# Alaska Interconnection

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thumb|230 kV transmission lines carrying power from the Beluga power station to the Anchorage metropolitan area.[[File:NERC-map-en.svg|thumb|Interconnections in [North America](/source/North_America)|241x241px]]
{{short description|American AC power transmission grid}}
The '''Alaska Interconnection''' ('''ASCC''') is an [AC](/source/Alternating_current) [power transmission](/source/power_transmission) grid in [North America](/source/North_America) that serves Central and [Southeast Alaska](/source/Southeast_Alaska).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bedes.lbl.gov/bedes-online/egrid-region-code|title=eGRID Region Code - BEDES|website=Bedes.lbl.gov|access-date=2017-08-09}}</ref> While the Alaska Interconnection is often referred to as one interconnected grid, its two parts are not connected to each other through [interconnectors](/source/interconnectors), nor are the two grids connected to any other interconnection, making the grids in Alaska isolated circuits. Both grids, though, are managed by the '''Alaska Systems Coordinating Council''' (ASCC) as if they were one entity like the other interconnections in North America. ASCC was formed in 1983 and is an affiliate [North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)](/source/North_American_Electric_Reliability_Corporation) member.

== Production ==
The Alaska Interconnection is the smallest individual power transmission grid in North America compared to the three other major interconnections – the [Western Interconnection](/source/Western_Interconnection), the [Eastern Interconnection](/source/Eastern_Interconnection), and the [Texas Interconnection](/source/Texas_Interconnection) – both in physical area and electricity generated. In 2015, the Alaska interconnection generated 2,601 [gigawatt](/source/gigawatt) hours of electricity, with natural gas accounting for 1,219 GWh, while the US State of [Washington](/source/Washington_(state)) alone – part of the [Western Interconnection](/source/Western_Interconnection) – generated 47,385 GWh.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/power-plants/|title=Mapping how the United States generates its electricity|website=Washingtonpost.com|access-date=2017-08-09}}</ref> While both parts of the Alaska Interconnection have no connection to remaining interconnections of North America, all generating units connected to both of its grids generate at a synchronous speed of 60 [Hz](/source/Hz), the frequency common to North America. Electricity is also delivered to homes and small businesses in the same manner as in [Canada](/source/Canada) and the contiguous [United States](/source/United_States) with a [split-phase](/source/split-phase) 120/240 volt service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/alaska/electricity|title=Plugs, sockets and electricity in Alaska|website=Lonelyplanet.com|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref>

== Isolation from other power grids ==
In 2014, an interconnector to the Western Interconnection of [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia) was proposed to the Alaska Energy Authority in order to bring cleaner, cheaper power to Alaska, but as of 2016, no further work on the project had been completed due to economic feasibility.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.akenergyauthority.org/Content/Policy/RegionalPlanning/Documents/AK-BCTransIntertieReport033114.pdf|title=An Alaska-British Columbia Transmission Intertie Review of Previous Studies and Economic Evaluation in Light of Current Conditions|website=Akenergyauthority.org|access-date=2017-08-09}}</ref>

=== Impact to cost ===
Because the transmission networks in Alaska are isolated from other interconnections in North America, average rates for electricity are $0.18 per [kWh](/source/kWh) – the second highest price in the United States after Hawaii, whose average residential rate is $0.37 per kWh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electricitylocal.com/states/alaska/|title=Alaska Electricity Rates|website=Electricity Local|access-date=2017-08-09}}</ref> In contrast, the average rate for electricity in the 48 contiguous states is $0.10 per kWh.{{When|date=May 2024}}{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

==See also==

* [Alaska Electric Light & Power](/source/Alaska_Electric_Light_%26_Power)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{North American Electric Reliability Corporation}}

Category:Electric power transmission system operators in the United States
Category:Electric power transmission system operators in North America
Category:Electric power transmission system operators in Canada
Category:Companies based in Salt Lake City
Category:Companies established in 2002
Category:2002 establishments in Utah
Category:Electric power transmission systems in the United States
Category:Electricity in Alaska

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alaska Interconnection](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Interconnection) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Interconnection?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.