Letter to the editor

Fredenberg a sensible choice for MEA board

To the editor:

A reminder for Matanuska Electric Association member-owners: voting closes April 27 for the 2026 MEA board of directors election, with an at-large and Eagle River seat on the ballot.

For Mat-Su voters, Connie Fredenberg stands out as a sensible pick to navigate what will be a pivotal few years ahead for MEA. With contracted Cook Inlet natural gas supplies tightening — and 85% of the MEA’s power generation comes from gas — the potential importation of expensive LNG will result in higher rates and bigger electric bills for Valley residents.

Ms. Fredenberg has an extensive energy-related resume, working for 20 years with independent community-owned utilities across rural Alaska in teaching utility management and guiding efforts to integrate reliable renewable energy. She takes a sound, big-picture view of all generation options and how more stable — and less market-volatile — diversification choices can be achieved.

A broad-portfolio approach is not lost on MEA co-op members. In the 2025 member survey released earlier this year, some 74% of respondents considered MEA’s goal of achieving a 50% clean energy benchmark by 2050 as valid.

Voting is online through the MEA SmartHub account. And don’t forget the utility’s annual meeting, set for April 28 at 6 p.m. at the Glenn Massay Theater.

Steven Merritt,

Palmer