KNOM

The Coast Guard Cutter Healy and Russian tanker Renda will begin ice breaking operations Friday morning in preparation for their outbound journey from Nome.

The Renda has been pumping fuel for about 24 hours now. Sitnasuak Board Chair Jason Evans estimates that about a half million gallons have flowed into the tanks as of this afternoon.

The Russian ice-breaking tanker Renda could begin pumping fuel today. Crews spent yesterday pulling thousands of feet of hose from the vessel and creating a smooth path across the ice.

The price of the fuel to customers in Nome after the upcoming fuel delivery is still to be determined. Nomeites may be spared the cost of gas at $9 a gallon, but the operation to deliver fuel with icebreaker support is not cheap for the government agencies involved.

The Russian tanker Renda loaded gasoline Tuesday afternoon in Dutch Harbor following the completion of its port state control exam. The Renda is set to depart late Tuesday for Nome.

The Coast Guard is confirming that the Cutter Healy will be used to break ice for a Russian tanker in the first-ever winter fuel delivery in Nome.

The pieces are coming together for Sitnasuak’s historic fuel delivery later this month in Nome.

The single biggest item on Governor Parnell’s disaster declaration for the Bering Sea storm was damage to the Nome-Council Highway.

The Nome city council wants to take advantage of natural gas in the Norton Sound. Facing high electric rates and unstable heating fuel prices, the council wants legislative support in renewing efforts to tap into gas just 25 miles off shore from Nome.

An AVEC lineman made it to Savoonga Friday morning and with one hour of work, he had power going for 40 households, including the Post Office, Church and Public Safety building. According to the Alaska Village Electric Co-op, the remaining 30 homes should have power by this afternoon with the change of a transformer.