Consumers Energy Mobilizes Over 300 Crews to Restore Power After High Winds Batter Michigan
- PRESS RELEASE
- 51 minutes ago
- 2 min read
JACKSON, MI – Consumers Energy is mobilizing over 300 crews to start restoring power to homes and businesses affected by high winds that battered Michigan late this afternoon and evening.
“This storm has been hard-hitting right from the start, but we prepared and are starting our work to get the lights back on across Michigan,” said Norm Kapala, one of Consumers Energy’s officers in charge for restoration. “We appreciate the patience of our customers, especially as high gusts continue into the morning, and we will make sure to work through the night to help communities to recover.”
Consumers Energy started to prepare ahead of the storm, moving personnel and equipment into position. The storm has brought wind gusts above 60 mph in West Michigan and other communities. The storm subsided at 8 p.m. Monday, with continued high winds expected through 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Consumers Energy urges people to be careful if they need to travel after dark due to debris and restoration activities. Be alert to crews working along roadsides. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they can go safely past.
Consumers Energy customers can check the status of outages at ConsumersEnergy.com/Outage. They can also sign up to get outage alerts and restoration times sent via phone, email or text. Text ‘REG' to 232273 or visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/alerts.
Keep these safety tips in mind:
Stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, and report unguarded downed lines by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050.
Consumers Energy reminds people that falsely calling in downed lines slows down the restoration process for everyone.
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, cleanup 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.
