August 2, 2015, was a day in northern Michigan’s history that will be retold for decades. Characterized by its ominous clouds, 100 mile-per- hour winds, and driving rain, the August storm left a permanent mark on the landscape and the minds of northern Michigan residents.

Cherryland met the challenge of the storm with grit and determination. With 12,800 members out of service, every co-op employee, from the line crews in the field to the member service representatives answering phone calls, worked day in and day out to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

Two years later, the August 2015 storm acts as a constant reminder of Cherryland’s mission: be the reliable electric provider our members deserve.

One of the reasons we weathered that storm so well was due to the ongoing investment into our system. By maintaining and upgrading our poles, wires, and other infrastructure, Cherryland creates system longevity and strength in the face of severe weather.

Since that storm, the cooperative has continued to be aggressive in its investment into system reliability. From August 2015 to the present, Cherryland has engaged in 98 construction projects, such as rebuilding infrastructure, relocating sections of line, converting overhead to underground wire and so on. For perspective, those projects included the retirement of 1,157 poles and the installation of over 800,000 feet of overhead conductors.

With infrastructure upgrades and projects, tree trimming and removal, and general reliability improvements, Cherryland has invested approximately $9.5 million since the August storm.

What does that investment in our system mean to you, the member? The lights stay on.

Cherryland gauges its success with a reliability percentage. Simply put, that number tells us how often the lights stay on.

At the end of August 2015, our reliability percentage was 99.961 percent. By the end of that year, the number climbed to 99.985 percent.

Today, Cherryland’s year-to-date reliability percentage is 99.993 percent.

Though vital, being a reliable electric provider cannot be solely measured in new poles and wires. The August storm was a big testament to the strength and reliability of Cherryland’s communications during a major weather event. During that week, our member service representatives handled nearly 1,700 calls, the website’s Outage Center was visited over 30,000 times, and our outage updates on Facebook reached approximately 112,300 people.

Each with their own benefits, we continue to employ these communication mediums today to ensure every member looking for information during a major outage can find it.

It takes a lot of hard work and man hours to communicate to members during a major outage. While our phones are always online and the website is up and running, it isn’t feasible to communicate every singular outage to your newsfeed on Facebook.

How can Cherryland’s outage communications be brought to the next level?

In the coming months, we will introduce text notifications to our outage communications. We will be able to tell you if there is an outage at your location, when it’s expected to be restored, and when the power comes back on. We can also give an update if the restoration time is expected to change. Big or small, Cherryland will be able to communicate an outage to the members it affects instantly.

Between system improvements and advancements in outage communications since August 2015, Cherryland has been investing in its mission. A 99.993 percent reliability is great, but we know that keeping the lights on means nonstop work and preparation.

No one knows when the next storm will strike, but one thing is for certain: we will be ready.