FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 17, 2025
CONTACT: Dana Whyte, Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, [email protected]

Great Lakes Energy, Presque Isle Electric & Gas thank volunteers, organizations, community forsupport following devastating ice storm

Co-ops highlight work of crews on National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18; efforts continue to restore power, internet access to those affected by unprecedented storm

BOYNE CITY and ONAWAY, Mich. – Great Lakes Energy (GLE) and Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-Op (PIE&G) are recognizing the strong community support that crews, co-op employees and linemen have received from schools, organizations and individuals across Northern Michigan for their work to restore power across the region in the weeks since the unprecedented ice storm caused catastrophic damage to the energy-providing grid.

“We are deeply grateful for all the support we have received from so many for our ongoing efforts to restore power to those impacted by the recent ice storm,” said Shaun Lamp, president & CEO of GLE. “From local agencies that provided essentials,including lights and water, to the handwritten thank you cards from school children, it all means so much to our employees, crew members and linemen doing hard work in difficult conditions.”  

Some of the groups, organizations and schools that helped support co-op employees who worked diligently over recent weeks to restore power across Northern Michigan include:

• Rogers City Area Schools students made sandwiches, packed lunches, cleaned and did inventory,
• The Onaway Community Chamber of Commerceprovided and prepared meals for linemen,
• The VFW Post 5857 Onaway Michigan helped provideand prepare meals for the lineman,
• Awakon Federal Credit Union donated drinks, food and personal care items for crews
• The Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union donated drinks, food and personal care items for crews,
• The Lake County Road Commission provided a trailer full of donations, including water, food, sports drinks and more,
• Schools in Petoskey, Alanson, Boyne City, and Gaylord had students offer crews handwritten cards and letters,
• Otsego County Fairgrounds donated space for Storm Camp and Otsego County and City of Gaylord personnel provided support,
• The Michigan Department of Transportation and Ice Mountain provided a large shipment of bottled water,
• Tom’s Family Market in Northern Michigan opened early, stayed late and helped facilitate donations,
• Preston Feather Building Centers donated food for crews.

“We are appreciative of the support we have received from so many across Northern Michigan,” said Allan Berg, PIE&G CEO. “This catastrophic storm, which left our communities reeling, also brought out the best from our friends, neighbors and community members. This constant support for our team helped us go out each day in difficult conditions to get the lights turned back on.”

Berg and Lamp also applauded other electric cooperatives from across the state that provided staff, volunteers, line crews and other support for weeks to bolster the large-scale 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.

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 Thursday that 99% of its members and PIE&G reported that 96% of its members now have power.

GLE restoration progress as of Thursday, April 17:

● 99.9% of GLE members now have power (66,708 members impacted by the storm now have power)
● 87% of all Truestreamers have internet service
● replaced more than 3,155 poles since March 31
● replaced more than 690 transformers
 

PIE&G restoration progress as of Thursday, April 17:

● 96% of PIE&G members now have power (33,815members restored so far)
● 67% of PIE&G members now have internet service restored
● replaced 1,542 broken poles
● coordinated 261 crews and 972 personnel in the field to restore power
 

John Kran, president & CEO of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA), also thanked local, state and federal leaders and elected officials who supported regional co-ops and took time to visit those areas hard hit by the recent storm, which caused more than $175 million in damage, according to preliminary estimates.

“Devastating events like the recent ice storm call upon us to come together and that’s exactly what we we’ve seen with officials from both parties taking time to reach out and support our crews during this unprecedented effort,” said John Kran, president & CEO of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA). “We are deeply appreciative of the time and attention from so many leaders at the local, state and federal levels.”

On Thursday, the Michigan Senate adopted state Sen. Michele Hoitenga’s resolution declaring April 18, 2025, as Lineman Appreciation Day to honor the efforts of linemen who have worked to restore power across Northern Michigan in the wake of last month’s ice storm.

“Their relentless dedication through grueling hours during this crisis and every day since deserves our deepest gratitude,” said Hoitenga, R-Manton. “This resolution is one way to show the immense appreciation felt by the thousands of families and businesses across Northern Michigan.”

 

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