It’s time for Page Two: News that might not make the front page for Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025.
More than 17,000 Mat-Su residents lost power as strong winds howled through the Mat-Su over the weekend. Many went without electricity for days.
Matanuska Electric Association Senior Cooperative Communications Manager Jennifer Castro said the MEA crews mobilized early. They began preparations soon after the National Weather Service issued advisories.
Still, the wind damage added up quickly. Hundreds of trees blew onto power lines and broke transformers across the system.
MEA’s system includes 4,800 miles of power lines.
Linemen worked 16-hour shifts with limited rest. They patrolled miles and miles of lines to locate failure points before they could start repairs.
Castro said widespread outages are infrequent. Yet, they’re not new in the Mat-Su. In October, nearly 19,000 members lost power. MEA restored it within hours. A winter storm in 2022 knocked out power for days to more than 20,000 members. That time, crews made repairs during short breaks in the storm.
This time, no breaks came.
Constant wind gusts at hurricane force made bucket-truck work unsafe. Crews had to pause repairs. The outages kept climbing.
Castro described the difference between utility crews in the Lower 48 and MEA. Lower 48 crews wait to restore power once a storm passes. But she said MEA crews are in the thick of it. They begin restoring power during the storm.
MEA employs 17 full-time linemen and hires two seasonal workers each summer. However, 23 linemen worked during the storm.
Support also came from MEA’s Dispatch Department. Normally, two dispatchers manage outages. This week, four dispatchers tracked reports and coordinated field crews.
Contractors from private electrical companies joined the effort. Neighboring electric associations sent help too.
Castro said falling trees are the number one threat to the grid.
MEA calls them “danger trees.” The utility clears easements around power poles on a seven-year cycle. Easements extend 15 feet in every direction.
But most outages happen when trees fall from outside the cleared zones. Castro urges landowners to allow MEA to remove danger trees near power lines.
She also asks residents to report danger trees. Photos and exact locations help crews find damage faster.
MEA reviews its emergency operations plan twice a year. Castro said that planning makes a difference. And after each major event the utility holds a debrief to improve the next response.
She encourages residents to do the same: review their own emergency plans, monitor weather alerts, charge devices, stock water and batteries, fuel vehicles, and test generators. Have more than one backup plan.
And finally, she said, check on your neighbors, especially during extended outages.
Outage reports and danger tree reports can be made at mea.coop
Bright Up The Night at the State Fairgrounds hopes to reopen tonight. The display closed for maintenance due to the windstorm. If you had a ticket for yesterday, please check your email to receive a refund or exchange. Check the Fair’s website or Facebook page for updates.
The Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center Director Nelson Crone leads a free walking tour of the farm tomorrow at noon. The one-hour tour digs into the history of the farm. Dress for the weather and icy terrain.
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This Page Two articles was written by Emily Forstner and read by Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.