Unalaska, AK – Today, the Department of Public Utilities made its first big move to bring two new generators online. At about 1:10pm, a Wartsila engine was powered up and connected to the city's electrical grid. While the city had prepared for power outages during these tests, none occurred.

"The critical time was when we were bringing the Wartsila online, and switching the power from the old plant to the new plant here," says Public Utilities Director Dan Winters. "It went really smooth, and we're really pleased."

The two Wartsila engines are capable of producing over 10 megawatts of energy, an increase on the current electrical infrastructure. This is expected to allow the city to provide power not just to residences and small business, but to some of Unalaska's major companies.

"APL will be increasing their power - their new crane will be fed off the city grid now. Horizon is increasing their power. Kloosterboer is talking about an addition onto their plant," says Winters. "All these people except for Kloosterboer pretty much generate their own power now, and now they can back off their machines and run off of ours."

The two new engines will formally go online in December, and the old equipment will be phased out by March.