ONAWAY — Disappointing.
Presque Isle Electric & Gas Cooperative (PIE&G) announced that President Donald Trump and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have denied the cooperative’s Category F appeal related to the March 2025 ice storm — the most damaging event in the co-op’s history. FEMA issued the decision Oct. 23, 2025.
Although disappointed, PIE&G remains committed to working with federal and state officials to pursue other assistance through additional FEMA categories and recovery programs.
“FEMA’s decision is disappointing and difficult to understand,” said Allan Berg, chief executive officer of Presque Isle Electric & Gas Cooperative. “The March ice storm was by far the most damaging event our co-op has ever faced — costing us well over $150 million in restoration, repair and cleanup.
“Our crews worked around the clock to restore power to thousands of members under extremely difficult conditions. We’ll continue working with FEMA and other partners to identify every possible avenue for federal support to help offset restoration costs.”
PIE&G’s Category F request sought reimbursement for permanent repairs to infrastructure damaged by the storm, which brought heavy freezing rain, downed lines and widespread outages across northern Michigan. The storm damaged or required replacement of thousands of utility poles, transformers and miles of line, with total restoration and recovery costs estimated at about $150 million.
While FEMA’s denial limits funding under Category F (Utilities – Permanent Work), PIE&G continues collaborating with federal agencies to explore other assistance categories, including emergency response, debris removal and initiatives to improve future storm resilience.
“We’re proud of our team’s dedication and the cooperation we saw from our members and communities during that storm,” Berg said. “Even without Category F funding, we are eligible for some costs under other categories, and we remain steadfast in our mission to rebuild stronger and continue delivering safe, reliable energy to the people we serve.”
PIE&G will continue to provide updates on its recovery efforts and funding discussions at www.pieg.com/news.
