The Snettisham hydroelectric power plant is a 78 MW power plant located 28 miles south of central Juneau, Alaska[1] and accessible only by boat or seaplane. The power plant is fed by two lakes that are tapped from below, negating the need for a traditional dam. As of December 2017 it supplies 78% of the electricity for Alaska Electric Light & Power.[2] It is connected to Juneau by a 44-mile transmission line.[1]
It was completed in 1973.[2]
Climate
| Climate data for Snettisham Power Plant, Alaska, 1991–2020 normals, 2003–2023 extremes: 29ft (9m)
|
| Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
| Record high °F (°C)
|
47
(8)
|
49
(9)
|
57
(14)
|
66
(19)
|
81
(27)
|
88
(31)
|
90
(32)
|
87
(31)
|
77
(25)
|
65
(18)
|
55
(13)
|
51
(11)
|
90
(32)
|
| Mean maximum °F (°C)
|
41.7
(5.4)
|
42.2
(5.7)
|
48.1
(8.9)
|
59.2
(15.1)
|
72.6
(22.6)
|
79.5
(26.4)
|
78.7
(25.9)
|
78.2
(25.7)
|
69.3
(20.7)
|
57.8
(14.3)
|
45.7
(7.6)
|
41.6
(5.3)
|
83.4
(28.6)
|
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C)
|
30.3
(−0.9)
|
33.0
(0.6)
|
38.0
(3.3)
|
48.1
(8.9)
|
57.5
(14.2)
|
63.0
(17.2)
|
63.4
(17.4)
|
62.6
(17.0)
|
55.8
(13.2)
|
46.3
(7.9)
|
36.2
(2.3)
|
31.0
(−0.6)
|
47.1
(8.4)
|
| Daily mean °F (°C)
|
26.1
(−3.3)
|
28.0
(−2.2)
|
31.7
(−0.2)
|
40.1
(4.5)
|
47.7
(8.7)
|
54.4
(12.4)
|
56.5
(13.6)
|
56.0
(13.3)
|
50.4
(10.2)
|
41.7
(5.4)
|
32.4
(0.2)
|
27.3
(−2.6)
|
41.0
(5.0)
|
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C)
|
21.9
(−5.6)
|
23.1
(−4.9)
|
25.5
(−3.6)
|
32.1
(0.1)
|
37.9
(3.3)
|
45.8
(7.7)
|
49.6
(9.8)
|
49.4
(9.7)
|
44.9
(7.2)
|
37.1
(2.8)
|
28.6
(−1.9)
|
23.5
(−4.7)
|
35.0
(1.7)
|
| Mean minimum °F (°C)
|
5.0
(−15.0)
|
8.3
(−13.2)
|
12.5
(−10.8)
|
24.6
(−4.1)
|
31.7
(−0.2)
|
39.5
(4.2)
|
44.4
(6.9)
|
43.6
(6.4)
|
36.8
(2.7)
|
29.0
(−1.7)
|
16.6
(−8.6)
|
9.5
(−12.5)
|
0.4
(−17.6)
|
| Record low °F (°C)
|
−11
(−24)
|
−6
(−21)
|
−7
(−22)
|
16
(−9)
|
23
(−5)
|
34
(1)
|
40
(4)
|
40
(4)
|
33
(1)
|
19
(−7)
|
0
(−18)
|
−2
(−19)
|
−11
(−24)
|
| Average precipitation inches (mm)
|
18.56
(471)
|
14.88
(378)
|
10.90
(277)
|
8.99
(228)
|
8.31
(211)
|
6.85
(174)
|
10.24
(260)
|
13.99
(355)
|
27.01
(686)
|
28.90
(734)
|
21.08
(535)
|
19.98
(507)
|
189.69
(4,816)
|
| Average snowfall inches (cm)
|
50.2
(128)
|
44.9
(114)
|
35.9
(91)
|
4.7
(12)
|
0.1
(0.25)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
2.6
(6.6)
|
31.0
(79)
|
47.8
(121)
|
217.2
(551.85)
|
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm)
|
48.9
(124)
|
61.8
(157)
|
65.4
(166)
|
50.7
(129)
|
23.4
(59)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
2.0
(5.1)
|
16.5
(42)
|
33.6
(85)
|
71.8
(182)
|
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)
|
21.4
|
16.9
|
15.8
|
18.0
|
15.4
|
18.4
|
18.8
|
20.2
|
21.6
|
23.9
|
19.9
|
20.5
|
230.8
|
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)
|
13
|
11
|
9
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
9
|
14
|
60
|
| Source 1: NOAA[3]
|
| Source 2: XMACIS2 (extremes & 2003-2023 snow)[4]
|
References
58°10′00″N 133°44′00″W / 58.16667°N 133.73333°W / 58.16667; -133.73333
