Consumers Energy Crews Push to Finish Restoring Power to Most Customers After This Week’s Storms

Jackson, Mich. Wednesday, September 08, 2021

Lineworkers from Other States Help as Work Continues Overnight

Consumers Energy crews have restored power to most of the over 80,000 Michigan homes and businesses affected by this week’s storms. Less than 10,000 customers were without power just before 10 p.m., and crews prepared to continue working overnight.

“We are grateful for our customers’ patience and are pleased the vast majority of them again have power as they go to bed tonight,” said Guy Packard, Consumers Energy’s vice president for electric operations. “At the same time, our crews will not let up. We know more of friends and neighbors still need help, especially in places where winds not only caused power outages but did major damage to entire communities.”

More than 1,100 Consumers Energy coworkers and contractors, and crews from Ohio, Indiana and Alabama, have helped customers since storms first moved through Michigan on Tuesday.

Consumers Energy expects power will be restored to most remaining homes and businesses Thursday, although some areas with severe damage may be restored Friday.

Customers can check the status of specific outages by visiting www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter, and 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 continue 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 asks the public to keep a safe distance from crews.

“We know it’s a hardship to go without power, but we ask the people we serve to continue to be careful and be safe,” Packard said. “We won’t stop working around the clock until we restore power to every last customer.”

Additional safety tips and information:

• 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. 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.

Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

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This is the last news release for this storm.

Media Contact: Brian Wheeler, 517-740-1545