Mat-Su

MEA: Wasilla-area power knocked out by digging

Thousands of Matanuska Electric Association members were without power Tuesday morning, after officials with the co-op say an underground electric line was struck during digging.

Officials with MEA first mentioned the outage, in the Knik-Goose Bay Road/Fairview Loop area near Wasilla, shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday. All power was restored by shortly after 10 a.m.

MEA spokeswoman Julie Estey said that about 4,500 people were affected by the outage, after a contractor damaged a buried power line.

Estey encouraged anyone conducting digging to call 811 before doing so, to determine where underground lines like the one struck Tuesday lie. It wasn't clear whether the contractor involved in the outage had placed an 811 call before breaking ground.

Chris Klint

Chris Klint is a former ADN reporter who covered breaking news.

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