Northern Michigan Still Paying for Historic Ice Storm on Power Bills

Disaster aid has been slow to arrive, leaving co-op customers to foot the $300 million repair bill

Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:38pm

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A year after the worst ice storm in a generation left northern Michigan without power for weeks, the hardest hit power co-ops still haven't received disaster aid, forcing them to raise rates for their member customers to cover over $300 million in damage. The co-ops say federal and state aid will ultimately be necessary to prevent the full burden from falling on their rural, low-income members across the region.

Why it matters

The ice storm devastated northern Michigan's tourism, agriculture, and timber industries, setting the region back economically. The high power bills are an under-the-radar legacy of the storm, as customers in some of Michigan's poorest and most rural counties struggle to pay their bills amid broader inflation and energy cost increases.

The details

The two hardest hit co-ops, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op (PIE&G) and Great Lakes Energy, racked up over $150 million each in damage from the storm. They took out emergency loans and raised rates to cover the costs, with PIE&G increasing bills by $20 per meter. Despite a recent reversal by the federal government to authorize more disaster aid for utilities, the co-ops still haven't received any funds, leaving their members to foot the bill.

  • It's been a year since the worst ice storm in a generation hit northern Michigan in March 2025.
  • In the year after the storm, utility costs have emerged as a major need in northern Michigan, with electric service payment assistance being the top unmet need.
  • In February 2026, the co-ops instituted general rate increases to keep pace with rising costs.

The players

Brianne Crittenden

A resident outside Cheboygan who was trapped in her home without power for five days during the storm and is now paying higher power bills as a result.

Allan Berg

CEO of Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op (PIE&G), which serves 35,000 members in the northeast Lower Peninsula and racked up over $150 million in storm damage.

Shari Culver

Chief Operating Officer of Great Lakes Energy, Michigan's largest power co-op, which suffered around $155 million in damage from the storm.

Lesley Pritchard

A retired artist living outside Boyne City who was impacted by the storm and has unsuccessfully sought federal aid for the damage to her property.

Nicholas Jansen

Rural clean energy organizer with the nonprofit Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities in Traverse City, advocating for aid to the co-ops and their members.

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What they’re saying

“I think all of us have a little bit of PTSD from it.”

— Brianne Crittenden

“Right now, this debt is being passed on to the members of the cooperatives, and these cooperatives serve some of our poorest and most rural counties in the state that are already struggling to make their bills.”

— Nicholas Jansen, rural clean energy organizer

“As a co-op, we need to decide what does our future look like? How can we be more self-reliant? What systems can we put in place to support ourselves, assuming that nobody else is going to help us but us?”

— Brianne Crittenden

“We're working very hard and diligently with FEMA as fast as we can to hopefully have a positive impact.”

— Allan Berg, CEO, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op

“Wages aren't escalating at the rate that costs are rising, so the poorest families really are struggling the most.”

— Lisa Bolen, Executive Director, Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.