October 21, 2021

In the spirit of Halloween, how do ghosts search the web? They use ghoul-gle! Fortunately you don't have to search for the latest MEA news and information as we have all you need to know in this month's co-op member update:

Board Votes to Payout Capital Credits to all MEA Members
MEA's Board of Directors has approved a capital credit retirement to all of MEA's membership. The capital credit retirement of $2.3 million will be a split payout: 50% of the retirement will be distributed to the 1987 and 1988 membership we have been actively paying out, and the other 50% will be distributed to all members who earned capital credits after 1988. A member's capital credit payout may be first applied to any delinquent or uncollectible accounts owed to MEA, and any capital credits in the amount of less than $25 will be applied to active account balances. Capital credit retirement checks (for retirement amounts more than $25 or for inactive accounts) are anticipated to be mailed before the end of this year. To learn more about capital credits, click here.

Members to see Third Overall Rate Decrease in 2021
Members will see a slight decrease in overall rates in the fourth quarter of 2021 due to a decrease in the Cost of Power Adjustment (COPA) rate. This is the third overall rate decrease in 2021. A typical MEA member, consuming about 677 kWh per month of electricity, will see their overall monthly bill decrease by about $1.60 or 1.08%. The rate changes, effective October 1, 2021, are subject to approval by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA). MEA continues to offer the lowest base rate in the Railbelt at $0.12453/kWh. To learn more about MEA's current rates, click here.

Members can win Prizes During National Co-Op Month
October is National Co-Op Month and MEA is celebrating! Our members are at the heart of our cooperative and being member-built, led, and owned is reflected in everything we do. We're proud to join over 64,000 co-ops across the U.S. as we celebrate our values and membership all month long. Visit any of our Member Service Offices in October for a treat and follow our Facebook page for contests each week. You can win a gift card for electricity and learn more about the benefits of being a co-op member.

MEA Hosts Second Open House for Transmission Line and Substation Study - Members can Submit Project Feedback Online
MEA hosted its second public open house for the Fishhook to Pittman Power Improvement Project that includes identifying a route for a new transmission line and sites for two new substations to provide power to these growing communities. More than 100 members signed in at the event held at Tanaina Elementary School on September 29, 2021. Attendees were able to learn about the project study, the current high scoring routes for the transmission line, and could look up their property to see whether the project may impact them directly. Attendees were also able to provide their feedback on the routes and study.

For members who were not able to attend the Open House, a virtual presentation of the Open House materials is available as well a project feedback form on the project webpage by clicking here. Members can also watch a flyover video of the top two high scoring transmission line routes which include a northern route and another route primarily along the Wasilla Fishhook Road area. A final transmission line route and substation sites are expected to be finalized with the full study results completed early next year. MEA will be accepting public comments throughout this study and project, and members who would like to have their feedback incorporated into our next round of route analyzation are asked to submit their feedback by October 29, 2021.

October is Energy Efficiency Awareness Month - Here's some Energy and Money Saving tips
The month of October marks National Energy Awareness Month and MEA is providing members with ways they can save energy and money by conserving more energy. The biggest consumers of energy in our homes and businesses are heat and light, and by making these energy sources more efficient you will likely see a big difference on your energy bills. Here are some Do's and Don'ts of energy saving tips:

• Do use a Programmable Thermostat - You can save lots of energy and money by turning down your thermostat when you are away from your home or asleep. Installing a programmable thermostat will allow you to adjust the times you turn on your heating to a pre-set schedule.
• Don't use an Electric Heater -Warming up any room or household with an electric space heater is going to use a ton of energy. Most portable electric heaters use at least 1,000 watts of energy. If you use a 1,000-watt electric heater with our current electric rates for 8 hours a day for 31 days (1 month) it will cost approximately $50 on your electric bill.
• Do Switch Light Bulbs to LEDs - LED light bulbs use up to 80% less energy than incandescent lighting. LED's can also last up to 25,000 hours compared to 1,200 hours that an incandescent light bulb lasts. When we calculate the energy cost of an LED bulb used for 8 hours a day for 31 days under our current rates, it costs 43 cents on your electric bill compared to an incandescent 60-watt bulb which costs $2.96 on your bill. Now multiply that cost by how many light bulbs you have in your home or business!
You can find more energy efficiency tips and the most energy efficient appliances such as washers, dryers, and electronics by visiting:

http://www.energystar.gov

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This monthly member email update was sent to MEA members that have an email on file with their SmartHub account. To sign up for a SmartHub account visit: https://mea.smarthub.coop/Login.html#registration: