Alaska Coop Appeals Order to Bury Lines
Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) has filed an appeal of the city of Wasilla’s decision to give MEA a permit to build a 115-kilovolt transmission line only if the coop puts the line underground. The city says that it wants to safeguard Wasilla’s scenery and property values, but MEA has said the requirement to bury the lines could quadruple the cost of the project to $40 million. MEA said it would try to recoup the increased costs from city residents on their power bills. The Anchorage Daily News has more on this story.