MEA
Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) is a member-owned electric cooperative founded in 1941, serving 57,000+ residential and commercial members across Southcentral Alaska through 4,800+ miles of power lines and the SmartHub digital member platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1941
- HeadquartersPalmer, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What MEA does
Matanuska Electric Association, Inc. (MEA) is a member-owned electric cooperative founded in 1941, serving 57,000+ residential and commercial members across Southcentral Alaska through an exclusive service territory covering the Mat-Su Valley and Eagle River communities. It is Alaska's oldest existing and second-largest electric cooperative, operating under the regulatory oversight of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) with no competing distribution infrastructure in its franchise area. The cooperative manages 4,800+ miles of power lines and employs 101-250 staff across its Palmer headquarters and district offices in Wasilla and Eagle River.
MEA's core product is regulated electric power distribution delivered through substations, transmission lines, and an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system used for theft detection and meter management. Member-facing services are delivered through the SmartHub online and mobile platform, which handles bill payment, account management, and energy usage monitoring. Supplementary programs include Net Metering for member-owned renewables, a Level 2 EV Charging Pilot Program operated with ChargePoint hardware, an annual $35,000 scholarship program, and the Operation RoundUp charitable giving initiative that has distributed over $2.9 million to local nonprofits since 2011. The cooperative also operates Capital Credits, returning excess margins to members based on patronage.
MEA generates revenue primarily through electricity sales to its member-owners via published base rates and the Cost of Power Adjustment (COPA), which is reviewed quarterly by the RCA and recovers fuel and purchased power costs. New member onboarding includes a $5 refundable membership fee, $17 nonrefundable records fee, and a security deposit. As a regulated cooperative with exclusive territory rights, MEA does not compete on price and excess revenues are returned to members as capital credits rather than retained. The 2026 capital plan encompasses 13+ major infrastructure projects, and the cooperative is currently evaluating a potential data center load opportunity through exploratory discussions with Terra Energy Center.
MEA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MEA
- Legal name
- Matanuska Electric Association, Inc.
- Website
- https://mea.coop
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1941
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) is a member-owned electric cooperative founded in 1941, serving 57,000+ residential and commercial members across Southcentral Alaska through 4,800+ miles of power lines and the SmartHub digital member platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MEA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electric Utility Distribution
- NAICS
- Electric Power Distribution (221122), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Medium/Low-Voltage Power Distribution (MCCs, Panels, UPS, Grounding) (EUAEAFAB)
Keywords
Where MEA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palmer
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
MEA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Electric Distribution Service: MEA generates revenue by selling electricity to its 57,000+ member-owners across Southcentral Alaska. Revenue is derived from base rates and the Cost of Power Adjustment (COPA), which recovers fuel and purchased power costs. Rates are reviewed quarterly and adjusted based on actual costs, with regulatory oversight from the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA). As a cooperative, excess revenues are typically returned to members as capital credits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard Residential Electric Service |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | New Member Service Fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
MEA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MEA is a member-owned electric cooperative that distributes electricity to 57,000+ member-owners across Southcentral Alaska through more than 4,800 miles of power lines. It operates substations, transmission infrastructure, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), and the SmartHub digital platform, and offers related programs such as net metering, EV charging, budget billing, and vegetation management. Rates are reviewed quarterly by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA).
Product overview
Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) is a member-owned electric cooperative providing power distribution services across Southcentral Alaska. The company's core product is electricity delivery through its power grid infrastructure. MEA operates SmartHub as its primary digital platform for member account management, enabling bill payment, usage tracking, and service requests. The cooperative offers supplementary programs including Operation RoundUp charitable giving, a Level 2 EV Charging Pilot Program (partnered with ChargePoint), Net Metering for renewable energy members, a Scholarship Program, Vegetation Management services, Clean Energy initiatives, and Capital Credits member benefits. The product portfolio is organized as a utility service platform supplemented by member-facing programs and community initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Operation RoundUP: A member-supported charitable program where members' bills are rounded up to the nearest dollar each month to support local community grants to organizations.
