In April, Michigan faced severe ice storms that caused significant damage throughout the state. Among those who responded to aid in the restoration efforts were three linemen from Frontier Power. First-class linemen JR McCoy, Bill Mizer, and Josh Haumschild volunteered with Great Lakes Energy Cooperative, a utility in the northern part of Michigan. They departed on April 1st and returned home by April 11th.
Great Lakes Energy reported outages starting on March 29th due to ice that accumulated on trees, wires, poles, and other equipment, causing extensive damage. The weather conditions led to broken poles, snapped lines, and damaged transformers. Despite initial restoration efforts, ongoing severe weather compounded the outages. The utility stated that while they typically replace around 800 poles annually during maintenance, the storms necessitated the replacement of approximately 3,000 poles.
Linemen from across the U.S., totaling nearly 1,500 personnel, provided mutual aid to help restore power. The extensive need for crews prompted Great Lakes Energy to collaborate with another electric company, establishing a Storm Camp at a local fairground to accommodate and supply meals and services to aid workers.
The overall power restoration has been achieved, but the cleanup and final rebuilding remain a continued effort. Frontier Power expressed its support, wishing “the Great Lakes staff and members all the best.”
Photos of the restoration efforts were provided courtesy of Great Lakes Energy, Jessica Acha-Myers, and Bill Mizer.
