News & Information
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...
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 &...
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...
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....
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...
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...
Pragmatic Ways to ‘Green’ Your Power Supply
Many Grand Haven businesses and homeowners want to tap into sustainable power. You may think, it’s not possible to build a wind turbine in my backyard. I definitely cannot put a biomass power plant back there—where would the kid’s swing set go? I could install solar panels on my roof, but that sounds difficult and expensive. Is there another way?...
BLP Customer Technology Workshop
Tuesday, February 21, 2023 6:30 pm Central Park Place - 421 Columbus Avenue, Grand Haven Learn how to monitor your energy use and save money - BLP technology systems are designed to interact with each other and enable communication with the electric meter at your home or business. This enhances reliability and provides additional capabilities such as communication and data transfers,...
What’s Happening with Energy Storage
Michigan is working hard to transition to greener generation options. However, no amount of renewable capacity can ensure consumers get power if the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining. Storage creates greater reliability in renewable energy supply, giving suppliers a backup when needed. Using a definition from the University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Studies, grid storage is...
Statement from Board Chairman Mike Westbrook Addressing HRC’s Final Report, No Proof of Gender Discrimination Found
On Aug. 23, 2022, Grand Haven resident Ms. Elizabeth Pell filed a complaint with the City of Grand Haven’s Human Relations Commission (HRC), alleging that the Board of Light of Power Board and its administrative staff discriminated against another member of the BLP Board, Director Andrea Hendrick, based on Director Hendrick's gender, during the course of a single BLP Board...