PALMER -- Ten thousand Matanuska Electric Association members mailed in ballots to weigh in on whether the electric utility should move to local power generation or keep buying power from nearby utility Chugach Electric Association.
The ballots have now been counted and local power generation beat out imported power handily. According to numbers released by MEA on Wednesday night, 7,115 members said they wanted local power, and 1,445 said MEA should keep buying its power from Chugach Electric. Other ballots were discounted for lack of a signature or other reasons.
Another 911 members used a "write-in" line to voice other options. The write-in suggestions will be tallied separately, MEA spokeswoman Lorali Carter said.
Carter said MEA administration is pleased with the 23-percent member turnout, which is higher than the typical number of votes cast during the cooperative's annual meetings.
Matanuska Electric Association this year unveiled plans to build a 100-megawatt coal-fired plant and a 100-megawatt natural gas-fired plant in the Valley as part of its plan to stop buying power from Chugach Electric. A long-term power contract with Chugach ends Dec. 31, 2014.
"The members of MEA have delivered a clear and overwhelming mandate in support of MEA management and those board members who support the plan to build local generation," Carter said in a press release.
MEA sent the advisory ballots out to its 41,812 members in June.
