FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, April 12, 2025
CONTACT: Dana Whyte, Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, [email protected]

Great Lakes Energy, Presque Isle Electric & Gas continue to work diligently to restore power to Northern Michigan 

Crews continue to work through the weekend until all power is back on

BOYNE CITY, Mich. and ONAWAY, Mich. – Crews fromGreat Lakes Energy (GLE) and Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-Op (PIE&G) continue to work through the weekend to restore power to Northern Michigan, following the catastrophic and unprecedented ice storm that left many without power in rural and remote areas.

“The power came back on Thursday night at our senior living facility, and as we started flipping on breakers, residents and staff began cheering,” said Kim Pappas, vice president of marketing at The Brook of Gaylord. “We are beyond thankful for the hard work of crews and GLE team members who provided us with frequent updates and supportive communication throughout the outage and put our minds at ease.”

The Brook of Gaylord was powered by a generator during the storm.

“Our crews continue to work day and night until all power is back on,” said Shaun Lamp, president & CEO of GLE. “We are thankful for the outpouring of support from our community by making sandwiches, packing lunches and helping prep meals for our crews. This is what the spirit of Northern Michigan is all about.”

GLE restoration progress as of Saturday, April 12:

● 96% of GLE members now have power (1,865 members restored on Friday)
● replaced more than 2,275 total poles since March 31
● restored 3,772 line miles impacted        
● coordinated more than 1,100 vehicles and equipment
● coordinated more than 1,615 personnel in the field to restore power

“We will not stop until all power is back on,” said Allan Berg, PIE&G CEO. “This storm knocked out our entire system for the first time in history. I am proud of the work of our crew members to get the job done and restore power to Northern Michigan.”

PIE&G is working around the clock to bring every member back online as quickly as possible. In addition to daytime restoration efforts, 20 crews are operating overnight to focus on service drops and address issues in the hardest-hit areas. This day-and-night commitment ensures that no time is wasted, and we’re leveraging every available resource to restore power safely and efficiently.

PIE&G restoration progress as of Saturday, April 12:

● 78% of PIE&G members now have power (27,725members restored so far)
● replaced 1,414 broken poles
● coordinated 788 vehicles and equipment
● coordinated 406 crews and 1,367 personnel in the field to restore power

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

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