Eleven Sitka islands lose power for a day as crews swap a channel cable

Eleven islands off Sitka lose power for eight hours on Friday, July 31, while the city replaces an aging underwater cable across Sitka Channel.

The outage runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and covers Aleutski, Anderson, Bamdoroshni, Beardslee, Breast, Galankin, Gillmore, Morne, Sheep, Twin, and Whale islands.

Crews lay the new high-voltage armored cable the morning before, running it by landing craft from the bridge near City Hall across to Aleutski Island. Boaters should be able to work around the site without trouble.

The old cable is near the end of its life, and the new one is being routed to clear the way for the second phase of the Sitka Seawalk.