Pictured from the left: Amy Richmond, Mathias Township Clerk, Sheila Peters, Alger County Deputy Emergency Manager, Roy Aho, former Mathias Township Supervisor, Brett Niemi WPPI Energy Senior Energy Services Manager, and Mike Furmanski, Alger Delta Electric General Manager in front of the new generator.

TRENARY — Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association continues to help local townships prepare for potential extended power outages.

Trenary, located in Mathias Township, installed a backup generator this summer with help from Alger Delta Electric and other community organizations. Last year, Alger Delta Electric helped both Cedarville Township and Gourley Township with funding towards the purchase and installation of emergency backup generators for their respective townships.

A five-day power outage that occurred over Thanksgiving of 2019 led to an inoperable pump at the water tower in Trenary.

The system is gravity-fed, so residents relying on the water tower still had access to water in their homes but people in the surrounding rural area were unable to use their wells.

Rural residents filled water jugs at the Trenary Community Building until the water tower eventually drained and water was no longer available to anyone.

“Roy Aho, the former Mathias Township Supervisor, initiated this project because he wanted to ensure residents stay warm and have access to clean water should future emergency situations arise. We thank Roy for his vision in getting this project off the ground, and we’re excited to see it come to fruition,” stated Amy Richmond, clerk for Mathias Township.

The total cost of the Trenary project is $28,000 and received funding from Alger County 911, Mathias Township, Mathias Township Fire Department, Mathias Township Water Department, and Alger Delta Electric, with help from their wholesale power supplier WPPI Energy.

Along with the water tower pump, the new generator will also provide power to a recently constructed emergency services radio tower, securing communication between local police, fire, and EMS.

“As Sheriff of Alger County, I am very proud to partner with Alger Delta, Emergency Management, Alger County, and Mathias Township on this worthwhile project.

“Together we have made the residents of Mathias Township and the community safer and more secure,” stated Sheriff Todd Brock.

“As a not-for-profit organization, we try to use funds conservatively yet wisely,” stated Mike Furmanski, general manager for Alger Delta Electric. “I can’t think of a better use of our funds than to make sure our communities are prepared and can be kept safe in case we ever experience another power outage of the magnitude seen in 2019.”

Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association was founded in 1937. Since then, they have grown to serve around 10,000 members in six counties in the central Upper Peninsula. They are one of about 900 non-profit electric co-ops in the U.S.