BOYNE CITY, Mich. – Great Lakes Energy (GLE) electric cooperative continues to make restoration progress across its 26-county service area despite harsh winter conditions and increasing wind gusts.
As of 8:30 p.m., electric power outages are impacting 7,049 members in 18 of the cooperative’s 26 counties. Osceola County remains the hardest hit, with more than 2,600 outages, followed by Lake County with just over 2,300 outages.
GLE line crews, contractors, and tree-trimming crews continue working tonight to repair damage utility infrastructure caused by a mix of ice, wind, snow, and rain that started overnight on Saturday. The poor weather conditions are causing trees to fall on powerlines throughout the rural and remote areas in the GLE service area.
All available line crews and contractors, including tree trimming crews, are making steady progress with safety as a priority.
Members can log in to their online account to view the estimated restoration time, or ETR, for their location. Restoration efforts will continue tonight and into tomorrow and outage restoration times may be updated depending on crew progress.
Safety Reminder: Generator safety is critical during extended outages. Always use a transfer switch to connect generators properly and prevent backfeeding, which poses a serious risk to utility workers. Stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, trees, or electrical equipment, as they may still be energized.
Members can report outages through their online account, the Great Lakes Energy app, or by calling 888-485-2537. For updates, visit gtlakes.com/power-outages/.