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Anchorage Bowl

Hillside Anchorage: planning for wind, wells and winter outages

The Hillside rises along the Chugach front range on Anchorage’s east and southeast side. Larger lots, private wells and exposure to strong downslope winds make backup power and outdoor electrical planning more important here than in much of the city.

Homes among birch and spruce on a hillside with mountains behind

At a glance

Community councils
Several, including Hillside, Bear Valley and Rabbit Creek areas
ZIP codes (reported)
99516 covers much of the Hillside; lower portions fall in other ZIPs such as 99507
Electric utility
Chugach Electric
Water
Nearly 7,000 southeast Anchorage lots lack municipal water and sewer (AWWU)

Where the Hillside is

“The Hillside” is an informal name for the residential slopes between the Anchorage Bowl and Chugach State Park, generally the higher ground on the city’s east and southeast side, extending south toward the Rabbit Creek area. It is not a single community council; several councils cover different parts of it, and their boundaries were updated in January 2026. The Municipality’s Hillside District Plan, adopted in 2010, is the main planning document for the area.

Map of the Anchorage area Map of upper Cook Inlet showing the Anchorage Bowl between Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm, Eagle River and Chugiak to the northeast, Girdwood to the southeast, and Wasilla and Palmer in the Mat-Su Borough to the north. Points mark communities for orientation only; no business locations are shown. Cook Inlet Knik Arm Turnagain Arm CHUGACH MOUNTAINS JBER Mat-Su Borough Downtown & South AdditionSpenardMidtownHillsideEagle RiverChugiakGirdwoodWasillaPalmer 01020 km N
Area guide — click a point to open itOther community in the MunicipalityMat-Su Borough (not covered)
The Hillside has no single official boundary; the point marks its general location. See the Municipality’s Hillside District Plan and community council maps for boundaries. Coastline data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Wind and outages

Strong winds descending from the Chugach Mountains are a known Hillside hazard. Outage reports from several storms — including October 2022 and the January 2025 windstorm, when Chugach’s outage count peaked around 17,500 members — singled out the Hillside and East Anchorage among the hardest-hit areas. During the January 2025 restoration, news coverage described Hillside residents running generators to keep homes warm.

Many Hillside streets are served by overhead lines running through spruce and birch, which are vulnerable to falling trees and limbs. Restoration in these areas can take longer than on main feeders.

Peak outages in recent Anchorage windstormsCustomers or members without power at the peak, as reported
05K10K15K20KApril 2018: ~7,600 — Chugach outage map peakApril 2018~7,600February 2024: ~5,900 — Peak, Chugach membersFebruary 2024~5,900January 2025: ~17,500 — Peak, Chugach members; gusts above 100 mphJanuary 2025~17,500
View as table
ItemPeak without powerNote
April 2018~7,600Chugach outage map peak
February 2024~5,900Peak, Chugach members
January 2025~17,500Peak, Chugach members; gusts above 100 mph

Sources: Anchorage Daily News — 2025, 2024, 2018. Utility-reported peaks; not strictly comparable.

Wells, septic and why they matter for power

According to AWWU, nearly 7,000 residential lots in southeast Anchorage are outside municipal water and sewer service, most of them larger than an acre and served by on-site wells and septic systems. The Hillside District Plan set a fixed boundary for future municipal water and sewer extension.

For electrical planning, a private well means no water during an outage unless the well pump has backup power. Well pumps have high starting current, so they need to be part of the generator sizing calculation. Some homes also have pressure tanks, treatment equipment, or heat trace on water lines that need power to keep working.

Other electrical topics on the Hillside

Long driveways and outbuildings

Detached garages, shops and long driveways often mean feeders to outbuildings, buried cable and driveway lighting. Underground work needs correct burial depth and utility locates before digging.

Heat trace and snow

Higher elevation and wind-driven drifting make roof and gutter heat cable and pipe heat trace common. These circuits need ground-fault protection and are good candidates for generator backup.

Surge and restoration events

Frequent outages and restorations are a reasonable argument for panel-level surge protection alongside point-of-use protectors.

ZIP code notes

Third-party sources place much of the Hillside — including Glen Alps, Bear Valley and Rabbit Creek areas — in ZIP 99516, with some lower portions in other ZIP codes such as 99507. We could not verify these assignments directly with USPS. Use the USPS ZIP lookup for a specific address.

Permits in this area

The Hillside is within the Anchorage Bowl, where municipal electrical permits and inspections generally apply. Generator installations may also involve gas or propane permits. See the permits guide.

Frequently asked questions

Will my well work during a power outage?

Not unless the well pump has backup power. A pressure tank holds a small amount of usable water, but once it is drawn down the pump must run. AWWU reports that nearly 7,000 southeast Anchorage lots are outside municipal water and sewer service, so this applies to a large share of Hillside homes. Include the well pump in any generator plan.

What size generator does a Hillside home with a well need?

It depends on the pump horsepower, the heating system and the other loads you choose. A well pump’s starting current is often the deciding factor in sizing. Find the pump details on the well record or control box, and ask an installer for a load calculation rather than relying on rules of thumb.

Why does the Hillside lose power more often in windstorms?

Strong downslope winds from the Chugach Mountains hit the Hillside and East Anchorage hard, and many Hillside streets are fed by overhead lines through spruce and birch, which are vulnerable to falling trees and limbs. News coverage of the 2018, 2022 and January 2025 storms singled out these areas among the last restored.

Should I report trees near my power line?

Yes. Contact Chugach Electric about trees near overhead distribution lines. Do not trim near energized lines yourself, and keep at least the utility-recommended distance from any downed line.

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