Company Press Release: Grand Hotel
July 27, 2000
MACKINAC ISLAND, MI -- Guests at Grand Hotel awoke to hot water, full electrical service in their rooms, and a
full breakfast Wednesday morning while Mackinac Island continued to cope with an electrical blackout that affects
the entire island.
Grand Hotel President R. D. (Dan) Musser, III, said two emergency generators that were brought to the island Tuesday
and hooked up to the hotel made possible the return to full operations, despite the fact that the island was again
without electrical service Wednesday. Edison Sault Electric Co. restored partial service to the island Tuesday
evening, but the restored cables failed again early Wednesday morning, again leaving the island without electricity.
``The two emergency generators, combined with two smaller units that we already had on site, have enabled us to
resume normal operations for our guests,'' Musser said. ``In light of the continuing difficulties the island is
experiencing, we are extremely grateful we were able to locate these units and transport them to the island so
quickly.
``The fact that we have them in place assures that we can continue to provide Grand Hotel style hospitality to
our guests however long it may take to restore full service to the island.''
Musser said guests at the hotel have remained good-natured while coping with the temporary inconveniences caused
by the loss of electricity.
``They have told us they recognize that the cause of the problem was beyond our control and they appreciate that
we are doing everything we can to assure they will still have a pleasant stay with us, even if it is memorable
in a rather different way than they might have anticipated,'' he said.
The smaller emergency generator, which generates 500 kilowatts of electricity, arrived on the island early Tuesday
and was hooked up to the hotel by Tuesday afternoon. It is providing lighting for guestrooms, as well as some power
for the kitchen.
The larger 2,000-kilowatt emergency generator was transported to the island by barge during the late afternoon.
The tractor-trailer on which it was loaded was driven to the hotel after a special permit was issued by the City
Council allowing the motorized vehicle to move on the island. The generator was hooked up during the evening and
began providing electricity for the boiler that provides hot water for the hotel.
In addition to assuring hot water for guestrooms, the boiler also produces hot water and steam for the kitchen,
the dishwashers and the hotel laundry.
SOURCE: Grand Hotel