Mat-Su power bills climb about $15 a month, with more increases expected

Mat-Su electric bills went up this quarter. Matanuska Electric Association's charge for fuel and purchased power climbed from about 7.9 cents to 10.2 cents per kilowatt-hour — roughly $14.50 more a month for a typical household using 623 kilowatt-hours.

The increase comes through what the co-op calls its Cost of Power Adjustment, which passes along what MEA pays for fuel and purchased power without any markup. The co-op's base rates didn't change.

More increases are expected. MEA has told state legislators that bills could rise around 5 percent a year for the next three years, as the utility's gas contract with Hilcorp runs toward its April 2029 expiration and Southcentral's gas supply tightens.

Members who want to say something about it can address the board directly. The co-op's directors meet Monday at 4 p.m. at MEA's Palmer headquarters, with a Zoom option, and members get three minutes each during the public comment period. Signup is through MEA's board page. Rates aren't on Monday's agenda.