Comment Period Open for Nuyakuk River Hydroelectric Project

The public comment period for the proposed Nuyakuk River Hydroelectric Project is open until November 16, 2026. 

Trout Unlimited Alaska has been working with stakeholders across Bristol Bay to better understand the proposed project and its implications. Below you'll find an overview of the project, Trout Unlimited's analysis, and information about how to submit public comments. 

Project Summary  

What is it?

Nushagak Cooperative, the utility cooperative located in Dillingham, AK has introduced a hydroelectric proposal located at the headwaters of the Nuyakuk River.  

This is a run-of-the-river hydropower project that would divert up to 30% of the river’s flow at the top of Nuyakuk falls, pass it through turbines to generate power, and return it to the river below the falls, about 1,500 feet below the diversion.  

The project has the potential to generate year-round power and aims to replace 1.5 million gallons of diesel fuel annually. As of October 2026, the average price of diesel in Alaska is $6.49/gallon, with the price in rural areas like Bristol Bay being substantially higher.  

Where is it?

The project is located about 4 miles downstream from Tikchik Lake on the Nuyakuk River, a major tributary to the Nushagak River.  

The Nushagak Cooperative seeks to develop the project to provide electricity to Dillingham, Aleknagik, New Stuyahok, Ekwok & Levelock. The project site is located at Nuyakuk Falls, where the river drops 26 feet in elevation over about 2,500 feet of river length. These conditions allow for construction of a hydropower project without requiring a dam or fish ladder.

Trout Unlimited's Analysis 

We recognize the need for cheaper and more reliable energy solutions in rural Southwest Alaska. We also recognize that the Nuyakuk River is an important part of the Bristol Bay watershed, home to the world's largest wild sockeye salmon runs and a globally significant sportfishing, subsistence, and commercial fishery. Any project with the potential to affect salmon, and the people that rely upon them, must undergo rigorous scientific review and meaningful public engagement.  

Before TU could support a project of this scale, it would need to demonstrate that it can effectively mitigate harm to local anadromous fish populations. The project should be evaluated not only under current conditions, but also under future climate and hydrologic scenarios and steps should be taken to ensure sufficient in-stream flows are maintained throughout the lifespan of the project.   

It must be ensured that that local communities, Tribes, anglers, businesses, and other stakeholders have meaningful opportunities to participate in the decision-making process in a frequent and accessible way. Public engagement should be more than a procedural requirement; stakeholder concerns must be meaningfully considered and addressed through appropriate mitigation measures.  

TU is working with technical experts to evaluate the project's potential impacts on fisheries. We will continue to advocate for sound science, robust public involvement, and a careful assessment of whether the proposal can meet the region's energy demands while safeguarding fish and the people that rely upon them.  

If you are interested in delving deeper into the science behind these concerns, you can read our comments submitted to the FERC website here.  

Submit a Public Comment 

Comments on the Nuyakuk River Hydroelectric Project Draft License Application are due to FERC by November 16, 2026, docket P-14873-001. Personal comments carry far more weight than identical form letters, so treat this as a menu, not a script. 

How to submit a FERC eComment: 

  1. Go to FERC eComment and enter your personal information.

  2. Click the confirmation link FERC emails you (check spam). 

  3. Search docket P-14873, then select proceeding P-14873-001. 

  4. Paste your comment into the text box and submit. 

  5. Save the confirmation email for your records. 

How to use this comment template 

  1. Start with the opening and fill in the bracketed [your story] section. This is the most important part: who you are and why the Nuyakuk and Bristol Bay matter to you. 

  2. Summarize your opinion on the project from information gleaned from the resources links listed. 

  3. Finish with the closing requests and your name and community. 

  4. Keep the whole comment under 10,000 characters (about 1,500 words), the limit for FERC eComment without an account. A short, personal comment of 300 to 600 words is plenty. 

Draft template 

Re: Nuyakuk River Hydroelectric Project, Draft License Application, Docket P-14873-001 

Dear Secretary Reese, 

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Draft License Application for the Nuyakuk River Hydroelectric Project. 

[Your story. Pick what fits and write 2 to 4 sentences in your own words.] 

  • [I live in ______ and have fished / hunted / harvested subsistence foods in the Nushagak and Wood-Tikchik country for ___ years.] 

  • [I am a commercial fisherman in Bristol Bay. The Nushagak District is part of how I make my living.] 

  • [I own / work for a lodge, guide service, or outfitter that depends on healthy Chinook, sockeye, rainbow trout, and other fish in the Nuyakuk and Nushagak rivers.] 

  • [I have traveled to fish the Nuyakuk / Wood-Tikchik / Nushagak, and that trip was ______.] 

  • [I am an Alaskan who cares about protecting Bristol Bay's wild salmon for future generations.] 

I understand that energy costs in Southwest Alaska are high, and I respect the Nushagak Cooperative's effort to cut diesel use and find local, renewable power. [Optional: add your own experience with high energy or fuel costs.] At the same time, the Nuyakuk River is a major tributary of the Nushagak, which produces roughly 30% of Bristol Bay's sockeye and one of Alaska's last strong runs of wild Chinook salmon. A project here must meet a very high standard of scientific review before it is licensed. [Optional: say whether you believe that standard has been met.] 

Source information from the following links and summarize your opinion:  

  • Trout Unlimited’s March 2025 comments on the Updated Study Report that were compiled by our science team. This was the previous step in the decision-making process, and the comments are still largely relevant in this next round.   

Renewable energy and wild salmon both matter to Bristol Bay's future. Getting the science right is how we best evaluate the project and the benefits and risks. Thank you for considering my comments. 

Sincerely, 

[Your name] 

[Your community, state]  

[Optional: your connection, e.g., commercial fisherman, lodge owner, TU member]