Ameresco, a Framingham-based energy solutions company, is partnering with Juneau Hydropower Inc. to develop a $240-million, 19.8-megawatt hydroelectric facility at Sweetheart Lake, 33 miles south of downtown Juneau, Alaska.
The hydroelectric facility is designed to generate 116,000 megawatt hours, which is a 20% increase in clean hydropower over Juneau’s current electrical generation capacity. The project encompasses the installation of a battery-powered energy storage system, with more than 40 miles of high-voltage transmission infrastructure, including eight miles of undersea cable crossing a local bay.
The hydroelectric dam is expected to offset 82,012 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. This project aims to provide a renewable energy source to remote areas, which are dependent on diesel generation, while improving local grid reliability and resilience in an area with a history of extreme weather events.
One of the planned customers is a local gold mine currently powered by diesel generation, which aims to transition to primarily renewable base-load energy to power once the hydroelectric facility is completed.
Ameresco has participated in several large projects since 2024, including an $8-million microgrid project in New Brunswick, Canada, and a $250-million energy storage project in the United Kingdom.
Lucy Coran is an editorial intern for Worcester Business Journal and a rising sophomore at Smith College.
