UAF honors Cordova Electric CEO Clay Koplin for microgrid work in Cordova

The University of Alaska Fairbanks honored Clay Koplin, who has led Cordova Electric Cooperative for nearly 20 years, in September for advancing microgrid innovation in Cordova. Koplin, who is also a UAF doctoral student, was recognized as an Alaska Innovators Hall of Fame recipient at the university's Innovation Celebration.

Koplin becomes chief executive of Matanuska Electric Association on Jan. 7, succeeding the retiring Tony Izzo, Alaska News reported Sept. 3. MEA serves about 58,000 members across Southcentral Alaska.

Cordova's grid is not connected by transmission line to any other community, according to the co-op. Two run-of-river hydropower plants, on Power Creek and Humpback Creek, supply about 70% to 80% of the town's electricity, and diesel covers the rest, according to a 2021 Energy Department account.

In a 2021 report to members, Koplin wrote that Power Creek produces two-thirds of the co-op's electricity each year and had saved about 19 million gallons of diesel since it started running in 2002, nearly $40 million in savings for customers.