Day Five: Crews Work Around the Clock Following Devastating Ice Storm
Onaway, Michigan (April 2, 2025)
April 2, 2025, marks day five of power recovery efforts following the devastating ice storms that severely impacted the Presque Isle Electric & Gas (PIE&G) service area. Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for ten counties; all of our service area is under the state of emergency order.
This declaration enables us to access additional resources and assistance to tackle this crisis. “Please prepare for extended outages, with some areas experiencing disruptions lasting five days or more,” said Allan Berg, president and CEO. “Our crews are working diligently to clear roads, remove downed trees, repair power lines, and rebuild damaged poles. We are bringing in more emergency crews and contractors, but the hazardous conditions from falling trees and power lines make our work challenging. We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding during this trying time.”
The storm has caused extensive damage to power lines, poles, and essential infrastructure, with fallen trees and debris blocking roads. Many roads remain impassable, complicating access to damaged lines and poles. Hundreds of poles require replacement, with each taking several hours to fix.
Fortunately, we’ve been able to restore 6,000 meters throughout our 35,000-meter system and we have dozens of mutual aid crews assisting us in our restoration efforts. However, today’s weather forecast indicates potential challenges, and we encourage everyone to develop alternative plans for this extended outage.
Important Safety Reminders: Avoid downed power lines and any trees or limbs that are hanging on the lines. Please do not approach or engage with line crews working to restore power. Individuals who rely on medical equipment should establish an emergency backup plan; call 2-1-1 if you have limited options. Always use a transfer switch to connect generators properly and prevent backfeeding, which poses a serious risk to our utility workers.
For updates, visit https://pieg.com/outage-center/and https://www.facebook.com/PIEGCooperative. To report an outage, call 1-800-423-6634 or 989-733-8515.
End of release.
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