and Green lakes to run low earlier than expected.
Outgoing utility director Charlie Walls believes that over the next ten years Sitka could easily repeat the experience of this year, when the electric department was forced to run backup diesel generators to conserve water in the lakes. In fact, he believes it’s inevitable if oil prices remain high.
In the second part of a two-part interview, Walls talks with KCAW’s Robert Woolsey about creating the policy and the political will to keep the town living within its electrical means until more hydro power is available in 2018.