Outage FAQs

The easiest way to report an outage is to use our online Report your Outage tool.

You can also call us at 800-477-5050 to report your power outage. When you call you can choose to use our automated system or speak to a Customer Service Representative.
 
Please be prepared to provide the specific address or location of the outage so our repair crew can get there as quickly as possible.

If you see a downed wire, please call 9-1-1 and then call us at 800-477-5050. Stay safe: never approach a downed wire.

The quickest way to begin the restoration process is online on our Report an Outage page. You can also call 800-477-5050. After reporting, you can use your mobile device or go online through your laptop to check on your reported outage status.

If your power is incorrectly being reported as being on, please report the outage so we can prioritize its restoration.

The information you provide about your outage is used to create an outage incident, which goes into our outage management system. The new outage incident is analyzed with other reported outages to find out the location and extent of the outage. This information is then used to prioritize the outage and is sent over to field crews to direct them where the outage problem is.

Learn more about the process of power restoration with our5 Stages of Power Restoration tool.  

To log in, you must first create an online account. If you have created a profile, and are having problems logging in, first make sure you are entering the correct User ID and Password. You may obtain your User ID and reset your Password by clicking on the “Forgot User ID" or "Forgot Password” links.

Still having problems? Call us at 800-477-5050. 

If you are having problems with your electric service, please let us know on our report an outage page, so we can look into and resolve the problem as soon as possible.

To report a streetlight that is out of service or malfunctioning, please visit our Streetlight Outage page.

Please Note:  Not all streetlights are maintained by us. Our crews will make any needed repairs to the lights we do maintain.

Our crews work non-stop to bring your power back on as soon as possible.

Check your status online for current information about your outage, along with your estimated restoration time. Use our interactive Outage Map to see the extent of outages statewide. This will also include updates about restoration in your area.

You can also call us at 800-477-5050 and use our automated system or speak to a Customer Service Representative (CSR). Note that CSRs have the same information about outages that we have online.

Please note: All restoration times are only estimates and show the best information we have at that time.

You can use any device with an Internet connection or your mobile phone to get the most up-to-the-minute estimated restoration time from the Outage Center page. Note that for your security, you may need to log in to your account to see outage updates.

You can also sign up to get outage update messages via email, text or phone call. Manage your alerts online..
 
You can also call us at 800-477-5050 and use our automated system or speak to a Customer Service Representative (CSR). Note that CSRs have the same information about outages that we have online.

Severe weather is only one of the causes of power outages. In any weather, many things can happen to cause an outage. A tree can fall over on power lines. Utility poles can be struck by vehicles. Small animals can enter substations and climb on electrical equipment. Electrical equipment can fail out of nowhere. Occasionally, planned power outages need to happen so that we can perform maintenance on the electric system to improve service for our customers. 

Momentary power outages are short periods of time where the power goes out completely. These are often caused by temporary electric faults occurring on the electric circuit. Occasional occurrences of this type are a part of normal system operation, and are evidence the system corrects itself in order to avoid longer outages. These temporary faults may be caused by lightning strikes, a tree branch hitting a wire then dropping to the ground, a car colliding with a pole, a broken guy wire causing wires to touch each other, a wet day that might cause a damaged insulator to flash or a small animal shorting out a wire.

If the blinking continues or becomes excessive, please call us at 800-477-5050, so we can investigate.

Several things could be happening:

• There may be trouble only on your section of the power line.
• Your neighbors may be on a different supply line.
• The outage may be isolated to one fuse or transformer.
• The problem may be on the service line to your home.
• Your neighbors may even have a backup generator that turned on when the power went out.

If all your neighbors have power and you still don't, check your breaker box for a tripped circuit or blown fuse. If you are without power and have not already done so, please Report your Outage. 

As our customer, you’re only charged for the electricity your home actually uses. During a power outage no electricity is ever used. This may result in a slightly lower bill than usual.

Electric customers will automatically get an outage credit on their bill if their power outage meets one of the rules below:

• It was for more than 96 hours and 10 percent or more of our customers were without power
• It was for more than 48 hours and less than 10 percent of our customers were without power
• It was for more than 16 hours during a normal time
• Six power outages happened within 12 months

To learn more, please visit our Outage Credits page or call 800-477-5050.

