Juneau residents express relief, happiness at return of hydro power
People greeted word Monday that hydro power was restored on the Snettisham line nearly two months ahead of initial projections with happiness and relief.
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"We're pleased and delighted," said Tamar Green, owner of Miss Scarlett's Greenery.
Green's long-standing shop shut off a bank of floral display coolers in an effort to conserve power during the rate hike. From harvest to sale, most of Green's flowers need to stay between 36 and 40 degrees. Prices at the shop did not rise to cover the cooling costs of roses, lilies and the plethora of tropical plants that Miss Scarlett's stocks.
Had the crisis gone on longer, Green said she would have eventually unplugged the remaining displays and asked clients to visit roses, lilies and tropical flowers in the store's walk-in storage cooler. It would have been a last resort, she said.
"It's great news for a lot of people," said Tom Gemmell, a West Juneau resident.
Gemmell said his family reduced electrical use by 60 percent of the previous year throughout the crisis. To weather the electrical emergency, Gemmell unplugged the obvious and did little things such as waiting for full loads before using the dishwasher.
"And getting my son to take shorter showers," he said.
When electric prices drop from the 52 cents per kilowatt-hour to an estimated 15 cents per kWh, Gemmell is going to continue "unplugging" in an effort to retain the practices his family learned during the six-week crisis.
"It's good habits that we should have been doing all along," Gemmell said.
Marion Gotschall, a North Douglas resident, believes that Alaska Electric Light and Power Co. deserves credit for repairing the Snettisham line with such seeming speed.
"It helps," she said.
Gotschall is happy for the news that benefits the whole city, but was wary of the price either way.
"It's still expensive," she said.
AEL&P said, depending on the meter reading schedule, some customers will stay at the 52-cent rate until June 15.
• Contact Reporter Greg Skinner at 523-2258 or e-mail greg.skinner@juneauempire.com.