From Elmira to D.C. and Back Again: Youth Tour Creates a Lifelong Co-op Advocate
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 [...]
Michigan Students Find Inspiration in Nation’s Capital on 2025 Youth Tour
Michigan Students Find Inspiration in Nation’s Capital on 2025 Youth Tour Eighteen high school students from across Michigan took part in a life-changing journey this June, representing their electric cooperatives on the 2025 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. The annual event, coordinated by the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA) in partnership with [...]
Michigan Delegation Unites to Support Federal Disaster Relief After Devastating Ice Storm
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 [...]
Thumb Electric’s Mazure Testifies in Support of Tree Trimming Standards
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 [...]
Mastering the Craft: JMAP Graduates Prepare for the Future of Linework
Electric lineworkers are the backbone of Michigan’s power grid—weathering storms, climbing poles, and working around the clock to ensure electricity flows safely to homes and businesses. Thanks to the Joint Michigan Apprentice Program (JMAP), a new group of graduates is now ready to take on that responsibility with confidence and skill. Thirty-three lineworkers graduated from [...]
2025 NRECA Legislative Conference Recap
Co-op Leaders Engage Lawmakers at 2025 NRECA Legislative Conference More than 2,000 electric cooperative leaders from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C., this April to participate in the NRECA 2025 Legislative Conference, including delegates from Michigan’s co-ops. The annual event provides a valuable opportunity for co-op representatives to connect directly with members of [...]