Securing the Grid
Securing the grid Michigan counts on.
Our crews are always working to secure the grid to ensure safe, reliable energy at the lowest price possible.
Choose the Electric or Natural Gas Reliability tab below to learn more.
Electric Reliability
Strengthening the Grid
Inspecting & Repairing Thousands of Poles
In the second half of 2025, we inspected over 50,000 poles and found 70 needing attention right away, 3,640 in need of near-term upgrades, and numerous others that need maintenance.
Clearing Trees Statewide
We cleared trees from over 8,000 miles of electrical wires in 2025. By 2030, we’re planning to double that—clearing over 16,000 miles annually.
Muskegon: Increased Capacity & Resilience
We replaced older wiring and circuits in Muskegon and Muskegon Heights to improve energy capacity and make the system more resilient to severe weather.
Kalamazoo: Securing the Grid with New Wires & Poles
We installed 8,500 feet of new secondary wire in Kalamazoo and replaced 80 poles to secure the grid for 300 customers along Oakland Drive near Western Michigan University.
Tools and Innovations Helping Us Secure the Grid
Automatic Transfer Reclosers: These smart devices act as traffic lights by detecting faults and automatically rerouting power to keep lights on or restore power in seconds.
Drones: We’ve added a fleet of 40 drones to inspect hard-to-access electric lines that cannot be reached by helicopter crews, which helps us prevent outages at a lower cost.
Weather Stations: We’ve installed five weather stations and plan to reach 100 by 2027. This will help improve outage response and save customers nearly $1 million each year.
Our Promise: Reliable Energy at the Lowest Price Possible
75 cents of every customer dollar is reinvested in the electric grid
We put together a Reliability Action Plan, which is our roadmap that will lead to fewer, shorter outages.
Modernizing our system improves affordability and reliability
A more reliable grid means fewer outages and repairs which helps keep costs low.
Affordability comes from smart innovation
Smart tools such as grid sensors, automation, analytics and predictive maintenance improve reliability and lower costs.
Natural Gas Reliability
Strengthening the Energy Grid
Replacing Miles of Aging Natural Gas Pipeline
We’re currently replacing eight miles of aging natural gas pipeline in Royal Oak, Madison Heights, Clawson and Warren through 2029. This proactive work will support safe, reliable service for over 800,000 homes and businesses.
Mid Michigan Pipeline Replacement
We upgraded 55 miles of aging gas pipelines across Clinton, Shiawassee, Ingham, Livingston and Washtenaw counties. This project replaced lines dating back to the 1940s with larger pipes for safer, more reliable service.
Modernizing Natural Gas City Gates
We’re upgrading city gates to handle more natural gas volume and improve safety in the communities we serve.
Flint Gas City: Immersive Training for Critical Situations
This unique mini city, covering 1.4 acres, prepares gas workers and first responders for real-world scenarios they’ll deal with every day.
Tools and Innovations Helping Us Secure the Grid
Meter Replacement: We’re replacing natural gas meters across the state every year to ensure they’re operating effectively and meeting the latest standards. As part of this program, we move these meters inside for easier access and better service.
Line Inspections: Our fleet of eight purpose-built Ford Edge SUVs use advanced methane detection to scan nearly 30,000 miles of gas lines for leaks. We’re expanding the fleet to cover more areas and ensure safe, reliable natural gas service.
Smart PIGs: We use intelligent pipeline inspection gauges (or PIGs) to detect corrosion, cracks, dents and metal loss inside natural gas pipelines. PIGs use advanced sensors to help find problems before they occur.
Natural Gas Powers Our Homes—Safely and Efficiently
Safe, secure & affordable service Michigan can count on
We’re proactively replacing aging natural gas lines, predicting and fixing leaks before they happen and modernizing how the system works.
Modernizing our system improves affordability and reliability
Our Natural Gas Delivery Plan is a 10-year, $12 billion roadmap. In 2026, we’re replacing almost 150 miles of main lines to ensure reliable performance for the future.
Affordability comes from smart innovation
Innovations like smart Pipeline Inspection Gauges (PIGs) detect flaws in pipes and remote-control valves. They can quickly shut off natural gas in part of the system, which helps keep operating costs lower.
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