Tunneling work for Sitka’s Blue Lake hydro expansion project is just about wrapped up, and construction crews are pouring concrete for the new powerhouse.
There are three main components to the Blue Lake project: the dam itself, a new intake tunnel and vertical shaft called a “surge chamber,” and the powerhouse.
The Blue Lake Dam was originally designed to be raised about 23 feet. Dean Orbison, project manager for the Sitka Electric Department, said Sitka is “pushing the envelope” by going up another 83 feet. The $140-million project should be completed by February, 2015.
Check out the full story at KCAW: Blue Lake Hydro: Nothing small in Sitka’s biggest project