Juneau’s sole electricity provider appeals state approval for second one

Juneau’s sole electricity provider, Alaska Electric Light & Power, is appealing the Regulatory Commission of Alaska’s decision to approve Juneau Hydropower as a new public utility. Last week, the Superior Court of Alaska consolidated two separate cases involving disputes between the hydroelectric companies.

The appeal follows more than a decade of disputes between AEL&P and Juneau Hydropower — a company that plans to increase the borough’s hydroelectric capacity by nearly 20%. The company plans to shuttle power to rural parts of Juneau in the next few years through its Sweetheart Lake Hydroelectric project. This summer, the commission ordered AEL&P to facilitate Juneau Hydropower’s connection with its existing electricity infrastructure and the two utilities hashed out a