FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
CONTACT: Dana Whyte, Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, [email protected]

Presque Isle Electric & Gas, Great Lakes Energy top 90% in restoring power to Northern Michigan

Co-ops highlight team effort in bringing members back online

BOYNE CITY and ONAWAY, Mich. – Great Lakes Energy (GLE) and Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-Op (PIE&G) crews have restored power to a vast majority of members in Northern Michigan who lost power during the recent catastrophic ice storm, and pledged to keep working until all members are restored.

GLE and PIE&G have a long history of partnership and that’s been especially true in recent weeks since the catastrophic ice storm began. GLE reported on Tuesday that 99% of its members and PIE&G reported that 91% of its members now have power. Thus far the restoration efforts have caused more than $175 million in damage, according to estimates by the co-ops as they now move into the recovery and investigation phase.

“The progress we’re seeing in restoration numbers has been made possible by the strong partnerships among the co-ops across the state, and our strong partnerships with local businesses and organizations, public safety organizations, as well as our elected leaders,” said Shaun Lamp, president & CEO of GLE. “We are moving toward restoring internet service to our members and are continuing to work to restore power to any members still without power.”

GLE restoration progress as of Tuesday, April 15:

  • 99% of GLE members now have power (1,244 members restored on Monday)
  • 5,948 internet outages have been restored since the storm began — 336 of those were restored on Monday
  • replaced more than 2,965 total poles since March 31
  • restored 4,209 line miles impacted
  • coordinated more than 1,000 vehicles and equipment
  • coordinated more than 1,300 personnel in the field to restore power on Monday

“This ice storm completely knocked out our entire system for the first time in history, leaving all of our members without power,” said Allan Berg, PIE&G CEO. “We are proud to now have achieved 91% of restoration. We will continue working on restoration and recovery and will continue to work in remote and hard-to-reach areas in rural Northern Michigan.”

PIE&G restoration progress as of Tuesday, April 15:

  • 91% of PIE&G members now have power (31,943 members restored so far)
    • This is significant because PIE&G’s entire network was down at the beginning of the storm, the first time in history this has happened
  • 63% of PIE&G members now have internet service restored
  • replaced 1,477 broken poles
  • coordinated 788 vehicles and equipment
  • coordinated 379 crews and 1,359 personnel in the field to restore power

Berg and Lamp applauded other electric cooperatives from across the state who have lent staff, volunteers, line crews and other support to bolster this unprecedented restoration effort.  This is testament to the co-ops’ mission of “cooperation among cooperatives,” a guiding principle for non-profit electric cooperatives who work shoulder to shoulder to bring members back online.

“Cooperation among cooperatives is one of our core principles, and I am truly proud of the work of co-ops across the state for upholding these values and working together following the recent ice storm,” said John Kran, president & CEO of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA).

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

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