JACKSON, Mich., June 27, 2024 – Consumers Energy crews have restored more than 90 percent of customers impacted by Tuesday’s massive storm, and has more than 550 crews, including support crews from five different states, concentrated on the regions hardest hit that remain without power.
“We are deeply grateful to our customers for their patience, and to our dedicated lineworkers for the long shifts they’ve been putting in around the clock for the last two days to finish this restoration process,” said Chris Laird, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for restoration. “While there is still more work to be done, we have an incredible number of crews focused on this process, and we’re not stopping until every home and business impacted has the lights back on.”
Lineworkers will continue to work 16-hour shifts at a time, contributing to Consumers Energy’s around-the-clock restoration effort that also includes another 140 forestry crews, with the goal of restoring remaining customers by the end of the day today.
As a thank you to customers in the regions hit hardest by the storm, Consumers Energy is providing free food and treats to customers.
Free Single Scoop Ice Cream or Snow Cone
· When: 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 27
· Where: Short & Sweet Ice Cream & More, 2008 Greenwood Rd, Prescott
Customers can continue to check the status of outages at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. They 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.
As always, Consumers Energy urges the public to keep 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 to 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. Consumers Energy knows Job No. 1 is to keep the lights on for customers. We are committed to providing reliable, clean and affordable energy to our customers 24/7.
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Update from 11:30 a.m. Thursday:
Power Restored to Nearly All Customers After Severe Storm; Consumers Energy Focused on Final Push Today
JACKSON, Mich., June 27, 2024 – Consumers Energy crews have restored more than 90 percent of customers impacted by Tuesday’s massive storm. Today, more than 550 crews continue to focus on bringing power back to the most severely damaged areas of the state, primarily in the Muskegon area.
“We won’t stop until the job is finished,” said Chris Laird, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for restoration. “The damage created by this storm was significant, particularly in the Muskegon region and our lineworkers are giving their all to help those impacted communities by safely restoring their power as quickly as possible. We are deeply grateful for our customers’ patience.”
Lineworkers will continue to work 16-hour shifts at a time, contributing to Consumers Energy’s around-the-clock restoration effort that also includes another 140 forestry crews, with the goal of restoring remaining customers by the end of the day today.
As a thank you to customers in the regions hit hardest by the storm, Consumers Energy is providing free food and treats to customers.
Free Single Scoop Ice Cream or Snow Cone
· When: 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 27
· Where: Short & Sweet Ice Cream & More, 2008 Greenwood Rd., Prescott
Free Single Small Cone or Scoop of Ice Cream
· When: 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, June 27
· Where: Twisters Ice Cream, 8688 Water St., Montague
Free Water
· When: 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, June 27
· Where: Montague Foods Parking Lot, 8718 Water St., Montague
Customers can continue to check the status of outages at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. They 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.
As always, Consumers Energy urges the public to keep 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 to 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. Consumers Energy knows Job No. 1 is to keep the lights on for customers. We are committed to providing reliable, clean and affordable energy to our customers 24/7.
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