Does new AES partnership give PLP the funding it needs?

Pebble Limited Partnership recently announced that it had contracted with AES Regulatory and Technical Services to “lead a collaborative business development planning initiative to include Alaska Native village corporations with land holdings near the Pebble Project site, and who have had contract relationships with PLP in the past.”

Last week a Pebble Watch reader asked about the significance of this new “partnership” and whether it gives “PLP the funding they need to confidently apply for a permit or do they need more partners?”

Our answer:

Pebble Partnership contracts with many different businesses for different purposes. For example, there were dozens of contractors that contributed to its Environmental Baseline Study. Recently PLP contracted with HDR Alaska to help lead its permitting process. None of these contractors, including AES, are project funders. It is our understanding that the Pebble Partnership is still looking for multiple funders.