Matanuska Electric wants members to go renewable without a rooftop, but it hasn't said what it costs

Matanuska Electric Association wants to let its members buy into renewable power without installing anything on their own roof.

The co-op, which serves the Mat-Su Borough and parts of Anchorage and Eagle River, has asked state regulators to approve a Community-Based Renewable Energy program. The idea is simple. Instead of a private system, member-owners could subscribe to a shared renewable facility on MEA's grid.

The appeal is access. Renters and anyone who can't afford a private install would have a way in. But the filing leaves the biggest question unanswered. It does not say what a subscription would cost, or whether members who don't sign up could still see an effect on their bills. That cost-sharing question stays open until the Regulatory Commission of Alaska finishes its review.

The window to weigh in has already closed. The RCA posted the notice June 2, and public comment ended June 16. The commission is now deciding, and it can change, condition, or reshape the program before approving it, so what MEA proposed may not be what members get.