MICHIGAN, USA — Following a major ice storm, Consumers Energy crews around the state are working to restore power.
Wednesday's ice storm coated areas of Michigan in half an inch of ice, with the hardest-hit areas being the southern counties. Nearly 250,000 customers were without power following the storm.
Nearly 500 crews, including crews from out of state, have been working since then to restore power. Officials are estimating power will be restored to a majority of the state by Sunday.
“Our crews are working round the clock to get power back to customers as quickly and as safely as possible,” said Norm Kapala, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for the event. “We still have a long way to go, but as our teams continue to work together to clear debris and assess damage, the restoration work will only speed up. We’re grateful for the patience and understanding of our customers as our crews continue their hard work.”
People are urged to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, keep children and pets away and report the issue by calling 911 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050.
Drivers are asked to keep a safe distance from crews working along Michigan roads. Consumers Energy is encouraging Michiganders to follow these safety tips:
- 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.
The Consumers Energy power outage map shows outages in real-time, as well as an estimate on when power will be restored. Click here to see the map.
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