Cutting off power and heat in the winter

To the editor:

I have been an MEA owner/member on and off for more than 30 years. I travel a lot as do a lot of other Alaskans.

Recently, I had MEA call to have me pay my bill, which I thought I had paid before I left. But while out of state I received a call from my daughter — they were at my house to shut the power off.

I called MEA and explained that I thought I paid the bill, was in a grocery store out of state on a cellphone with a low battery, would be flying back the next day and would straighten things out then. Don’t shut the power off. They wouldn’t listen.

When I got where I could call, the MEA lady insisted I get right in and pay, she wouldn’t let me get two words in, but finally let me keep power on for 24 hours.

I was treated like a criminal. MEA refused to listen and no tag was ever put on my door. All this for a whopping $200 bill. After 30 years of service, all this is apparently legal and could have cost me $10,000 to repair damage with no power at 20 degrees below zero.

I want to bring this to the attention of MEA, Enstar and all other utility customers that there is no law preventing utilities from shutting off power or heat regardless of weather.

This needs to change, either by policy or law.

MEA has its annual meeting coming up April 24 at Raven Hall on the Alaska State Fairgrounds and I won’t be here, but I would love to have this issue brought up.

Bob Weber

Wasilla