To protect the food in your refrigerator and freezer when your power is out, limit the number of times you open and close the doors. If the doors remain closed, refrigerated food can remain safely cold for a few hours, and frozen food can remain safe for one to two days. See more helpful safety tips in the event of an outage.

Prepare well ahead of time, so you can safely weather any storm. We provide a number of storm safety tips to help you prepare for before, during and after a storm. 

Your losses may be covered by your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. Check with your insurance company for more information.

During and after a storm, our crews work fast to protect the public and bring back service to our customers. Our top priority is keeping the public safe. However, we don’t just stop there. We make it our mission to support local communities and Michigan students, contribute to beneficial environmental initiatives, and work with Community Action Agencies to help those in need.

See how we prioritize outage restoration, and some of our other priorities, with our 5 Stages of Power Restoration interactive tool.

Our crews work 24/7 to safely bring back your power as fast as possible. Since each outage is different, the causes may be hard to identify and restore. This means restoration information may not always be available right away.
 
Remember, you can always check your outage status online. You may also want to sign up for alerts, so we can update you on your outage status and restoration time.

No two outages are ever the same. So, we need to look into every situation with crew members on site to assess the issue. We take into account changing weather conditions, risks to safety and environmental issues.

Only then do we estimate the time until your power is restored. Our crews then work around the clock to restore service safely and as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience as we work to restore your service.

See how we prioritize outage restoration with our 5 Stages of Power Restoration interactive tool. 

Restoring power to every customer is important to us, but some facilities, like hospitals, have a higher priority. To learn more about how we prioritize restoration, please see 5 Stages of Power Restoration. Also, please keep in mind that there may be times when our crews may have passed your house to complete work that needs to be done at a nearby location before service can be restored to you and your neighbors.

First, stay away from the line and the tree. If you see sparks from a tree touching a power line, go to a safe location and call us at 800-477-5050. We will investigate and resolve the problem as soon as possible.

Most importantly, stay far away from a damaged power line. If you see a downed or sagging power line, call us at 800-477-5050 right away. 
 
Even if the sagging or broken wire on the ground isn't sparking, it can still be "live" with a deadly amount of electricity. Keep people and pets at least 25 feet away. Be careful not to come in contact with anything the wire is touching – especially standing water or metal objects like fences. Even tree limbs can conduct a dangerous amount of voltage.
 
If a wire is crossing a road or driveway, avoid the area and keep others away. Do not attempt to move the wire.

We are responsible for repairs to the meter itself, and the service drop. The service drop is what we call the line from the utility pole to your home. You are responsible for the other equipment at the meter location, including the service entrance cable. To learn more, please see the question "How do I identify my electrical system?" below or see our Identifying Your Electrical System infographic to see what parts of your electrical system we repair, and what parts you need to repair. Contact a licensed electrician to complete any repairs to the equipment you are responsible for. 

When it comes to your electrical system, you own and are responsible for maintaining the following:

• Point of Attachment – Anything that anchors the service drop to your building.
• Service Entrance Cable/Pipe – Your wire, or pipe that carries the wire, running along the outside of your building to our meter and from the meter to your service panel or fuse box.
• Service panel or fuse box – This includes your circuit breakers or fuses and all wiring in your building.

Please note: If any of the following are damaged, we cannot restore power until necessary repairs have been done to your electrical equipment. Repairs should be done by a licensed electrician.

When it comes to what we own, maintain and repair for the electrical system, it is the following:

• Service Drop - Our wire that delivers electricity to your building.
• Attachment device - Used to secure our wire to your mast or other point of attachment.
• Connectors - Used to make the connection between our wire and your wire.
• Meter – Our device that measures your energy use
• Meter base/socket – Our metal box that houses the meter (customer is responsible for installation).

To see how this is laid out, please see our Yours and Ours Identifying Your Electrical system infographic.

To report damages to our system or for any questions, call us at (800) 477-5050.