Consumers Energy: 5,700 Downed Wires, 300 Crews Mobilizing

A downed tree on West Michigan Avenue near Robinson Road.  JTV photo.

(February 23, 2023 11:58 AM)  Consumers Energy has restored more than 21,000 customers after an ice storm caused extensive damage across the state Wednesday night and Thursday morning. The company continues to evaluate the damage this morning as more than 300 crews mobilize to restore power.

“We are responding to the damage caused by this storm with an all-hands-on-deck effort to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible,” said Melissa Gleespen, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for the event. “We understand how frustrating a power outage can be, and we are grateful for our customers’ patience and understanding as our crews work deliberately to get the lights back on.”

About a half-inch of ice – equivalent to the weight of a baby grand piano – covered Michigan’s southern counties, resulting in more than 5,700 downed wires and more than 215,000 outages.  Consumers Energy says it is closely monitoring the forecasts for strong wind gusts and tree branches moving as ice melts, which could cause further damage.

In Jackson County, 44,058 customers remain without power this morning.  196,000 Consumers customers statewide are without power.  In Southeast Michigan, DTE Energy reports 479,838 customers are out of power.

The City of Jackson continues to respond to the weather emergency from the ongoing ice storm. Streets and sidewalks all over Jackson are blocked by downed trees and wires, so the City urges caution if you have to travel through the area.

To report a tree that is blocking a street or sidewalk, please call the Dept. of Public Works at 517-788-4170. Since the damage is widespread, there is currently no estimated time for when everything will be cleaned up. The City does not handle the removal of trees on private property, only trees/branches that are blocking streets, sidewalks, and parkways.

Jackson City Hall is open today but all recreation centers are closed and recreation programs canceled for Thursday, Feb. 23.

The Parks and Recreation Department is also closing all parks, trails and cemeteries until further notice. Crews have a lot of work to clear downed trees and branches from these facilities and are not currently safe for visitors.

All schools in Jackson County closed today and most events have been canceled.

JATA – Jackson Area Transportation Authority buses are running today. JATA is asking riders for patience and to expect slight delays as their drivers navigate road closures and downed power lines from yesterday’s ice event.

Consumers Energy’s Gleespen urged people to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, keep children and pets away, and report the issue by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. Consumers Energy also asks the public to keep a safe distance from crews working along Michigan roads today.

Customers can report an outage and check the status of outage by visiting www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter or through the Consumers Energy app. Estimated restoration times can vary based on damage assessments and changing weather conditions.

Customers can also sign up to get outage alerts and restoration times sent to a phone, email or text message, Text ‘REG’ to 232273 or visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/alerts.

Consumers Energy urges the public to keep important safety tips in mind:

·       Be alert to crews working along roads. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they safely can go past workers on roadsides.

·       Customers should call 2-1-1 if they are looking for help connecting to resources that offer assistance in your community, including warming centers. 2-1-1 is a free statewide service.

·       Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement, enclosed patio or near any air intakes. Doing so could cause a generator to produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Read more guidance on safe generator use here.

·       Consumers Energy will trim or remove trees interfering with electric restoration activities. Once safe to do so, clean-up of debris from tree trimming or removal during a storm emergency is the responsibility of individual property owners.

·       In some cases, the mast that holds the electric service wires to a home or business may have been damaged or torn away. Crews will reconnect the wires to a home, but only a licensed electrician can repair or replace a mast or a cable.