Borough mayor will ask for state of emergency (Fairbanks, AK)

[phantom power]

Topographic maps were spread out on several tables and Haagenson asked residents to circle, highlight and mark up places around the area that could potentially produce some form of energy. This included rivers with heavy flow, windy areas, sunny hillsides and just about anything else that came to mind.

Many commentators expressed concern about having to choose between buying groceries and paying for heat. Others mentioned leaving the state due to skyrocketing prices for fuel and electricity.

“I’m expecting nearly 20 percent of Fairbanks to leave by this fall,” Denny Schlotfeldt said. “No one is able to pay for heat from this last winter — how are we supposed to afford next winter?” he asked.

After glancing out the window at the morning’s snow, Whitaker reminded everyone that next winter is just five months away.


http://newsminer.com/news/2008/may/01/borough-mayor-will-ask-state-emergency/

"Thelma, I'm declaring a state of emergency."

[villager]

1. American environmental refugees: The Dust Bowl, Katrina... now Fairbanks?

n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Juneau is even worse...

They had an avalanche wipe out much of their power last week. Now their energy rates have skyrocketed.

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/rural/southeast/story/391190.html

By ANNE SUTTON
The Associated Press

JUNEAU -- First, there was a run on energy-efficient light bulbs. When those ran out, people began asking for lamp oil. But when they started demanding clothespins in this land of mist and rain, it was clear Alaska's capital city was caught in a serious energy crunch.

<snip>

Avalanches earlier this month knocked down transmission lines and cut off Juneau's source of low-cost hydroelectric power. Threatened with a fivefold increase in utility bills, Juneau quickly powered down.

Stores, though open, went partially dark. Neon signs were switched off and vending machines unplugged. At home, residents of this former Gold Rush town began living a little bit like pioneers, dusting the snow off the grill, stringing clotheslines in the backyard and flicking off their TV sets. Within a week, electrical usage across town was down as much as 30 percent.

Energy conservation is a hard sell in much of the U.S., but Juneau has proved that people will change their ways if the financial incentives are big enough.

<snip>

The April 16 snow slides that roared out of the mountains some 25 miles southeast of town uprooted transmission towers and plowed through 1.5 miles of high-voltage lines that link this largely isolated community of 30,000 to the Snettisham hydroelectric dam. (The Legislature had already ended its session, and most lawmakers had gone home.)

<snip>

With oil prices reaching a record $120 a barrel, Alaska Electric Light and Power said customers might have to pay for an extra $25 million in diesel over the three months it would take to repair the lines. The utility warned that rates would probably leap from an average of 11 cents per kilowatt-hour to more than 50 cents, or about five times the 10.3 cents that is the national average.

<snip>

Heidi Graves said her 16-year-old son, Levi -- the one who never would turn off his Nintendo -- was the first to get on board. He was worried that the family of six would have to cancel its vacation next August.
Levi multiplied the electric bill by five and came up with $950. "It's more than our house payment," said his mother. Now members of the Graves family eat dinner by candlelight, do dishes by hand, plan to dry their clothes on a rack by the wood stove, and limit their time on the computer.

<snip>

[Nihil]

3. This post needs more visibility (maybe even its own thread?) ...

... for several reasons:
1) For the impact of losing their main power lines.
2) For the cost increase of oil-based fallbacks (a five-fold increase).
3) Most importantly, for the fact that *AMERICANS* are proving
that they *CAN* power down and still survive.

> Within a week, electrical usage across town was down as much as 30 percent.

The implication of this is that there could be a f*cking enormous powerdown
across the country - and bringing the demand down to 70% brings it that much
closer to the goals of "No new coal-fired powerstations" and "Renewable energy
can meet more of the demand".

For me, the bit issue is #3 above: the "American way of life is not negotiable"
meme is being proven wrong.