| Abstract |
The City of Akutan is located on Akutan Island, a volcanic island in the eastern Aleutians, 790 miles southwest of Anchorage. The economic base of Akutan is the Bering Sea fishery, home to the world’s largest fishing fleet and North America’s largest seafood processing plant located in Akutan. The City and the fishing industry are entirely dependent on diesel fuel imported into the area for power and heat—with an average total demand of 4.3 MW (~7-8 MW peak). The City of Akutan has identified renewable energy development as the only sustainable alternative for displacing diesel fuel, and is presently managing the initial steps of geothermal energy exploration and development. Fortunately, Akutan’s geothermal system is considered one of the most promising high-temperature sites in Alaska for geothermal resource development. Several thermal springs and fumaroles are located ~6 km (4 mi) from Akutan village, and even closer to Akutan Harbor, one of the few sheltered, deep-water harbors in the Aleutians. A state-funded exploration program was carried out at the Akutan geothermal area in the early 1980s, which concluded that an extensive hydrothermal reservoir is likely present at shallow crustal depths beneath Akutan volcano with reservoir temperatures of up to 200°C. More recent seismic and geodetic studies have delineated a large-scale rifting structure on the island. Synthesis of these different studies provides useful targets for planned exploration work. This paper discusses the City’s ongoing efforts to develop the Akutan geothermal resource and describes several project scenarios currently under consideration, defining the issues and challenges related to exploration and development of this remote resource. |