After Severe Thunderstorm Hits Michigan

JACKSON, Mich., June 25, 2024 – Consumers Energy has hundreds of lineworkers working to restore power around the clock after a severe thunderstorm with damaging winds swept across Michigan this morning. Consumers Energy is working to add more crews to join the restoration effort throughout the day.

“This is a storm that continued to grow in intensity right up until it knocked over trees and power lines in several communities, especially in West Michigan,” said Chris Laird, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for restoration. “We have been assessing the extent of the damage and are moving every resource that we can into place, ensuring we can get the lights back on for our customers.”

The storm this morning moved across Michigan, causing damage and affecting over 150,000 customers, Many of those were in the Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo areas, as well as communities in the northeast Lower Peninsula. Consumers Energy also is monitoring a second wave of stormy weather that could hit the state later today.

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.

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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