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Consumers Energy Restoration Efforts Underway After Severe Storms Hit Michigan Again

Crews Have Already Restored Power to More Than 30,000 Customers

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JACKSON, Mich., Aug. 25, 2021 -- Consumers Energy crews have already restored power to over 30,000 customers after more than 500 lineworkers worked through the night following another severe weather system that hit Michigan on Tuesday. More than 70,000 total customers were impacted.

“The severe weather we saw once again left behind a path of destruction, and now our crews are back at it to restore power as quickly and safely as possible to all of our impacted customers,” said Guy Packard, Consumers Energy’s vice president for electric operations. “We appreciate our customers’ patience as crews work around the clock to evaluate the damage and turn the lights back on for everyone.”

Consumers Energy expects expect a large portion of the impacted customers to be restored by the end of Wednesday night.

 

Severe weather, including heavy rains and reports of 60 mph winds, started hitting West Michigan and the lakeshore after 5 p.m. last night. Customers can report an outage and check the status of outage by visiting www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. 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.

Packard urged people to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, keep children or pets away, and report the issue by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. Consumers Energy asks the public to keep a safe distance from crews due to health precautions and to allow them to do their work.

Consumers Energy also asks 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.
  • A portable generator should be placed at least 25 feet away from any doors, windows or fresh air intakes. Never operate a generator inside your home, garage, basement or enclosed area. Doing so could cause a generator to produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Proper ventilation is critical.
  • 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 which holds the electric service wires to a customer’s 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.

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