Data Centers and the Cooperative Approach MECA and Wolverine Power Cooperative recently hosted a webinar for Michigan electric cooperative staff focused on the rapid growth of data centers, the challenges these large new loads can create, and the steps cooperatives can take to protect members they already serve. Data centers are becoming a bigger part of the Midwest’s energy [...]
March 18, 2026 Storm Recovery: Power Restored What a difference a few days makes. At the peak of this storm, outages across Michigan’s electric cooperatives climbed to nearly 14,500 as heavy ice, high winds, and record-breaking snowfall in the Upper Peninsula created challenging conditions across the state. Today, we’re down to just a handful of remaining outages. The graph below tells [...]
A powerful winter storm brought heavy snow, ice, and high winds across Michigan during the holiday week, impacting every Michigan cooperative service territory and causing widespread power outages. At the peak of the storm on Monday, Dec. 29, co-ops reported approximately 33,000 members without power statewide. The Michigan Electric Cooperative Association and its member cooperatives mobilized local lineworkers, contractors, and mutual aid crews [...]
MECA Unites Behind FEMA Reform to Strengthen Disaster Recovery Across Michigan and the nation, electric cooperatives are speaking with one voice to strengthen disaster recovery and ensure communities can rebuild faster when severe weather strikes. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA) are both rallying support for the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management [...]
Cooperative IT Professionals Connect on Cybersecurity and Innovation Each October, information technology professionals from Michigan’s electric cooperatives come together to exchange ideas and explore emerging trends. This year's IT Conference was hosted by Midwest Energy & Communications (MEC) at its Cassopolis headquarters. The event brought together 23 staff members representing seven cooperatives: Cherryland, HomeWorks, Great Lakes, Presque Isle, Wolverine, [...]
Training Opportunities Strengthen Cooperative Leadership and Financial Insight Michigan’s electric cooperatives continue to invest in professional development that strengthens financial expertise and board leadership through hands-on training from national cooperative partners. The Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA) recently hosted a CFC Workshop to help cooperative accounting staff sharpen their financial planning and analysis skills. Twenty-six employees from seven distribution [...]
From Elmira to D.C. and Back Again: Youth Tour Creates a Lifelong Co-op Advocate When Alex Mason boarded a plane to Washington, D.C. in 2016 as a home-schooled high school junior, he couldn’t have imagined how much the trip would shape his future. Representing Great Lakes Energy (GLE) as a student delegate on the NRECA Youth Tour, the high [...]
Michigan Delegation Unites to Support Federal Disaster Relief After Devastating Ice Storm In late March, an unprecedented ice storm tore through northern Michigan and parts of the Upper Peninsula, leaving behind a trail of downed trees, damaged power lines, and widespread outages that affected tens of thousands of electric cooperative members. Months later, the physical cleanup may be mostly complete, but [...]
Thumb Electric Cooperative’s Legal & Compliance Engineer Kevin Mazure testified before the Michigan House Energy Committee this week in support of House Bill 4361, which would establish statewide standards for tree trimming near power lines. The goal of the bill, introduced by Rep. Phil Green (R-Watertown Twp.), is to reduce outages and improve reliability by requiring electric utilities to maintain a 15-foot vegetation [...]
LANSING, Mich.—After an extensive executive search, the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA) Board announced today that John Kran will succeed Craig Borr as MECA’s next Chief Executive Officer. Borr, set to retire on March 14, has served as CEO of MECA since 2012 and has been a fierce co-op advocate for over 40 years. John Kran most recently served as the National Legislative [...]
