Baraga County student-fellow researching energy in U.P.

LANSING — A Baraga County native is researching energy in the Upper Peninsula through a fellowship with the Michigan Conservative Energy Forum.

Jake Putala of Pelkie is currently studying political science at Lansing Community College. With his MCEF fellowship, he is conducting a semester–long research project on the U.P. Energy Crisis.

Putala said his research focuses on solutions to lower the price of energy for residents.

“Quite frankly, I mean, I think the families and hard–working businesses here deserve better,” said Putala during a phone interview with ABC 10. “We’re paying some of the highest rates in the country, if not the highest and because of that, I just want to positively impact the energy landscape here, or at least further the conversation on ways we can address the crisis and ways we can solve it.”

For his research, Putala will be talking with different experts and legislators in Upper Peninsula about the energy crisis. He will also be exploring different types of energy and how they would work in the Upper Peninsula and how these different types would work in competition with each other.

Putala is in the beginning stages of his research, but his work will be published in the next few months. ABC 10 will post an update with results of Putala’s research when it is complete.