Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Following the nearly 60 mph wind gusts and winter storm that swept through the state, Consumers Energy says it brought in additional crews from across the country to assist with restoration efforts.

The utility said crews are in Michigan from Maryland, Alabama, Texas, and even internationally from Canada to aid their crews in working around the clock.

Norm Kapala, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for restoration, said “We understand how difficult the last few days have been for our customers and we appreciate their patience as our crews continue working to restore their power. Even with the winds dying down across Michigan, we still are encouraging the public to be careful as they travel with multiple trees and branches on the road.”

Northwest and Mid-Michigan were said to have been hit especially hard in the latest round of storms.

Consumers Energy is projecting to have all customers restored including the hardest hit areas by end of day on Wednesday.

Customers can check the status of outages at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. That link is provided.

Customers 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. 


Consumers Energy urged 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.