Consumers Energy Crews Begin Restoration Efforts After Powerful Storms Knock Out Power

Reported wind gusts of nearly 70 mph swept through Michigan on Monday leaving behind significant damage.  Consumers Energy photo.

(August 29, 2022 10:09 PM) Consumers Energy is responding with an all-hands-on-deck effort after severe thunderstorms with nearly 70 mph winds caused damage across the lower half of the lower peninsula. Consumers Energy team members and over 100 crews will be working through the night to assess the damage and begin restoration efforts for the nearly 160,000 customers impacted by the storms.

In Jackson County, as of 10:11 PM, 22,147 Consumers Energy customers are without power.

“Mother Nature’s latest storm certainly packed a punch, knocking down trees, limbs, and hundreds of power lines,” said Greg Salisbury, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for the storm event. “We were prepared for this storm, though, and our crews will be working around the clock to get the power back on for our friends and neighbors as quickly and as safely as possible. We are grateful for their patience and understanding.”

After assessing the damage, the energy provider will soon determine when power will be restored to homes and businesses.

Restoration times can vary depending on the extent of the damage. Customers can report an outage and check the status of outage by visiting www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. They 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.

Salisbury 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.

“After a storm of this magnitude, there is a significant amount of damage out there. Please be cautious of debris, downed wires and trees and our crews that are out in the community working to restore power,” said Salisbury.

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.
• Call 2-1-1 if you are looking for help connecting to 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. 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.