Consumers Energy: Favorable Weather Helping Restoration

A Consumers Energy lineman works on power restoration this afternoon.  Consumers Energy photo.

(August 13, 2021 6:09 PM) Consumers Energy said today is progressing steadily toward its goal to complete power restoration tonight for nearly 300,000 customers impacted by this week’s severe storms.

“The improved weather today helped our crews work quickly and safely to make a significant improvement in the number of customers affected by the three waves of punishing storms that wreaked havoc across Michigan this week,” said Guy Packard, Consumers Energy’s vice president for electric operations. “Today’s progress puts on track to complete restoration for almost all customers this weekend.”

Jackson County was among the hardest-hit counties in Southern Lower Michigan. As of 6 PM, 20,316 Jackson County customers remain without power in these locations (with number of customers affected):

Brooklyn 5,098

Clarklake 1,389

Concord 1,453

Grass Lake 1,224

Hanover 1,126

Horton 1,313

Jackson 4,755

Parma 1,806

Rives Junction 164

Spring Arbor 669

Springport 23

More than 500 crews are working 16-hour shifts around the clock, including contractors from across Michigan and seven states. About 370,000 homes and businesses Consumers Energy serves lost power since Tuesday night, making it one of the 10 most significant storms in company history.

The company recognizes storms like this have significant impact beyond electric outages and has worked directly with communities across the state to provide necessary resources and even a little fun.

“As thousands of our co-workers support electric restoration throughout Michigan’s lower peninsula, others are working to help customers directly in their communities,” said Roger Curtis, vice president of public affairs for Consumers Energy. “Whether it’s  handing out ice, water and ice cream or taking over Binder Park Zoo on Friday and Saturday to cover entry costs for the first 2,500 visitors, we’re trying to help Michiganders walk away with some positive memories.”

Events can be found at www.Facebook.com/ConsumersEnergyMichigan.

Customers can check the progress crews are making to restore power 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.

Consumers Energy reminds everyone to stay focused on safety, and is offering these tips:

• If traffic lights are out, treat them as a four way stop and use caution moving through intersections.
• Be aware of possible downed wires. Report them to 9-1-1 or Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050 immediately while staying at least 25 feet away.
  • If you’ve already reported a downed wire, we appreciate your patience as we work hard to safely secure the remaining incidents. More than 6,000 downed wires have been reported since Tuesday.
• 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 to connect with resources that offer assistance in your community, such as cooling centers or other needs. 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.