Consumers Energy Encourages People Use 211 as Storm Cleanup Continues

Crews working on power restoration.  Consumers Energy photo.

(February 24, 2023 4:54 PM)  Consumers Energy officials are encouraging Michiganders to contact 2-1-1 and take advantage of warming centers and other help as power restoration after this week’s powerful ice storm enters the weekend. As of 4 p.m., over 500 crews have restored power to over 90,000 homes and businesses.

As of 4:45 PM Friday,  42,250 Jackson County customers remain without power (54%).

“As our crews continue to work to get the lights back on across southern Michigan, we want to be sure people are staying safe and warm heading into a chilly night,” said Melissa Gleespen, one of Consumers Energy’s officers in charge for the event. “A free phone call to 2-1-1 can provide information about warming shelters or help for other basic needs. Let’s make sure our friends and neighbors get the help they need.”

VIDEO: Consumers Energy’s president and CEO talks about storm restoration

“2-1-1 and United Ways are working with local communities to address storm-related needs as utility companies work to restore power across the state,” said Hassan Hammoud, executive director of Michigan 2-1-1. “Whether individuals are looking for warming centers, food or other needs, we encourage them the contact 2-1-1 by dialing 2-1-1, texting 898-211 or visiting mi211.org to find support in their area.”

Consumers Energy is providing additional comfort to hard-hit areas with community breakfasts at two locations this weekend. Free meals will be served from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Grand River Brewery at Manchester Market in Manchester and from 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday at the Gene Davis and Sons Banquet Center in Jackson.

Helped by a day of clear weather, Consumers Energy crews and other lineworkers from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Virginia continued to restore power across southern Michigan communities that were blanketed with up to a half-inch of ice. A majority of affected customers should have power back by Sunday, while restoration work will continue and be largely complete by the end of the day Monday.

Consumers Energy began inspections by helicopter today to assess damage and speed restoration after the historic storm. Damage included over 8,000 downed wires, a number that has been exceeded very rarely in the past and has forced crews to make an above-normal number of individual repairs.

Customers can 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. People who don’t sign up for alerts can report and check on the status of outages at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. Estimated restoration times can vary based on damage assessments and changing weather conditions.

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

• Watch for downed wires. People should always stay at least 25 feet away from a downed wire, keep children and pets away, and report the issue by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050.
• 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.
• 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.