The February edition of Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News included a story called “The FEMA Emergency,” which covered cases in which the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) had declined to cover certain categories of major disaster funding. A catastrophic ice storm in March 2025 left two Michigan electric cooperatives with such widespread damage that it took nearly three weeks for all power to be restored. The unprecedented storm cost Great Lakes Energy (GLE) and Presque Isle Electric & Gas (PIE&G) more than $150 million each.
Despite state and federal disaster declarations, FEMA denied reimbursement for Category F funding, leaving the Michigan co-ops and their members responsible for much of the cost. Subsequent appeals for federal aid were denied. Members of the co-ops were faced with paying the enormous bill.
Update: At the direction of President Donald Trump on March 13, FEMA reversed course and approved the co-ops’ request for Category F funding to cover permanent repairs to utility infrastructure from the historic storm. The utilities are now able to seek reimbursement for up to 75% of qualifying expenses.
In a statement to the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association (WECA), the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA) said:
FEMA’s March 13 decision to extend Category F Public Assistance funding to Michigan is an important step for the electric cooperatives and communities still recovering from the devastating 2025 ice storm. It acknowledges the extraordinary damage done to critical electric infrastructure and the very real financial burden these member-owned systems have been carrying ever since.
This progress did not happen by accident. It reflects strong coordination among Michigan’s electric cooperatives, MECA, NRECA, elected officials, and co-op consumer-members who spoke up and helped keep attention on the need in northern Michigan. That partnership mattered.
While there is still more to learn about what funding will ultimately be approved and how long the reimbursement process will take, this decision is a meaningful step toward reducing the long-term financial impact of the storm on the cooperatives and the members they serve.
WECA Vice President of Operations, Environmental, and Regulatory Services Tim Clay said, “This is a clear example of why our relationships with lawmakers and administrators at the state and federal government are so important. As not-for-profit entities, electric cooperatives don’t have shareholders or profit margins to lean into in the case of a catastrophic event. Last month, Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative had a crippling ice storm that caused recurring outages, and restoration took nearly a week. Although not on the scale of last year’s storm, the cost will be significant. The support of FEMA and Wisconsin Emergency Management are critical to the electric cooperative model, and the ability to provide safe, affordable, and reliable energy to members.”—Julie Lund