Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op (PIE&G) crews are still working to restore the last 70 services that remain without power this evening. Electricity has already been restored to 4,724 services since yesterday, after gale force winds knocked out power to approximately 4,794 PIE&G services throughout its nine-county territory. The current outage numbers predicted by county are Alcona – 10, Alpena – 38, Cheboygan – 4, Montmorency – 1, Oscoda – 1, Presque Isle – 16.
The wind and falling trees broke a number of poles, and replacements are more labor and time intensive. Temporary repairs have been made to one broken pole due to its remote location, two other poles have been completely replaced, and another pole is ready to be repaired as soon as crews finish up restoring power at another location. Crews are still finding additional broken poles in the Hillman and Beaver Lake area. PIE&G is receiving aid from Wolverine Power Cooperative. Plans are to continue working to restore power as safely and to as many as possible who are still without service tonight.
