GAYLORD — Crews have restored power to the vast majority of those in Northern Michigan who lost service as a result of the March 29-30 ice storm. Workers will now turn their attention to restoring internet service.
Great Lakes Energy(GLE) andPresque Isle Electric & Gas Co-Op(PIE&G) crews are working to replace or restore fiber-optic cables for internet and voice services, which were also heavily impacted by the storm. Internet service provided by fiber-optic cables can only be reattached to the electric infrastructure after poles and wires are rebuilt, which reflects both co-ops’ steady progress in restoring power.
As of Monday, April 14, 76% of GLE members had internet service restored while 58% of PIE&G members can now access internet service.
Meanwhile, Spectrum, the brand under which Charter Communications offers internet, cable TV, phone and mobile, continues to make progress in restoring service to customers affected by the storm.
“Our service interruptions are largely aligned with power outages impacting the area, and teams are working diligently, alongside the power companies, to make the necessary repairs to our network wherever we have access to do so. To date, we have replaced or repaired more than 3,600 connections to individual customer homes with work continuing steadily each day, as our teams gain access to safely enter new areas,” company spokesman Mike Hogan said in a statement.
Spectrum customers will receive automatic credits covering the days they didn’t have service after power was restored. The credit will automatically appear on their next bill after service is restored. Additionally, more than 3,000 Spectrum Wi-Fi access points were opened in Michigan to help customers and communities stay connected.
Customers can visit spectrum.net/icestorm to locate the nearest Wi-Fi Access Point and to receive additional information and updates.
Power restoration
As of Monday, April 14, 98% of GLE members had power as do 88% of GLE members. Over 3,700 utility poles were replaced and more than 4,100 miles of power line had been repaired or replaced by GLE and PIE&G crews and contractors following the storm.
The smattering of outages that remain are mainly due to extensive damage in certain areas, including inaccessible properties, seasonal residences, or are due to specific individual property concerns, which could require on-site work by an electrician and an electrical inspection before the utilities can restore power.
“We are close to restoring power to all our members who lost power during the unprecedented ice storm, and we will continue this unprecedented rebuild effort until the job is complete,” said Shaun Lamp, president and CEO of GLE, in a statement. “I am proud of the hard work and dedication of crew members, volunteers and employees to get to this milestone in our rebuilding and restoration effort.”
“We are truly proud of our crew members who continue to work diligently to restore power and internet service to our members across Northern Michigan,” added PIE&G CEO Allan Berg. “This storm knocked out our entire system for the first time in our history, and we are well on our way to reaching the finish line.”
The utilities applauded efforts by state officials and local leaders to help the region, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer who has requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration for the state, 12 northern counties and the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
Whitmer’s request followed her visit to Washington, D.C., where she met with President Donald Trumpon April 9 to provide information about the damage caused by the ice storm and recovery efforts. With Trump’s approval, the declaration would authorize up to $5 million in immediate public assistance to support emergency efforts, including debris management needs.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.