Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Consumers Energy has received $100 million in federal funds to help support aggressive reliability upgrades and strengthen Michigan’s electric grid.

The commitment is said to represent a huge next step to bolster the company’s “Reliability Roadmap” to reduce the number and length of power outages across the state – which was announced last month. The blueprint to strengthen Michigan’s electric grid includes two long-term goals: No customer will be without power for more than 24 hours and no outage will affect more than 100,000 customers.

The utility says the new federal funding will help accelerate that long-term plan and ultimately reduce costs to customers. In particular, Consumers Energy will use the federal funding to strengthen the backbone of its electric system in disadvantaged communities – where it says the most investment is needed to limit outages. The utility will also replace more poles and equipment while adding the latest technology to detect and respond to outages.

Building a stronger grid to withstand Michigan’s fiercest weather is deemed a top priority and the funding is considered to be a “$100 million down payment” on the Reliability Roadmap.

Consumers Energy Media Relations Manager Brian Wheeler told WHMI it’s great news for Consumers Energy but really, it’s great news for Michigan. He noted the “Reliability Roadmap” is their vision for fewer and shorter power outages - and now they have a $100 (m) million promise from the federal government to help make that happen.

Wheeler noted that work to make the grid stronger will take several years and the federal selection will really apply to the next four or five years of work they’re doing so it fits into the “bigger picture”. He said the money will help them move faster as they work to upgrade the grid and ultimately reduce costs because it will cost billions of dollars to make the improvements they want and now they have $100 (m) million – which will make a huge difference.

Wheeler said people will notice crews busy with forestry, adding technology to power lines, and in some cases, even burying power lines – again noting that getting money from the federal government can only help speed up the process.

The funds come through the Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants, which support the modernization of the electric grid to reduce the impact of extreme weather.

The Consumers Energy award is among $3.5 (B) billion announced recently by the Biden Administration for 58 projects across the country to strengthen electric grid resilience as extreme weather events such as the deadly Maui and California wildfires continue to strain the nation’s aging transmission systems.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said it was the largest federal investment ever in grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden electric systems and improve energy reliability and affordability. The federal spending, combined with money promised by private partners, could result in up to $8 (B) billion in investments nationally to upgrade the grid.

Consumers Energy says it will match the spending with another $100 million once the grant is finalized and the work is done over time.

More information about the Reliability Roadmap is available in the provided link.