KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Heavy slush driven by winds gusting to 60 mph whipped Kodiak yesterday, but surprisingly, there were only two brownouts and one outage in the Kodiak Electric system. That occurred at 11:30 yesterday morning in Middle Bay along the stretch between Salt Creek and the American River. It left about 160 KEA customers in Chiniak and Pasagshak without power until 2:51 this morning.
KEA CEO Darron Scott said ice build-up was the culprit:
— (KEA 1 37 sec "The power lines you see up there … working through that weather.")
He said the two momentary brown-outs earlier in the morning originated near Pillar Mountain, and were also likely caused by the weather:
— (KEA 2 21 sec "Probably just snow … kind of instantaneous disturbance.")
Scott reports the three wind turbines on Pillar Mountain have withstood the extreme weather this winter – and yesterday’s storm – just fine:
— (KEA 3 19 sec "You know they have been iced … like they are now.")
More rain and snow is in the forecast through the weekend and winds will be relatively light, but this is Kodiak and the record-setting winter is just more than half-through.
