DETROIT – Nearly a half a million people were without power in Southeast Michigan this week after damaging ice and winds moved through the region.
The mid-week winter storm brought rain, snow and accumulating ice, causing widespread power outages that persisted into Friday.
As of 9:40 p.m. Sunday, more than 101,000 DTE customers were without power. Here’s what we know about possible restoration times.
DTE Energy power outage restoration times - what we know
DTE Energy expects to restore power to the “vast majority of customers” impacted by the storm by the end of the day Sunday.
Because hundreds of schools have closed this week due to the storm and subsequent outages, officials said restoring power to schools before Monday is a top priority.
“Our crews have made strong progress this weekend and are committed to working around the clock to get the job done,” said Norm Kapala, one of Consumers Energy’s officers in charge for the event. “We’re grateful to people in the communities we serve for their patience and understanding these last few days, and we look forward to getting the lights back on for every single customer.”
Around 2,000 lineworkers from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Virginia are still working to restore power.
If you are without power you can check your restoration time on DTE’s website, the link is available below.
You can see DTE’s outage map right here.
Power outage resources
Report an outage to DTE here. Report an outage to Consumers Energy here.
Power outages are particularly concerning in the winter, as cold temps can pose dangers to people and their homes. Find some resources below:
Safety tips during a storm
- Stay at least 20 feet away from downed power lines and anything they are in contact with, including puddles of water and fences. Keep children and pets away too.
- Be extremely cautious near metal fences, which conduct electricity, following a severe storm. Electric current will be the strongest where a downed power line is touching a metal fence. Even a connecting fence several backyards away can be energized and dangerous.
- Never cross yellow barrier tape. It may be around downed power lines.
- Never drive across downed power lines. If a power line falls on your vehicle, remain inside your car until emergency help arrives.
- A live power line may spark and whip around as it looks for a ground. A ground is the earth or something touching the earth, like a fence or a tree. A live wire that has found its ground may lie silently, but it is still dangerous. Report a downed power line online, on the DTE Energy Mobile App or call us immediately at 800-477-4747.
- Cable or telephone lines can be energized if they come in contact with electrical lines. Contact with any energized power line can be fatal.
- Never use a portable generator inside a home or business. It emits carbon monoxide, which can be deadly. Keep it outside, away from windows and doors, so the fumes won’t come in.