EnergyAlaska · July 16, 2026
your electric bill just jumped
Mat-Su's electric co-op is raising the fuel charge on bills starting in the third quarter of 2026, adding about $15 a month for a typical home.
Daily Alaska staff · July 16, 2026
Matanuska Electric Association, the co-op that supplies power to the Mat-Su Valley, Palmer, Wasilla and parts of Eagle River and Chugiak, is raising the fuel portion of member bills starting in the third quarter of 2026.
For a typical Valley home, the change adds about $15 a month to the bill. The fuel charge itself is climbing nearly 30 percent, while the co-op's base rate, which covers poles, wires and daily operations, is not changing.
MEA says the increase reflects the direct cost of fuel and purchased power passed through to members with no markup. A colder than expected spring pushed up natural gas use, there was less low-cost hydro power available, and new costs to store natural gas added to the total.
The co-op expects the fuel charge to ease back down once the shortfall is recovered.
In this story
Questions people ask
Who is raising the fuel charge?
Matanuska Electric Association, the co-op serving the Mat-Su Valley, Palmer, Wasilla, Eagle River and Chugiak.
How much higher will bills go?
About $15 more a month for a typical Valley home.
When does the increase kick in?
The third quarter of 2026.
Does the base rate go up too?
No. Only the fuel part of the bill is climbing. The base rate for poles and wires stays the same.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- MEA is raising the fuel portion of member bills starting in the third quarter of 2026. · mea.coop
- A typical Valley home's bill rises by about $15 a month. · mea.coop
- The fuel charge is climbing almost 30 percent. · mea.coop
- The base rate for poles, wires and daily operations is not changing. · mea.coop
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