In 2009 Chugach plans to complete the last major construction activities for this project. Three separate projects will be done along O'Malley Road. A new 138-kilovolt transmission line will be built from the Alaska Railroad tracks west of the Old Seward Highway to Elmore Road. This line will be on the south side of O'Malley from the railroad to a point near Chilly Pepper Field, where it will cross to the north side of the road until reaching Elmore. The new transmission line will be built in the road right of way, and Chugach has worked with the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities to coordinate the location of the structures with the department's future road improvement project.

Prior to construction of the new transmission line, Chugach will convert the existing 12.5-kv overhead distribution line to an underground line. At the bottom of the same trench, Chugach will install a new 34.5-kv subtransmission line to link distribution substations. It is expected that existing overhead telephone and cable TV lines attached to the distribution poles will also be relocated underground at this time. Until DOT&PF does the road project and establishes final grades, a short section of line will remain overhead where it crosses the hill just west of Chilly Pepper Field. The line will then be converted from overhead to underground facilities.

The exact schedule for 2009 construction will not be known until a contractor has been selected. Here is the general schedule.

Anticipated sequence of activities

• Survey
• Clearing
• Installation of the underground lines
• Retirement of the existing overhead lines
• Construction of the new transmission line

End of 2009 /early 2010 -- construction completed

Updated Schedule (7-19-09)