A utility pole damaged in the storms. Consumers Energy photo.
(August 30, 2022 7:33 AM) Consumers Energy crews worked overnight to restore nearly 40,000 customers after yesterday’s storms knocked down trees, limbs, and power lines in 37 counties in the lower peninsula. Consumers will have more than 350 crews working today on restoring electric service, and Tuesday’s dry and hazard free weather conditions are favorable for restoration efforts.
The company expects a majority of customers to be restored by Wednesday.
As of 7:32 AM Tuesday, 20,415 Jackson County customers are without power.
“Our crews worked incredibly hard last night and made significant progress, restoring service to about ¼ of all impacted customers,” said Greg Salisbury, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for the storm event. “Our all-hands-on-deck effort will continue as we work to restore power for all 160,000 customers impacted by yesterday’s 70 mph winds and thunderstorms.”
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 also 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.
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.
