Northern Michigan utility boosts power amid severe cold

MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) - Officials in Michigan's Upper Peninsula are running a second unit at the Shiras Steam Plant to help ensure power reliability amid severely cold weather conditions.

Erik Booth, the Marquette Board of Light and Power's manager of planning and utility compliance, tells The Mining Journal of Marquette (http://bit.ly/1tSqdTB ) that the unit typically is used during periods of extreme cold as well as amid hotter weather in the summer.

Booth says that the utility plans on running the second unit through the end of the week and may shut it down next week, depending on how cold the weather remains. Booth says the unit will be used periodically, as needed, throughout the winter.

The Marquette Board of Light and Power serves Marquette and residents of several area townships.

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Information from: The Mining Journal, http://www.miningjournal.net