King Cove waste-heat system failure now costing district ~$80,000/year in extra heating oil

What happened

The superintendent's August 2026 report details district-wide energy audits that found King Cove School lost its waste-heat supply from the city power plant when that system failed in 2025, forcing AEBSD to spend nearly $80,000 more per year on heating oil. The same audits found King Cove's air handlers were only partially operating, Akutan has significant window/entrance air and water infiltration, and none of the district's four schools has a fully updated building-control system.

Why it matters to families

This is a documented, quantified recurring operating-cost increase tied to a facilities failure outside the district's control, plus building-envelope and HVAC deficiencies affecting indoor air quality and safety at two schools; it also shapes upcoming capital requests (e.g., a possible $8.7M Renew America's Schools Grant application) that could materially affect future budgets and building conditions.

The evidence

"The King Cove School previously received waste heat from the nearby City-owned power plant, but that system failed in 2025. As a result, AEBSD is now spending nearly $80,000 more each year on heating oil... King Cove has particularly significant HVAC needs, with only a portion of its air handlers operating during the audit... Akutan has important building-envelope concerns. Its south-facing windows and main entrance are allowing significant air and water infiltration."

The source