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Three states assisting with weather-related power outages

Posted at 10:06 PM, Apr 14, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-15 12:23:04-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --  Consumers Energy has prepared for the winter-like weather to get even worse in Michigan.

Consumers spokesman Roger Morgenstern tells FOX 17 repair crews from utility partners in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky arrived Saturday afternoon to assist with repair efforts.

He says that, as of 10 p.m. Saturday, about 16,000 of its customers statewide are without electrical service statewide. He says Kent County has about 1,500 reported outages, Ottawa County about 270; Allegan County about 3,400; Ionia County 3,100; Muskegon County around 500.

Morgenstern says there were about 50,000 outages reported between 4 a.m. Saturday and 10 p.m. Saturday. He says most of those were due to high winds that brought tree limbs down on electrical lines. But he notes crews expect icy conditions to account for many of the outages going into Sunday morning.

Late Saturday night, Ottawa County Central Dispatch Authority told FOX 17 that motorists should "stay off the roads," if possible. It and other county dispatch agencies reported a number of slideoffs as the roads slickened up.

Morgenstern advises, if you see a downed wire, consider it live, stay 25 feet away and call 911, as well as Consumers Energy: 1-800-477-5050.