JACKSON, MI, Dec. 29, 2025 – As high winds begin to subside, Consumers Energy’s 460 crews are continuing the restoration process and have already restored power to over 145,000 customers following the two waves of winter storms that swept through Michigan beginning Friday. In some locations, wind gusts reached over 60 mph across the Lake Michigan shoreline.   

“With the storm slowing down, we’re shifting from preparation to full restoration efforts as crews transition from securing the system to assessing damage and making repairs,” said Norm Kapala, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for restoration. “Our teams work in rotating 16-hour shifts, including overnight, to ensure every customer’s service is restored as quickly and, most importantly, as safely as possible.” 

Consumers Energy crews will continue restoring power as efficiently as possible to have all customers in the hardest hit areas restored by end of day on Dec. 31. Customers can check the status of outages at  www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. They can also sign up for outage alerts and restoration times sent to a phone, email or text message, Text ‘REG’ to 232273 or visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/alerts.  

“We are prioritizing the region from Big Rapids through Clare to Midland which endured another round of severe winter weather including accumulated ice and wind,” Kapala said.  

Consumers Energy urges the public to keep other important safety tips in mind:  

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

·       Stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines and report unguarded downed lines by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050.  Consumers Energy reminds people that falsely calling in downed lines actually slows down the restoration process for everyone.  

·       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 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. We are committed to delivering reliable and affordable energy to our customers 24/7. 

Learn more at ConsumersEnergy.com.