Golovin awaits arrival of 2 delayed power generators

As average temperatures plunge five degrees each week in Golovin, the western Alaska village is anxiously awaiting the arrival of two new generators.

The generators were made possible by a $218,098 grant from Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation and were expected to be delivered earlier in the fall. Golovin Power Utility’s bookkeeper, Joann Fagerstrom, said that with winter looming workers have had to improvise due to delays. 

“They could have came here with a tender boat if they got here a lot sooner. But they were stuck in Bethel for a while, and they got to Nome last week,” Fagerstrom said. 

As sea ice begins to appear throughout the Bering Strait region, the utility plans on flying in the generators. But another problem has arisen: the new generators, John Deere 6090 marine-grade engines, are too tall to fit inside the CASA C-212 cargo plane. 

First, the generators will need to be disassembled. Fagerstrom said that with some help from Nome-based mechanic Noah Burmeister, workers will be able to break the generators down and fly them to Golovin.

Each generator can output up to 222 kilowatts, enough to power the entire village on its own. This increased capacity will allow Golovin to prolong wear and tear on the new units while providing redundancy.

Fagerstrom said the utility expects the generators to arrive in the coming weeks and be online in time for winter.