Giant Residential Solar Array Starts Feeding Power into OPALCO Grid
Orcas Island residents Richard and Becky Greaves installed a 30kW photovoltaic (PV) system, the largest privately owned system in the Northwest and the largest local producer in OPALCO’s … Read More
Contaminated Eastsound Generator Plant Site Cleaned Up
OPALCO spent half a million dollars to clean up chemical contaminants in the ground at the old generator plant. Geo Engineers of Redmond, WA was hired to bring … Read More
Record Power Usage Causes Blackout
The generating plant at Orcas had a record load of 225kW and the fuses at the transformer bank blew, causing an island-wide blackout. Outages due to overload were … Read More
Moran State Park Gets Power
Moran State Park membership was approved and power was strung to the CCC camp near Cascade Lake. The fee was waived
Orcas Island’s Lines Powered Up
Orcas Island’s first power lines were energized, resulting in an influx of real estate buyers.
Orcas Island Generating Plant Completed
The Orcas Island generation plant was completed at a total cost of $150,000. The original plant consisted of two Worthington General Electric diesel engines. Engine No. 1 was … Read More
Orcas Island Puts Up First Power Lines
The firm of NePage McKenny began construction on 53 miles of overhead power lines on Orcas Island. Four crews with a total of 85 men, many of them … Read More
First Orcas Power and Light Board Convenes
Members of the original Board of Trustees were Charles S. Gerard (Project Supervisor), John E. Harrison, Edward J. Young, Chester R. Martin, Harry P. Walrath, Amos B. Coffelt, … Read More
Islanders Form Orcas Electric Association
Orcas Island residents F.H. Boddington, W.E. Boyer, Amos Coffelt, Rev. F. Eastman, C.S. Gerard, Dr. A.B. Harrison, J.E. Harrison, Chester R. Martin, Mrs Opperman, Carl Templin, H.P. Walrath, … Read More
Celebrate OPALCO's 75th Anniversary
