Wind Storm Update for January 4th, 2022

Update from Borough Assembly meeting:

Last night, Mat-Su Borough staff as well as Matanuska Electric Association provided an update to the borough assembly on the winter storm.

Jennifer Castro with MEA told the assembly that a crew was returning to Talkeetna Tuesday evening to address the remaining clusters of outages in the Northern Susitna Valley.  Castro says the current pace of repairs should see power fully restored in the Mat-Su by Friday evening.

Borough Emergency Services Director Ken Barkley says Valley fire and EMS departments responded to about 500 calls between Sunday and the beginning of Tuesday’s meeting, most of which were for downed power lines.

Barkley says a concern that has arisen with the extended power outages is carbon monoxide poisoning from a combination of improper heating with gas stoves and running generators inside homes and attached garages.  Barkley implores borough residents to only run generators outside.

Shelters remain open in Palmer and Wasilla, and the borough has a line open for anyone needing non-emergency assistance or information at 907-861-7900.

Original post:

After a wind storm knocked out power to much of the Mat-Su earlier this week, Matanuska Electric Association continues to make progress getting electricity back online.

Through the day on Tuesday, MEA reported around 6,500 members were still without power.  While that is still about ten percent of the Valley, it is less than a third of the peak power outage on Sunday.

Most of the Northern Valley has power back, but just seventy five MEA members in Talkeetna and Trapper Creek were still without power as of Tuesday afternoon.  The Talkeetna Fire Department advises anyone needing shelter to call the borough’s storm information line at 907-861-7900.

The Mat-Su Borough School District announced early Tuesday afternoon that all school buildings will be closed again on Wednesday.  A decision on whether classes will resume Thursday is expected by noon.

On Monday, Governor Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster emergency declaration for multiple boroughs after the recent storms, including the Mat-Su.  That declaration makes state disaster relief funds available to those impacted by the storm.  The governor’s office says information on how to apply for those relief funds should be coming, soon.

In addition to its information line, the Mat-Su Borough has set up an information page on its website.