FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
CONTACT: Dana Whyte, Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, [email protected]

Presque Isle Electric & Gas, Great Lakes Energy overcoming unique challenges of rural, remote Northern Michigan to restore power  

Crews diligently working in hard-to-get-to areas to rebuild heavily damaged energy infrastructure, restore power across the region

BOYNE CITY, Mich. and ONAWAY, Mich. – Crews from Great Lakes Energy (GLE) and Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-Op (PIE&G) are canvassing remote, rural areas of Northern Michigan as they rebuild devastated energy-delivering infrastructure and restore power across the region.  

The recent ice storm caused catastrophic damage to the PIE&G network, knocking out power to its entire system, an event that has never happened before in Michigan, said Allan Berg, PIE&G CEO.

“We call this storm ‘unprecedented,’ because it is,” Berg said. “No other network has been completely taken down by an ice storm that has been compared to a multi-day Category 5 hurricane. Our work to restore power is also setting records. We have replaced 838 broken poles since the March 31 ice storm – that’s 300 more than we typically replace in a year. We are working hard each day to reach remote areas far from main roads in difficult conditions, and I want to commend the dedication, hard work and determination of our entire restoration team from line workers to volunteers.”

As of Tuesday, thousands of workers continue to work in the field to restore power.

PIE&G restoration progress as of Tuesday, April 8:

  • 68% of PIE&G members now have power (2,000 members restored on Monday)
  • replaced 917 broken poles (65 poles replaced on Monday)
  • restored 1,002 miles of line
  • coordinated 360 crews and 1,293 personnel in the field to restore power

GLE restoration progress as of Tuesday, April 8:

  • 89% of GLE members now have power (4,128 members restored on Monday)
  • restored power to Pellston Regional Airport, town of Johannesburg, north side of Gaylord Industrial Park on Monday
  • replaced more than 1,225 total poles (more than 232 poles replaced on Monday)
  • replaced more than 37 transformers
  • coordinated 1,086 line workers and more than 250 tree workers in the field to restore power

“This once-in-a-lifetime event caused widespread damage to rural and remote areas, and we will not stop working until we have restored power to everyone in our service area,” said Shaun Lamp, president & CEO of GLE. “Our teams are showing incredible dedication and grit by taking on the unique challenges of restoring power to our member families, including many who live in remote and hard to reach areas across Northern Michigan.”

Visit gtlakes.com/power-outages and pieg.com/spring-2025-storm-updates for updates.

Crew members are navigating rural and remote areas to restore power across northern Michigan.

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