Presque Isle Electric & Gas enters final phase of northeast Michigan fiber expansion
WCMU Public Media reported on July 16, 2026 that the Presque Isle Electric and Gas Cooperative (PIE&G) is finishing phase three and entering phase four, the final phase, of its multi-year fiber buildout in northeast Michigan, with 7,500 customers now connected after five years of construction. The report notes PIE&G is also seeking future BEAD funding, and Michigan's Chief Connectivity Officer Eric Frederick confirmed the state received about $1.6 billion in BEAD allocations, though this particular phase of PIE&G's project has been primarily funded through RDOF rather than BEAD.