MARQUETTE - When the Silver Lake dam broke on May 14, causing $102 million in flooding damages to residents and businesses, the rush of water was a particular torment for the Presque Isle Power Plant.

Owned by Wisconsin Energy, the plant's lower areas were submerged in four feet of water, ruining pumps, motors and other electric equipment, and causing additional damage.

The building trades and their contractors were immediately called in to go to work helping to get the water out of the plant and making repairs or putting new equipment in place. The Hardhats worked hard, knowing that the plant was vital to the homes and businesses of the Upper Peninsula.

"The Presque Isle Power Plant supplies about 50 percent of the power to the U.P. of Michigan, so we're aware of how crucial the operation of the plant is to the local economy," said Wisconsin Energy spokesman Chris Iglar. "We commend the work of our own employees, as well as the contract workers and our vendors, for working around the clock to get the plant working again as quickly as possible. They have done a great job."

The 617-megawatt coal-burning plant was completely shut down for more than five weeks. The U.P. has a limited electrical transportation grid, so it was difficult for other plants to make up the loss or to import electricity. After that five weeks, one by one, five of the plant's nine boilers were brought back on line and the Presque Isle facility was at half-production, significantly reducing the crisis. The plant's electrical production is expected to be completely back in mid-July.

The Dead River flood caused the evacuation of 2,000 people. No deaths resulted, but the economic impact was significant: the closing of the Presque Isle plant caused Cleveland-Cliffs to suspended operations at its nearby Empire and Tilden mines because of the lack of power. The mines employ about 1,000, including a number of building trades workers.

Presque Isle Power Plant Manager Les Kowalski said they took two days to assess the damage, then put about 40-50 building trades workers to work. Working two 12-hour shifts, the trades workers were employed by M.J. Electric, Matilla Mechanical and Jamar Construction.

The trades had plenty of work repairing or replacing ruined mechanical equipment on the interior of the plant. But they also had to repair a break in the bin wall (which contains water used in plant operations) that was damaged by rushing storm waters.

"The workers and the contractors have done very well for us," Kowalski said last week. "Had it not been for their efforts we would still be working to get the first units on line. As it turned out, we finished the first part of the job ahead of the forecast. They were there to offer their help, expertise and suggestions and made sure the work proceeded smoothly."

Kowalski said damage to the plant would cost an estimated $10 million.

THE PRESQUE ISLE Power Plant in Marquette sustained an estimated $10 million in damages following the May 14 flood in the city. The skills of the building trades workers were a tremendous benefit to Wisconsin Energy, which was able to put a portion of the plant back on line ahead of schedule. The first boiler at the coal-burning plant came on-line in 1956.

A COLD RE-HEAT line inside the Presque Isle Power Plant gets the attention of Tim Gerbae of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 506 and Jamar Construction.