Crews from Other States Will Arrive in Michigan to Join Effort
JACKSON, Mich., Feb. 23, 2023 – Consumers Energy crews are making progress this afternoon as part of the push to restore power to over 237,000 homes and businesses affected by this week’s powerful ice storm. Over 450 crews will be involved in around-the-clock work, including lineworkers from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia
“Mother Nature delivered a powerful punch this week with over a half-inch of heavy ice. Consumers Energy is committed to getting the lights back on for all of our neighbors and friends,” said Melissa Gleespen, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for the event. “Despite winds and other unfavorable weather continuing today, our crews are making progress and will be working through the night.”
Consumers Energy shared this afternoon that about 110 crews from four states will be joining Consumers Energy’s restoration effort, speeding up the pace of work to serve customers. About a half-inch of ice – equivalent to the weight of a baby grand piano on a power line – covered Michigan’s southern counties, resulting in more than 8,000 downed wires and more than 237,000 outages.
Based on current assessments, a majority of affected customers should be restored by Sunday. Restoration work should continue and be largely complete by the end of the day Monday.
Gleespen 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 working along Michigan roads today.
Customers can report an outage and check the status of outage by visiting www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter or through the Consumers Energy app. Estimated restoration times can vary based on damage assessments and changing weather conditions.
Customers 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 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.
· Customers should call 2-1-1 if they are looking for help connecting to resources that offer assistance in your community, including warming centers. 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.
Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.