JAY – For 30 years the Otis Mill has sent electricity to the Spruce Mountain Ski Area.

But news that Wausau Paper is closing the paper mill by the end of May has Spruce Mountain Ski Club wondering where its electricity will come from. Wausau announced this week it would shutter the mill.

“It’s something we will have to discuss and pursue,” Rick Couture, the nonprofit ski club’s president said Wednesday. “If we don’t have power, we won’t be operating.”

The mountain, lodge and race center buildings are owned by Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls. But the club runs the ski center and owns all of the equipment, including tow-ropes that transport skiers uphill. Volunteers staff the ski operations and also make snow for about half of the ski area’s 11 trails. The trails are also lit at night and electricity is needed for all of the various operations.