DETROIT – ClickOnDetroit is your home for power outage updates Thursday.
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DTE Energy is holding a press conference at noon Thursday to provide an update on the outage. You can watch the press conference live here.
As of 10 a.m. Thursday, DTE Energy was reporting more than 665,000 customers in southeast Michigan are without power due to Wednesday's strong winds. That number is down to around 570,000.
- 6 a.m. Thursday -- 670,000 DTE customers without power
- 7 a.m. Thursday -- 670,00 DTE customers without power
- 10 a.m. Thursday -- 665,000 DTE customers without power
- 2:45 p.m. Thursday -- 630,000 DTE customers without power
- 4 p.m. Thursday -- 570,000 DTE customers without power
- 9 p.m. Thursday -- 515,000 DTE customers without power
The outages are widespread throughout the region. However, Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties were hit the hardest, DTE said. On Wednesday night, Consumers Energy and DTE were reporting a combined 860,000 customers across Michigan were without power.
Consumers Energy reports more than 260,000 without power in Michigan
Wind gusts stronger than 60 mph caused extensive tree damage, resulting in more than 3,000 downed power lines so far, DTE said.
DTE power outage: Wind storm causes 2nd largest outage in company's history
Due to the unusually warm weather this winter, as well as significant rainfall, the ground is very soft and saturated. That, combined with the high winds, caused trees to uproot, falling onto DTE’s poles and power lines, resulting in widespread outages, DTE said.
READ: Why are high winds knocking over so many trees in Metro Detroit?
DTE released the following information for residents impacted by the severe winds:
"The priority of our crews is to first eliminate downed power lines to ensure the safety of the public. Restoration estimates are currently unavailable. DTE expects to have restoration estimates tomorrow, after crews assess the damage overnight. DTE recognizes this event will be difficult for our customers and we ask for your ongoing patience.
DTE crews will be working 16-hour shifts around the clock to restore power, and additional crews from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, New York and Pennsylvania will be in Michigan on Thursday morning to assist.
Safety is always a priority. Customers should stay at least 20 feet away from all power lines and anything they may contact, and consider them live. They are extremely dangerous. Treat every downed power line as if it is energized. Customers should also heed the warning of yellow caution tape, which indicates there is a downed power line in the area. DO NOT CROSS YELLOW CAUTION TAPE.
Customers have three ways to contact DTE during an outage. Customers can report an outage, check on the status of an outage and view an outage map from their smart phones using the DTE Energy Mobile App, which is available free of charge from the Apple Store or Google Play. DTE encourages customers to use the website at dteenergy.com as well. Customers can also call DTE at 800-477-4747 to report power outages or downed lines."
Storm tips from DTE
- Never drive across a downed power line. If a power line falls on your vehicle, remain inside until help arrives.
- Always operate generators outdoors to avoid dangerous buildup of toxic fumes.
- Turn off or unplug all appliances to prevent an electrical overload when power is restored. Leave one light switch on to indicate when power is restored.
- Don’t open refrigerators or freezers more than absolutely necessary. A closed refrigerator will stay cold for 12 hours. Kept closed, a well-filled freezer will preserve food for two days.
- If a customer is elderly or has a medical condition that would be adversely impacted by a power outage, they should try to make alternative accommodations with family or friends.
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