Consumers Energy Continues Power Restoration Following Sunday’s Storms

Photo courtesy Remi Murrey from MidMichiganNOW.com

(November 16, 2020 12:13 PM) Having restored more than 62,000 customers who had power knocked out by damaging high winds yesterday, Consumers Energy crews are continuing to work around the clock to restore electric service.

More than 85,000 Consumers Energy customers lost power since Sunday morning during a prolonged windstorm with gusts exceeding 50 mph. As of 11 a.m. Monday, approximately 23,000 customers remained without power.

“Our dedicated crews and contractors are continuing to work extended hours around the clock to restore power to customers affected by Sunday’s windstorm,” said Guy Packard, Consumers Energy vice president of electric operations. “We are asking everyone to keep safety a top concern and to be aware that wires brought down by high winds could still pose a danger.”

From lineworkers to dispatchers and customer service representatives, more than 700 Consumers Energy employees and contractors are engaged in the restoration effort. Consumers Energy expects storm restoration work will continue through late Tuesday. 

Customers can report an outage, check the status of an outage and get useful tips what to do after a storm by visiting www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. 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.

Packard urged customers and the public to stay at least 25 feet away from downed wires, keep children or pets away, and report the issue by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. Consumers Energy crews are taking extra health and safety precautions because of the COVID-19 situation and asks the public to keep at least six feet of distance from its crews.

            Consumers Energy also urges the public to keep these 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.

·         With firearm deer season underway, hunters are asked to pay special attention to their surroundings for storm damage and Consumers Energy crews in fields.

·         Call 2-1-1 if you are looking for help connecting to temporary shelter or other resources that offer assistance in your community. 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. 

·         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 which holds the electric service wires to a customer’s 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.