MEA critic the real Mad Hatter

Jim Sykes continues to attack Matanuska Electric Association. He has done so almost without pause since 2001. This former chairman of the Green Party of Alaska has even created his own group, Utility Watch, and now accuses MEA of playing the role of the Mad Hatter.

For those not as familiar as Sykes is with fairy tales, the Mad Hatter is a character from “Alice in Wonderland” who is obsessed with the time and proper grammar, unbirthdays and a perpetual tea party. As usual, Sykes' allusions make no sense whatsoever.

The latest gripe Sykes has is with MEA's petition asking the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to open a docket to investigate the wisdom of forming a Railbelt-wide generation and transmission cooperative (G&T) or a mandatory power pool. Even though MEA is petitioning to do exactly what MEA has worked toward since before statehood, through more than 50 boards and a half dozen general managers, Sykes leaps to cast stones about MEA's motives.

Sykes’ conspiracy theories are the fairy tales, far better suited to the wild and wacky world of Alice’s Wonderland than the provision of electric utility service in Alaska.

In his fantasy, MEA indicates it does not intend to participate in the impending Alaska Energy Authority unified system study. What Assistant General Manager Tuckerman Babcock actually told the RCA was that MEA would participate in any study that had the potential to make real change, but that all previous studies have done little more than collect dust on shelves. MEA will fully partner with the new study, especially if the regulatory commission opens a docket and puts some teeth into the process. Sykes ignores that, and he ignores the fact that the other electric utilities are perfectly content to endorse another study destined to collect dust, but each opposes a mandatory review by the regulatory commission.

Sykes tosses out another whopper when he claims “evidence suggests” MEA's coal generator costs are grossly underestimated. His “evidence” is an “independent” study done by Mark Foster. Foster is now a paid consultant for Tiqun Energy, a private firm that seeks to build a coal generator in Sutton and a natural gas generator on the Alaska State Fairgrounds in Palmer. Sykes says absolutely nothing about Foster's conflict of interest.

Sykes claims “MEA's credibility gap is exacerbated” because it does not belong to the Alaska Power Association. MEA was a member of APA for many years. APA is primarily a lobbying entity that has often not achieved the legislative goals of its members. MEA reached the decision that its membership did not need to pay APA $65,000 a year for this service. Savings like this is one reason MEA has low rates.

Sykes rants MEA has not had a good public process. He wants MEA to invite its members to his own Mad Hatter tea party to brainstorm additional generation options rather than pursue coal or natural gas. MEA has been brainstorming with the board, consultants, MEA members and other utilities for years. MEA has conducted 15 public meetings, two advisory votes and discussed alternatives at two annual meetings. The reality is that no other electric co-op has ever involved the membership as much as MEA; however, I have learned that reality does not mean much to Jim Sykes.

All his rhetoric aside, Mad Hatter Sykes has yet to come forward with a single alternative to coal or gas generation consistent with MEA”s goal of reliable power at the lowest price. MEA remains open to new ideas and suggestions. MEA has collected more than 2,300 pages of research and information on generation possibilities, including renewable energy. I welcome more information. Members are invited to call me during business hours at 761-9275 or e-mail jlwalker@matanuska.com.

Sykes has had numerous unsuccessful runs for various offices as a Green Party candidate. Although a registered Democrat, I have voted for him in the past; however, there is a very real world need for MEA to provide affordable and reliable electricity, and Sykes’ fairy tale posturing has left me wondering how long this gentleman will be chasing the White Rabbit.

Jim Walker is senior counsel for Matanuska Electric Association.