A recent commentary in the ADN stated that the time is now to restore water to the Eklutna River to provide salmon habitat. I propose the opposite; now is not the time. Putting water into the Eklutna River diverts that water from the Eklutna Hydroelectric Project, an electrical generation plant that produces enough greenhouse-gas-free renewable energy to power 25,000 homes. Of equal importance, the lake reservoir stores electrical power; it is essentially a massive battery, that can be used to quickly meet daily power demand fluctuations. This is exactly what is needed to integrate other renewables such as wind and solar energy into our electrical grid.
Restoring salmon to the Eklutna River is a laudable goal, but at a time when we are facing an existential climate crisis, we must do all we can to reduce the use of fossil fuel. The Eklutna Hydroelectric Project has a role to play in our low-carbon future. Someday in the future, perhaps within a decade, when we have turned things around, will be the time to restore the salmon. If we do not focus on the big picture, climate change could eliminate the very salmon that would make use of the Eklutna River.
— Bob Butera
Anchorage
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