Windstorm mostly misses Mat-Su Valley

WASILLA — Of all the press releases issued this week on the topic, one quote probably sums up what the windstorm Tuesday night was like for Anchorage: “This is a once-in-a-generation kind of storm,” Municipal Light & Power General Manager James Posey said.

But in the Valley?

“Eagle River, Chugiak, Birchwood and Peter’s Creek were hit incredibly hard,” said MEA spokesman Kevin Brown. “For most Valley residents, it was by no means a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

Wind speeds were akin to what the Valley gets each winter with the Chinook winds, Brown said. But with the ground wet, unfrozen and the trees still with their leaves, more trees were blown onto power lines than during a typical Chinook. Something on the order of 16,450 MEA customers were without power at the storm’s peak. The storm caused five substations to go down, and damaged 23 feeder lines throughout the service area, he said.

By Thursday, that number was down to 500, mostly in the Chugiak/Birchwood area.

“We are very optimistic to have the overwhelming majority of those without power re-established at midnight tonight,” Brown said.

Here’s something you might not have known — all Mat-Su Borough Schools have backup generators.

School spokeswoman Catherine Esary said that in some cases, like Meadow Lakes Elementary, that meant that while a school had power it lacked telephone service. Mat-Su Borough schools remained open all week, unlike Anchorage schools, which closed on Wednesday.

Judging by media reports, after the storm scores of trees were down in Anchorage, blocking roads and crushing cars.

“What happened in Anchorage was kind of the utility system nightmare scenario,” Brown said. “You’re talking about the equivalent of a category 4 hurricane slamming into Anchorage”

Brown said he could do nothing but tip his hat to Chugach Electric Association and ML&P for their response to the storm damage. He said they “moved heaven and earth” before noting that MEA buys most of its power from CEA.

“I don’t think we could possibly say enough kind things about them,” Brown said.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.