Newkirk Electric opened its doors in Flint, Michigan in 1961 as an "electrical systems specialist", and quickly developed capabilities in high voltage work to help Consumers Power Company build its power distribution/substation system throughout the state.

Newkirk Electric opened its doors in Flint, Michigan in 1961 as an "electrical systems specialist", and quickly developed capabilities in high voltage work to help Consumers Power Company build its power distribution/substation system throughout the state.From there, Newkirk ventured into power plants and served as the primary electric contractor on many of the state’s largest power generation units starting with the award of the 1,872 MW Ludington Pumped Storage plant in 1968, at the time the largest civil construction project in the world. Other large power plant projects followed as Michigan built its base load generation units including the Palisades Nuclear Plant, the J.H.