News & Information

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Public Power: Giving Our Community a Strategic Advantage

In 2021, the City of Grand Haven celebrated a proud milestone – 125 years of community ownership and operation of a public power electric utility system! The Board of Light and Power is one of 40 fortunate municipally owned electric systems in Michigan, and also one of the longest-standing with a strong history. While our community shares this distinct privilege...
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Growing in Sustainable Energy

Over the past decade, the Grand Haven Board of Light and Power (BLP) has made significant impacts in optimizing energy usage, reducing energy waste, and improving the environmental sustainability of the community’s energy portfolio. Through partnerships with local businesses and residents, the utility has consistently exceeded sustainability and waste reduction goals year over year. While sustainability initiatives like large-scale renewable...
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BLP Reviews Fiscal Year 2024 Proposed Budget

The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power reviewed a proposed $38 million budget for the fiscal year 2024 during its regular board meeting Thursday night. David Walters, general manager, and Lynn Diffell, finance manager, provided a detailed presentation outlining the balanced budget. Power supply costs remain relatively flat for the upcoming fiscal year at $19.3 million. The 5-year Capital...
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BLP Rules Out Option of Former Fire Department Building

The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power has decided not to pursue the former fire department building, citing the high expense of renovation and fragmented layout as key reasons. The Board hired Progressive AE, a West Michigan-Based architectural firm, to evaluate the option of preparing the space as a new administrative and customer service center. The firm estimated that...
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Charter Change Coalition

On Monday, April 17, 2023, a group called the Charter Change Coalition presented their proposed amendment to the City Charter to dissolve the voter-elected Grand Haven Board of Light and Power and place the electric utility under the management of the City Manager. The BLP highly recommends, prior to signing this petition, that the community review the proposed Charter Amendment...
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Empowering Customers with Data

Utilities rely on a combination of advanced data systems to better serve customers every day. These resources include Geographic Information Systems, Advanced Meter Infrastructure, and specialized grid analytic engineering software, which work jointly to provide the user with the electric system’s health, status, and usage. In February, the Grand Haven BLP hosted a workshop presented by Robert Shelley, Distribution &...
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Grand Haven Board of Light & Power 2022 Report on Distribution System Reliability, Performance Better Than State and National Averages

The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power presented the 2022 distribution system reliability indices during the Board of Directors meeting on March 16, 2023. The Distribution Reliability Report provides insight into many areas of utility operations, including outage tracking, restoration, and overall system reliability. In all areas, the Grand Haven Board of Light & Power is performing significantly better...
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BLP Receives Evaluation of Former Fire Department Building, Costs Estimates Between $3.3-$4.3 Million

The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power received the preliminary evaluation of the former fire department building from Progressive AE, a West Michigan-based architectural and design firm, during its regular board meeting Thursday night. The firm estimated that repairs and renovations range between $3.3 to $4.3 million to prepare the space as a new administrative and customer service center....
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What it Takes to Achieve Award-Winning Reliability

Utility reliability isn’t just about responding quickly to outages. It depends on a well-maintained system. To see how the Grand Haven BLP compares to other utilities, we need first to understand the industry standards for gauging a utility’s reliability. Then, we’ll learn how leaning on well-tended infrastructure helps the Grand Haven BLP stand above others in the industry. Reliability Like...
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FY2023 BLP Customer Satisfaction Study Shows 10% Lead Over National Averages and Other Key Areas For Improvement

The Grand Haven Board of Light and Power (BLP) announced the results of its FY2023 Customer Satisfaction Study, showing growth across most categories and leading national averages by over 10 percent. Catherine Veschi from GreatBlue Research Inc, a national customer research service, reported the study's results to the Board on Thursday night. GreatBlue surveyed 400 residential customers and over 100...