Courtesy Photo A power line hangs in a tree after it fell during the ice storm early this spring. The ice storm caused the complete failure of several electrical systems in Northeast Michigan.

ONAWAY — Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op (PIE&G) continues to clean up from the ice storm and repair its electrical system that was decimated and the cost to address them continues to climb.

According to a press release on Monday, the utility is still actively engaged in widespread debris removal and the cost of the storm is currently exceeding $100 million in system damage.

The ice storm, which began on March 28 and lasted several days, caused most customers in Northeast Michigan to lose power and forced utility companies to completely replace most, if not all of their systems.

Many people were left without power for several weeks before utility crews were able to make the needed repairs to restore power.

While service has been fully restored to members, cleanup efforts are expected to extend through late summer or early fall, the press release said.

“Our crews remain hard at work across the region,” said Allan Berg, PIE&G president and CEO in the press release. “Even after restoring power and internet, the job isn’t done until the storm debris is safely cleared. We thank our members for their continued patience and urge everyone to remain cautious around any remaining hazards.”

Berg said cleanup operations involve multiple specialized crews focused on removing broken utility equipment, including poles, wires, and transformers, as well as clearing tree obstructions from electric rights-of-way. Crews have also continued cutting and relocating hazard trees and hauling debris to designated disposal sites.

“We have launched a dedicated page on pieg.com to provide important information, updates, and announcements about our cleanup process and progress following the unprecedented storm,” Berg said in the release. “This page is updated weekly and includes maps showing the debris cleanup progress by territory. We want to ensure our members are informed about what we are doing and why, while prioritizing safety.”

You can visit pieg.com/debris-cleanup for the latest information.

“We deeply appreciate the support and understanding shown by our members during this challenging recovery,” Berg said. “This storm was historic in its damage, but the resilience of our communities and the dedication of our crews continue to shine through. We’re committed to finishing the job safely and keeping you informed every step of the way.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.