In short: Around Traverse City, your utility decides almost everything. City-owned Traverse City Light & Power customers lost only about 19 minutes of power each in 2024; Great Lakes Energy co-op members lost about 8 hours (EIA). The March 2025 ice storm showed how long rural outages can last. Grand Traverse County rates “very high” for winter weather.
This page covers what is specific to northern Michigan around Traverse City: four utilities with very different records, co-op solar programs, winter sun and charging. For statewide rules, see our Michigan energy guide.
Northern Michigan at a glance
- Traverse City Light & Power (city utility): about 12.7¢ per kWh for homes in 2024; 19 minutes without power per customer and 0.22 interruptions (EIA-861, 2024).
- Cherryland Electric Cooperative (around the city, Leelanau and Benzie): about 16.4¢; 65 minutes without power; 0.68 interruptions (EIA-861, 2024).
- Great Lakes Energy Cooperative (large rural area): about 19.2¢; 484 minutes with major events, 256 without; 2.8 interruptions (EIA-861, 2024).
- Consumers Energy (parts of the region): about 19.1¢; 503 minutes with major events, 155 without (EIA-861, 2024).
- Sun: about 3.6 kWh per square meter per day, with under 1.0 in December (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,060 kWh a year per kW of panels, about 4% less than Detroit.
- Top hazards: Grand Traverse County is “very high” for winter weather and “relatively high” for cold waves; its overall risk rating is relatively low (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
- Public charging: 128 ports at 48 locations in Traverse City (AFDC, October 3, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
- Cherryland Electric Cooperative: net metering offsets your home use at retail and credits excess at 5.6¢ per kWh under a 10-year agreement; or “buy-all, sell-all”, where the co-op buys everything a system up to 100 kW makes at 6.5¢ for 20 years. Its SpartanSolar community solar costs $600 a panel (or $10 a month for five years) and credits 10¢ per kWh of the panel’s output for 15 years.
- Great Lakes Energy: the same structure: 5.6¢ per kWh for excess on net metering (10 years, 20 kW cap), 6.5¢ on buy-all, sell-all (100 kW cap, 20 years) and SpartanSolar community solar at 10¢.
- Traverse City Light & Power: runs its own customer generation and EV programs, but its website could not be reached on October 3, 2026, so we have not verified the terms. Ask TCLP directly.
- Consumers Energy: Distributed Generation credits exports at its power supply rate; PowerMIDrive pays $500 toward a Level 2 charger (up to $1,000 if income-qualified). Consumers also has a planned-shutoff policy for extreme conditions; see our Michigan guide.
Backup power in northern Michigan
In the city, outages are rare and short. Out in the townships, on long rural lines through the trees, it is a different story: Great Lakes Energy members averaged about 4.3 hours without power even leaving out major storms, and more than 8 hours with them (EIA). In late March 2025, a catastrophic ice storm left almost all customers without power in a number of northeast Lower Michigan counties, snapping thousands of poles; Great Lakes Energy and Consumers were among the utilities hit, and the MPSC noted that many backup generators were lost (MPSC, April and June 2025). Great Lakes Energy also reported 7,900 outages in March 2026 and 10,700 in July 2026 (MPSC).
Plan for multi-day winter outages outside the city. A natural gas or propane standby generator with enough fuel is the usual answer; a home battery covers shorter outages but gets little winter sun to recharge. Pairing the two works well. Size the system with the generator sizing tool or the battery backup calculator, and compare options in backup power options. For cabins, see the off-grid planner.
Outage credits depend on your utility. Consumers customers get an automatic $44-a-day credit after 16, 48 or 96 hours, depending on how widespread the outage is (MPSC, September 2026). Co-op and city utility customers are not covered by the state rules; after the 2025 ice storm, the MPSC told them to ask their own utility. Safety first: the CPSC says generators run outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, never in a garage, even in snow; fit battery-backed CO alarms, and have a licensed electrician install the transfer switch (generator installation).
Solar in northern Michigan
Panels near Traverse City make about 1,060 kWh a year per kW by our rough estimate, with most of it from April to September; December sun is about a quarter weaker than in Detroit. What a kW is worth depends on your utility: used at home it saves roughly $135 a year on TCLP’s 12.7¢, $175 on Cherryland and $200 on Great Lakes Energy, while the co-ops pay 5.6¢ for exports, about $60 a year per kW if all of it were exported (our estimates, 2024 prices). So size to your own use, or consider community solar if your roof is shaded or snowy. Check the numbers with the solar potential tool and the solar savings calculator, and read solar installation.
Batteries in northern Michigan
With exports credited at 5.6¢ on the co-ops, storing midday solar for the evening is worth more than selling it. For Great Lakes Energy members, backup is the bigger reason. Cherryland reported 44 batteries alongside 171 home solar systems in 2024 (EIA). We have not confirmed a local battery rebate. Plan winter backup around a generator or grid recharge, not solar alone. See home battery installation and home battery cost.
EV charging in northern Michigan
Traverse City has 128 public ports (AFDC, October 3, 2026), useful for visitors and longer trips north. At about 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs roughly $3.80 per 100 miles on TCLP’s 2024 average, about $4.90 on Cherryland and $5.75 on Great Lakes Energy (our estimates); cold weather raises use. A Level 2 charger needs a licensed electrician and an electrical permit. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Traverse City: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- Traverse City: the city’s Planning and Zoning Department handles zoning and site plans; ask it which office issues building and electrical permits for your address.
- Townships: your township or county building office issues permits.
- Utility approval: TCLP, Cherryland, Great Lakes Energy or Consumers must approve interconnection; the co-ops publish interconnection standards. Check HOA and lake association rules.
Cities we cover
- Traverse City
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Northern Michigan energy FAQ
What do Cherryland and Great Lakes Energy pay for solar?
On net metering, power you use at home offsets the retail rate and excess is credited at 5.6¢ per kWh under a 10-year agreement. Buy-all, sell-all pays 6.5¢ for everything a system up to 100 kW produces, for 20 years. Confirm current terms with your co-op.
How does SpartanSolar community solar work?
Cherryland and Great Lakes Energy members buy panel subscriptions in a shared array: $600 per panel up front or $10 a month for five years. Each panel’s output earns a 10¢ per kWh bill credit for 15 years, and you can cancel any time. Nothing goes on your roof.
Do co-op members get outage credits after a big storm?
Not under state rules. The MPSC’s automatic credits ($44 a day since September 2026) cover regulated utilities such as Consumers Energy. After the 2025 ice storm, the MPSC said co-op and municipal customers should ask their own utility whether it offers credits.
Is solar worth it this far north?
It can be, but it depends on your utility. Sun is only about 4% below Detroit over a year, though winters are darker. On TCLP’s low prices solar saves less per kWh; on Great Lakes Energy it saves more. Get two or three quotes and compare them with your own bills.
Sources
Utilities, prices, outages and solar counts: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 data for 2024. Cherryland Electric Cooperative and Great Lakes Energy renewable energy pages. Ice storm, storms and outage credits: Michigan Public Service Commission releases of April and June 2025 and September 2026, and its outage history. City of Traverse City Planning and Zoning. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Charging: Alternative Fuels Data Center. Generator safety: CPSC. All checked October 3, 2026.