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 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 the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), offers student [...]
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 [...]
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 the Joint Michigan Apprentice Program (JMAP) this year, officially [...]
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 Congress and share perspectives on the issues shaping energy [...]
Ice is part of life in Michigan, but rarely does it arrive with the fury that struck our state this spring. What began as a peaceful snowfall quickly escalated into a severe, historic ice storm that left a lasting mark on the region—and showed the true grit of Michigan’s electric cooperatives. As thick layers of ice built up across Northern Michigan, beauty turned [...]
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 [...]
The Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA) is excited to provide innovative safety training by leveraging virtual reality (VR) to provide zero-risk, immersive learning experiences for Michigan's electric cooperatives. As electric co-ops continue to prioritize safety and efficiency, MECA's VR training program is setting a new standard for preparing lineworkers for the challenges they face in the field. A New Approach to Safety Training [...]
