UTILITY COMPANY THEFT IN JUNEAU!

[Ken Burch]

Our electric utility, Alaska Electric Light & Power, is trying to bleed our community dry to pay for THEIR incompetence!

I've started a new blog where I talk about this further.

Here's the link!

http://kenburch.wordpress.com/category/political/

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Ken, it's terrible what's going on down there.

How are you guys holding up? Do they have any idea when the repairs will be made?

[Ken Burch]

2. People are cutting way back on electrical use.

AEL&P is imposing the increase on the May electrical bills, even though it hasn't actually been approved by the RCA(Regulatory Commission of Alaska).

There's a real risk that a lot of working-class people and poor people, and a large number of people in the Tlingit/Haida community, could be forced out of town by this. It could be a chance for the Republicans to do unto us as they're trying to do unto New Orleans.

Some of us are trying to use this as a teachable moment about the limits of "market values".

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I was kind of shocked that they didn't give you any disaster

relief. It just doesn't seem right.

[Ken Burch]

4. Well, remember, Happy Governor Sarah doesn't live her and doesn't want the capital

to stay here.

And remember also that the feds are controlled by the kind of people who hate the idea of the capital of this state being in a liberal, environmentally conscious community.

[Ken Burch]

5. The latest: AEL&P is going to repeat the mistakes that caused this fuckup!

They're going to use towers again.

They're going to build the towers in the SAME avalanche chute, again

(No doing the sensible thing and switching to underground or submarine cables)

They're going to build the towers WITHOUT avalanche diverters, again.
(even thoush, as today's Juneau Empire states, spending $100,000 on avalanche diverters would have prevented this crisis.)

http://juneauempire.com/stories/050408/loc_275269992.shtml

(this report is particularly damning because, as those of you from outside of Juneau probably don't know, the Empire is normally a complete lapdog of AEL&P and every other corporation doing its business in(or on)Juneau.)

There will be a RALLY at the State Capitol building this Friday, May 9th, at 3pm, to show community outrage over AEL&P's stupidity, arrogance and greed. Please show up if you possibly can.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. That kind of stupidity is astounding...

It seems like when they have the perfect opportunity, they should go for the underground wires, or at least the diverters. What's going on down there?

[Divernan]

7. Update: Governor HAS requested Economic Injury Disaster funds from Small Bus. Admin.

That's a start, at least. Certainly worth protesting to get avalance deflectors added. I have family in Juneau and visited there last September, so have heard a lot about the avalanches/power problems.

www.juneauempire.com

Governor urges economic injury disaster status
Gov. Sarah Palin on Friday signed a letter requesting the federal Small Business Administration declare an "Economic Injury Disaster" for Juneau due to increased electricity costs caused by April 16 avalanches.

Protesters call for boycott of rate hike
The mood on the Capitol steps Friday was rowdy as a handful of protesters screamed for financial help from the governor's office and encouraged the 200 citizens gathered to boycott a 41-cent hike in electric rates.

AEL&P employee says he was punched in the back
An Alaska Electric Light & Power Co. employee was punched in the back Wednesday in downtown Juneau, according to a company spokesman.