Counting the Ways you can Count on Lab Services

Did you know our team members report to more than just power plants and service centers? At Trail Street Lab in Jackson, employees with unique skillsets arrive each day with one goal in mind: keeping power reliable for customers in Michigan – and throughout the country.

Let’s meet three: David Stephens, Casey Ehlert and Corey Kratzer.

From oil sampling and analysis for our transformers to testing equipment to make sure it’s functioning, they each play a key part in our Reliability Roadmap – an ambitious plan for a stronger, more resilient electric grid.

This year, reliability work at the lab grew by 50 percent. And leaders expect the same for 2026.

David Stephens

Jazz can be heard softly in the background as David Stephens, a senior chemistry tech, carefully tests oil samples – making sure Michigan’s nearly 1,100 transformers are up to our safety and reliability standards.

While the sounds of piano and saxophone may not be common in our offices, this is the norm for Stephens’ workplace.

“Music is a big part of my life wherever I go,” he said. “When I’m at work, and in the room by myself, it helps me focus and keeps me grounded. I’m in the moment and that allows me to do my job.”

Stephens, who has been with the company for nearly 20 years, understands his role reaches beyond the lab. The work he does here affects the lives of people across Michigan. So, with every sample he tests, Stephens does his best to keep the customer in mind.

“Every day I report to my job and do everything I can to help our customers see our value,” he said. “I want them to know they can count on us, and they can count on me.”

Casey Ehlert

Casey Ehlert, lead chemical technician, has been with us since 2012.

She performs sampling and analysis on soil, water, oil, and waste – often traveling around the state to our various generation sites.

“We do everything we can to provide reliable service to everyone we serve,” she said. “And to me that’s quality and consistency in our work. It’s also knowing that I’m doing everything in my power to make sure the land and water remain in their pristine condition.”

Corey Kratzer

For Corey Kratzer, being a lab technician at Trail Street is all about forging relationships and communicating with those in the field.

His primary role is testing equipment for workers who install, maintain and troubleshoot power lines. He supports a variety of departments and takes great satisfaction in keeping his colleagues safe.

“If the equipment isn’t working correctly, you definitely could put somebody in harm’s way,” said Kratzer, who has been with the company for three years. “That’s the last thing I want to do. I want to do everything in my power to make sure my co-workers go home safely to their families.”

Kratzer is in touch with crews often. He visits them onsite to recalibrate all the testing equipment on the bucket trucks.

“In this job, the equipment needs to be 100 percent accurate, so workers make informed decisions,” he said. “And that could lead to an outage being shorter or not happening at all.”

Kratzer said while there’s pressure on the job, it’s fulfilling since it’s all about providing reliable service for customers, many of them his family, friends and neighbors.

“It’s all about doing the smaller, preventative things for customers to stop the larger things from happening,” he said. “That’s our mission every single day.”