DOE ISSUES OFFER TO BUY ALASKA POWER UNIT

  The U.S. Energy Department issued a
  request for proposals to buy the Snettisham Hydroelectric
  project, a major part of the Alaska Power Administration.
      It said invitations were sent to two Alaskan electric
  utilities, the city and borough of Anchorage and the state of
  Alaska.  It did not cite a possible purchase prices.
      The requests were limited to Alaskan entities because the
  purpose of privatization of the administration was to put the
  local utility into the hands of a local body, the DOE said.
      It added that proposals are due back by August three.
      The DOE said it then had 120 days to select a proposal that
  it would recommend to Congress, which then would vote the
  recommendation up or down.
      Proposals to buy the other major part of the Alaska Power
  Administration, the Eklutna project, was expected to be issued
  in early June, it said.
  

