Cloverland Member Update – House of Bargains Building Annex Deconstruction

The one-story annex at the back of the House of Bargains building on Ashmun Street in Sault Ste. Marie, owned by Cloverland Electric Cooperative, will be deconstructed. Engineering studies identified safety and structural concerns that would impact hydro plant production and operations if the structure failed. Demolition will involve a careful deconstruction process from the interior to the exterior that is expected to take eight weeks.

“We’re looking at the building in relation to the integrity and safety as it relates to the canal,” said Pat Frazier, Chief Operating Officer for Cloverland Electric Cooperative. “This work is part of a program to maintain and improve the operation of the canal that sources water to the hydro plant.”

Cloverland’s hydroelectric plant generates nearly 30% of renewable energy for the cooperative’s 34,000 members across the Eastern Upper Peninsula. Continual maintenance of the power canal and hydroelectric plant is a vital part of Cloverland’s infrastructure. While potential plans and cost benefit analysis for the remainder of the two-story structure are still being studied, removing the annex was prioritized this year as part of a program to improve the integrity of the canal that sources water to the hydro generation plant.

For more information, contact: Allie Brawley - abrawley@cloverland.com