Community Values

The Sweetheart Lake Hydroelectric Project was born from a local vision: Juneau people investing in Juneau’s future. The project was advanced by Duff Mitchell and Juneau investors who have lived, worked, raised families, and built businesses here for much of their lives. This is not an outside project looking in. It is a locally driven effort built around a simple principle: do hydropower the right way, for the long-term benefit of our community.

Our investors live where you live. Their children and grandchildren call Juneau home. They care about the same things our neighbors care about: affordable energy, local jobs, responsible growth, clean water, healthy fisheries, reliable infrastructure, keeping costs down, and building a strong future for the next generation. What matters to you matters to us.

Juneau is at an important moment. New housing, mining, transportation electrification, dock electrification, future U.S. Coast Guard operations, and new economic opportunities all require one thing in common: more dependable, renewable power. Without new energy, growth becomes harder, costs rise, and opportunities can pass Juneau by.

Our community has a choice: rely only on the infrastructure we already have, or invest in the power needed to grow. Just as the Snettisham hydropower system helped shape Juneau’s modern energy foundation, the Sweetheart Lake Hydroelectric Project can help provide the next generation of reliable renewable energy. With battery storage and more than 56 miles of high-voltage transmission, Sweetheart Lake is designed to help Juneau evolve into a more resilient, prosperous, and energy-secure community.

JHI is not just developing a project; it is a utility with its own service territory and a responsibility to serve a 106-square-mile area. As Juneau’s energy needs grow, Sweetheart Lake is positioned to provide clean, reliable hydropower that supports local families, local employers, and the infrastructure Juneau will need for decades to come.

Sweetheart Lake can also strengthen Southeast Alaska’s economy by helping lower the cost of mineral production and supporting the long-term viability of regional mining operations who are key employers. Kensington Mine, for example, is one of Juneau’s largest private employer anchors. Reliable hydropower gives mining, maritime operations, transportation, housing, and local businesses a stable energy source that is not tied to the unpredictable price of diesel or other fossil fuels.

Buying local hydropower makes sense for Juneau. It keeps more energy dollars circulating in our local economy, supports local employment, improves energy security, and helps our community grow in a way that is both economically and environmentally responsible.

Sweetheart Lake is Juneau-built, Juneau-backed, and Juneau-focused. We live here, too. We are your Home Team Hydro.