Consumers Energy Battles Hazardous Winds, Bitter Cold to Restore Customers’ Power

Jackson, Mich. Sunday, January 14, 2024

Consumers Energy lineworkers and contractors from as far away as New Brunswick, Canada braved high winds, lake effect snow and treacherous road conditions overnight Saturday to restore power to thousands of customers affected by a winter storm that struck the state Jan. 12. The hazardous winter weather downed tree limbs and more than 2,500 power lines across several regions.

More than 500 crews – including out-of-state contractors – worked around the clock to reduce the number of customers from over 170,000 without power to about 25,000 as of 9 a.m. Sunday, despite constant widespread wind gusts that made line work challenging and caused more outages. The crews are supported by a team of over 150 dedicated storm restoration staff and volunteers across the state who are committed to enabling crews to restore heat and light to the people of Michigan.

“Safety for our co-workers and our customers remains our top priority as we work to restore power as quickly and safely as possible,” said Melissa Gleespen, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge of restoration. “Despite bitter cold and high winds, crews continue to make significant progress, and our aim is to have the majority of customers restored by this evening. We’re deeply grateful to the lineworkers and crews who are moving so quickly, and our customers for their continued patience and understanding.”

Though the storm caused damage and outages throughout Michigan, communities throughout northeast Lower Peninsula were hit hardest, including Midland, Bay, Iosco, Ogemaw and Alcona counties. To show its support, Consumers Energy will provide free meals to residents in and around Iosco County from 5-7 p.m. on Sunday at the Sand Lake Bar (3949 Saginaw St., National City, Mich. 48748). Attendees will receive a free dine-in hamburger basket, French fries and a soft drink.

Customers can continue to check the status of outages at 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 urges the public to keep important safety tips in mind:

• Be alert to crews working along slick roads. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they can go safely past workers on roadsides.

• Stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, and to report unguarded downed lines by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050.
• 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.

###

Media Contact: Tracy Wimmer, 517-539-4465 or tracy.wimmer@cmsenergy.com

The next news release is planned for 9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14.