Should Michigan Bury Power Lines After Back-to-Back Years of Ice Storms?

The northern Michigan ice storm battered the electric grid. Is burying power lines the solution?

Electric poles and wires along M-32 near Gaylord. Resident Wanda Whiting says lines like this were down during the March 2025 ice storm. (Vivian La/IPR News)This story is made possible through a partnership between Interlochen Public Radio and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization. No one wants to drive in an ice storm. But one year ago — during the devastating northern Michigan ice storm that knocked down trees, snapped utility po…

Should Michigan bury power lines after back-to-back years of ice storms?

Some say utilities should bury power lines to prevent outages. The costs outweigh the benefits, utilities say.