- MEA Charitable Foundation
- Level 2 EV Charging Pilot Program
Products and services
- Electric Power Distribution
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $2.9 million donated to local nonprofits since 2011 through Operation RoundUp
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use MEA
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
MEA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
MEA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hilcorp AlaskacoreMEA's Board approved extension of natural gas supply agreement with Hilcorp Alaska securing firm Cook Inlet natural gas supply through March 2029. The extension includes a new Firm Storage Service (FSS) Agreement allowing MEA to store natural gas during lower-demand periods and draw reserves during peak winter months. Hilcorp is deploying additional capital into Cook Inlet gas fields to accelerate production and bring additional supplies to market.
- Alaska Survey ResearchminorMEA partnered with Alaska Survey Research to conduct annual member surveys via text-to-web methodology, improving member convenience compared to previous phone-based surveys.
- Terra Energy CenterminorMEA has engaged in early-stage discussions with Terra Energy regarding the proposed Terra Energy Center project and potential data center in Mat-Su Borough. No agreements or commitments have been made; conversations remain exploratory to evaluate future energy supply options.
- Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA)coreMEA is state-regulated through the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA), which reviews and approves rate changes, contracts, and major operational decisions.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
MEA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chugach Electric Association: Alaska's largest electric cooperative, headquartered in Anchorage, serving members across Southcentral Alaska under RCA oversight. It directly competes with MEA in overlapping parts of the Anchorage/Mat-Su region and shares the same member-owned distribution cooperative model.
- Homer Electric Association: Member-owned electric cooperative serving the Kenai Peninsula in Southcentral Alaska under RCA regulation. Operates the same member-owned distribution utility model as MEA, with similar regulatory, geographic, and customer-mix characteristics.
- Golden Valley Electric Association: Alaska electric cooperative headquartered in Fairbanks serving Interior Alaska. Operates an analogous member-owned electric distribution model under RCA regulation with a comparable residential/commercial member mix.
- Alaska Village Electric Cooperative: Rural Alaska electric cooperative serving dozens of remote communities with distributed generation. Same cooperative structure and RCA regulatory framework as MEA, with comparable member-owned electricity distribution operations.
- Kodiak Electric Association: Member-owned electric cooperative serving Kodiak Island, Alaska. Operates under the same RCA regulatory framework as MEA with an analogous cooperative distribution model serving residential and commercial members.
- Cordova Electric Cooperative: Small Alaska electric cooperative serving Cordova and surrounding areas. Operates under the same RCA regulatory and cooperative governance model as MEA, providing electric distribution to a remote Alaska community.
- Inside Passage Electric Cooperative: Alaska electric cooperative serving communities in Southeast Alaska including Haines and Skagway. Operates the same member-owned utility distribution model under RCA regulation as MEA.
Broad incumbents
- CoServ: Large Texas-based electric cooperative (formerly Denton County EC) serving north Texas with electric distribution plus gas. Comparable member-owned distribution cooperative model but vastly larger scale and different geographic/regulatory environment than MEA.
- Pedernales Electric Cooperative: Largest electric distribution cooperative in the United States by membership, serving central Texas. Operates the same member-owned regulated utility model as MEA but at far greater scale with a different state regulatory regime.
- Flathead Electric Cooperative: Montana-based member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving the Flathead Valley region. Operates an analogous cooperative utility distribution model to MEA but under Montana rather than Alaska regulation and at smaller scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MEA social profiles
Digital presenceMEA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MEA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
MEA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MEA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MEA
What does MEA do?
MEA is a member-owned electric cooperative that distributes electricity to 57,000+ member-owners across Southcentral Alaska through more than 4,800 miles of power lines. It operates substations, transmission infrastructure, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), and the SmartHub digital platform, and offers related programs such as net metering, EV charging, budget billing, and vegetation management. Rates are reviewed quarterly by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA).
Is MEA a public or private company?
MEA is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was MEA founded?
MEA was founded in 1941. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is MEA based?
MEA is headquartered in Palmer, United States, in the North America region.
How does MEA make money?
One revenue line is on record: electric Distribution Service.
Who are MEA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chugach Electric Association, Homer Electric Association, Golden Valley Electric Association, Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, Kodiak Electric Association, Cordova Electric Cooperative and Inside Passage Electric Cooperative. Broad incumbents are CoServ, Pedernales Electric Cooperative and Flathead Electric Cooperative.
Does MEA have an API?
No public API is recorded for MEA.
What industry is MEA in?
MEA's product category is Electric Utility Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAEAFAB, Medium/Low-Voltage Power Distribution (MCCs, Panels, UPS, Grounding). Its NAICS code is 221122.