Tenakee Inlet Geothermal Resource
Inside Passage Electric Cooperative engaged HDL to assess the power-generating potential of a geothermal resource on Chichagof Island, thru a renewable energy grant from the Alaska Energy Authority. The nearby communities of Hoonah and Pelican have extremely high energy costs, and a renewable energy source could greatly reduce those costs. HDL organized a field program in fall 2011 to collect soil temperatures, water samples, and soil and rock samples to define the geothermal source. The hot spring site is in a steep and narrow river canyon in a roadless remote area, and the HDL team of geologists, engineers and surveyors required daily helicopter support out of Hoonah to gather the data. The team successfully completed this first phase despite the challenges of fall weather extremes, fluctuating river levels, dense vegetation, steep and wet terrain, limited landing zones for ground access, and the presence of a large population of brown bears. As laboratory analyses are completed, the HDL team will evaluate the data and recommend follow-on studies that may include deep drilling to further document the geothermal reservoir depth and temperature, and provide engineering recommendations for developing the source
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