Alaska Electric Light & Power
| Industry | Energy, Public Utility |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1893 in Juneau, Alaska, United States |
| Founder | Willis Thorpe |
| Headquarters | 5601 Tonsgard Court, Juneau, Alaska , United States |
| Products | Electricity |
Number of employees | 78 |
| Parent | Avista Corporation |
| Website | aelp.com |
Alaska Electric Light & Power, also known as AEL&P, is the power utility for Juneau, the capital city of Alaska. AEL&P gets their electricity primarily through the Snettisham hydroelectric power plant, located in an uninhabited region 30 miles (48 km) southeast of downtown Juneau, accessible only by boat and aircraft.
Founded in 1893 by Willis Thorpe, AEL&P is one of the only privately held utilities in the state. The company is Alaska’s oldest electrical utility and its oldest continuously operating corporation. It originally ran on local hydroelectric dams run by the mining-focused Treadwell Company. These first dams were constructed on Salmon Creek and Sheep Creek. The current plant at Snettisham was completed in 1973.
On July 1, 2014, Avista Corp., based out of Washington, bought out AEL&P's parent Alaska Energy and Resources Company.
AEL&P has a total hydroelectric capacity of 102 megawatts. The Snettisham Plant provides about two-thirds of Juneau’s electricity and has a generating capacity of 78.2 megawatts.