Kongiganak Wind Turbine Replacement & System Upgrades Award Number: DE-EE0006481 CX(s) Applied: A9, B1.31 Wind Power Date: 05/14/2014 Location(s): AK Office(s): Golden Field Office
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
February 26, 2016
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Kongiganak Wind Turbine Replacement & System Upgrades
Award Number: DE-EE0006481
CX(s) Applied: A9, B1.31
Wind Power
Date: 05/14/2014
Location(s): AK
Office(s): Golden Field Office
The Native Village of Kongiganak (NVK), governed by the Kongiganak Traditional Council, would utilize funding to replace a single wind turbine nacelle on an existing turbine, upgrade the braking systems on five existing wind turbines, and upgrade the monitoring and data collection unit at the existing powerhouse in the community of Kongiganak, Alaska. Located on the west shore of Kuskokwim Bay, just west of the mouth of the Kuskokwim River, NVK is 70 miles southwest of Bethel and 451 miles west of Anchorage and is a member of the Chaninik Wind Group, a four village consortium working on developing solutions for harnessing their local wind energy.
No new permits, licenses or authorizations are required for completion of the proposed activities. All permitting, licensing and authorizations are already in place as part of the previous installation of the wind system/turbines. Due to the installations close proximity to the Kongiganak Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration conducted an aeronautical study for each of the proposed wind turbines prior to construction, and issued Determinations of No Hazard to Air Navigation in August, 2009 (2009-WTW-4237-OE through 2009-WTW-4241-OE). None of the proposed project activities would increase the height above ground level (AGL) or above mean sea level (AMSL) of the wind turbines. Nacelle installation and brake system replacement would be completed by crew members with appropriate training and experience with heavy equipment, wind turbines, climbing and diesel power plant operations. Heavy equipment would only be mobilized during the winter when the ground is frozen to reduce ground disturbance.