Project Spotlight: Port of Alaska
What is it?
Port of Alaska’s Power Plan aims to develop a connected PoA microgrid with electrical management and control systems, a battery energy storage system (BESS), and renewable and thermal generation capacity that will improve PoA operational resiliency and provide backup power during utility outages, reduce power costs, support modern cargo- and fuel-handling operations, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Why?
Port of Alaska is critical infrastructure. This Municipality of Anchorage-owned and operated port is Alaska’s primary inbound cargo facility. It supports local, statewide, national, and international economic interests. It is one of 18 Department of Defense-designated commercial strategic seaports and supports U.S. military missions across Alaska and around the world. PoA’s operations are essential for timely disaster response and recovery throughout Southcentral Alaska and across the state. And it handles three-quarters of the fuel used at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, the world’s third busiest air cargo hub.
PoA serves three core functions: commerce, national defense, and disaster response and recovery. Its power plan will reduce statewide cargo handling costs and improve operational resiliency, reliability, and security to withstand power outages, fuel disruptions, natural disasters, market changes, and more.
Project Summary
Port of Alaska’s Power Plan is a series of independently useful power-related projects that will combine into a complete, sustainable power system that includes:
A connected microgrid
Energy storage
Renewable power generation
Emergency (backup) power generation
System-level automation and controls
Launch Alaska is working closely with Port of Alaska and project stakeholders to develop, finance, and implement this port power plan by fostering stakeholder cooperation, business connections, public education, and critical political leadership and support that is needed to modernize PoA’s power systems and support economic, resilient Alaska cargo-handling operations into the foreseeable future.
This innovation project will provide a model for sharing both the public and private benefits of resilient and sustainable infrastructure development, unlocking long-term economic opportunities for Port of Alaska and its tenants.