Bethel Power Plant

Nuvista is a non-profit organization formed by Calista Corporation, the Alaska Native Regional Corporation for the area, to function as a regional generation and transmission utility. The Bethel Power Plant was initially proposed to power the Donlin Creek Gold Mine, a venture of Nova Gold with Calista Native Regional Corp, as well as power Bethel and 8 surrounding villages.

In March 2002 Nova Gold reported that an earlier report by Nuvista had recommended "a two phase approach" to supplying power for the mine with initial on-site diesel generation "followed by a large coal-fired plant in Bethel with regional transmission, including Donlin Creek, for expansion." The report estimated the project could supply electricity for $0.09 /kWh. As NovaGold was aiming for a cost of $0.05 /kWh, they decided the best option would be "to purchase power from the utilities that current supply power in the Fairbanks region", even though this would involve the construction of a 620 km (385 mi) long transmission line.

According to the Sierra Club, the project appears to have been abandoned.

Project Details

 * Sponsor: Nuvista Light and Power (Calista Corporation)
 * Capacity: 100 MW
 * Projected in service: 2010
 * Status: On hold since 2005; cancelled 2007

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Carbon Capture and Storage
 * Existing U.S. Coal Plants
 * US proposed coal plants (both active and cancelled)
 * Coal plants cancelled in 2007
 * Coal plants cancelled in 2008
 * Coal plants cancelled in 2009
 * Alaska and coal
 * Profiles of other states (or click on the map)