Load Shedding Leaves Thousands in Anchorage and Mat-Su Without Power
Thousands of residents in Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough experienced power outages due to a load-shedding event on Monday morning. The Chugach Electric Association (CEA) reported significant disruptions, stating on social media that both they and the Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) were affected by outages stemming from lost generation capacity.
Impact of Load Shedding in Anchorage and Mat-Su
As of 9:40 a.m., CEA acknowledged that their service areas were experiencing cascading outages. A few key updates followed:
- 10:15 a.m. – CEA announced that power was restored to all affected members.
- MEA reported that over 19,000 customers were impacted, and they expected restoration by 10:41 a.m.
- Homer Electric Association (HEA) confirmed that around 9,400 customers faced interruptions due to the outage.
Details of the Incident
The outages were triggered by a load-shedding event, which is a strategy used to manage electrical load and prevent grid overload. In response to the situation, additional generation resources were being activated, and the utility companies coordinated restoration efforts.
Julie Hasquet, Communications Manager at CEA, highlighted that the load-shedding plan has been effective in managing similar past incidents. She emphasized that this strategy enables utility providers to stabilize the system and determine the underlying cause of generation loss.
Effect on Schools and Communities
The Anchorage School District also reported disruptions, mentioning that half of its schools were without power as of 10 a.m. However, they assured the community that backup generators at these schools were operational.
This incident illustrates the challenges utility companies face during peak demands and unexpected generation losses. Load-shedding activities, while disruptive, serve as a critical tool for preserving infrastructure stability.
