Vendors interested in providing goods or services for the project should submit their contact information and a short description of their offerings via e-mail to purchasing(at)gvea.com.
1993 Final Environmental Impact Statement
(Volume 1 | Volume 2)
Current Status
Golden Valley has cleared the permitting hurdle. On November 19, 2012, Federal District Judge Beistline approved the joint Consent Decree between GVEA, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
At issue was the agency’s reissue of the air permit – the last major hurdle to restarting the Healy Unit 2 Power Plant (formerly known as the Healy Clean Coal Plant or HCCP).
Golden Valley chose to pursue the Consent Decree option with the EPA, otherwise, there was no defined end to the air permitting process. The Consent Decree avoids what the co-op believes would have been lengthy and costly litigation.
Consent Decree Stipulations:
- GVEA agreed to install the most rigorous emission controls available on Healy Unit 2 with an estimated cost of $40 million. GVEA will also install additional nitrous oxide controls on Healy Unit 1, estimated at less than $5 million.
- GVEA agreed to pay $250,000 to help fund the Fairbanks North Star Borough and Denali Borough Woodstove Change-out program. This will help alleviate the particulate matter problems in the Interior.
- GVEA negotiated for a minimal payment of $115,000 to the EPA. Payments to the EPA are required under the rules of a Consent Decree.
The Consent Decree does not require any mandatory shutdown dates for either Healy Unit 1 or Healy Unit 2. GVEA’s board of directors retains full control of decisions regarding shutdown of either plant.
Restarting Healy Unit 2 will:
- Further diversify our fuel mix which will help stabilize rates
- End costly litigation
- Put this $300 million state & federal asset to work
History
In 1989, the U.S. DOE’s Clean Coal Technology Program selected Healy as a demonstration plant to use experimental technology to burn waste coal. Healy Unit 2 began burning coal in 1998 and generated power intermittently through 1999 in its testing phase. The plant was placed in warm lay up status in 2000. Talks between AIDEA and GVEA to resolve disputes were unsuccessful. In 2005, AIDEA filed a lawsuit against GVEA. Subsequent mediation did not result in resolution, but the entities agreed to terms for a sale, which when complete, will end litigation.
Construction funding
| Department Of Energy | $120 million |
| Alaska Legislature | $25 million |
| AIDEA | $150 million |
| GVEA & Usibelli Coal Mine | $10 million plus in-kind contributions |
Purchase funding
| Purchase price |
$50 million, funded by AIDEA |
| Line of credit |
$45 million, funded by AIDEA |
Timeline
| 1989 | DOE selected Healy Unit 2 (formerly HCCP) as a Clean Coal Technology Program demonstration plant |
| 1995-1997 | Healy Unit 2 constructed |
| 2000 | Plant placed in warm layup status |
| Feb. 2009 | GVEA and AIDEA reach sale agreement |
| 2009 - Present | Purchase negotiations |
| Unknown | Complete purchase agreement |
| After purchase | 18 to 24 months to make necessary modifications and bring power plant online |
