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Nearly 100,000 Without Power in West Michigan

Posted at 8:11 AM, Apr 13, 2014
and last updated 2014-04-13 10:01:08-04

***CONSUMERS ENERGY REAL-TIME OUTAGE UPDATE MAP***

JACKSON, Mich. – Consumers Energy sent the following statement about more than 100,000 customers without power across Michigan following Saturday’s storms.

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Plane found flipped over in Greenville

Consumers Energy Crews Responding to Multiple Waves of Damaging Thunderstorms Across Michigan

 JACKSON, Mich., April, 13, 2014 – Several waves of thunderstorms starting Saturday afternoon crossing Michigan have caused interruptions in service to more than 106,000. Currently about 95,000 are experiencing an interruption in service.

“We are anticipating more damaging storm activity today and are asking everyone to be vigilant about staying away from and reporting down wires,” said Mary Palkovich, the utility’s vice president of energy delivery. “Consumers Energy will work around the clock to get everyone’s lights back as safely and as soon as possible.”

Consumers Energy crews and contract crews worked through the night to make damaged areas safe, perform restoration work and mobilize to areas hardest hit by the storm.

As of 6:30 a.m., areas most affected by electric interruptions were: Bay (915); Clare (500); Clinton (350); Genesee (8,185); Gratiot (1,095); Ionia (4,820); Isabella (2,170); Kent (13,900); Mason (1,000); Mecosta (12,930); Midland (675); Missaukee (2,500); Montcalm (7,500); Muskegon (26,750); Newaygo (1,960); Oakland (920); Oceana (2,380); Osceola (1,350); Ottawa (580) and Shiawassee (6,820).

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Saturday at the Muskegon County Airport

Consumers Energy is estimating that a majority of these affected customers will have energy service restored by late Monday night. This information is also being shared on Consumers Energy’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ConsumersEnergyMichigan.

Residents are encouraged to check regularly for updated restoration information at the online outage map at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/outagemap. That information is also being shared on Consumers Energy’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ConsumersEnergyMichigan.

Additional storm and power outage information is available at Consumers Energy’s online outage center, www.ConsumersEnergy.com/outage. Outages can also be reported and restoration information obtained via Consumers Energy’s online outage map, at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/outagemap. The online outage map may be accessed by both computers and mobile devices. Customers are encouraged to check the outage map regularly as estimated power restoration times are always being updated with the latest information.

Customers who call Consumers Energy to report a power outage are encouraged to use the utility’s automated reporting option, available at 1-800-477-5050. The service provides restoration information for each substation and circuit, and can be used to report an outage.

Consumers Energy cautions residents to stay at least 25 feet away from any downed wires and to report them immediately by calling 9-1-1 or Consumers Energy at 1-800-477-5050.

The utility also reminds customers to be alert to utility crews working along roads and urges drivers to take extra precautions in those situations. In particular, drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they safely can go past utility workers and equipment on roadsides.

If using a generator, contact a licensed electrician to ensure that it is properly connected and, for the safety of our line workers, make certain it is isolated from the utility’s electric distribution system. Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement or near any air intakes, and never fuel a generator when it is running.

In some cases, the mast which holds the electric service wires to a customer’s home or business may have been damaged or torn away. Utility crews will reconnect the wires to a home, but only a licensed electrician can repair or replace a mast or a cable.

Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.5 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

 

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For more information about Consumers Energy, go towww.ConsumersEnergy.com, join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConsumersEnergyMichigan and follow us on Twitterwww.twitter.com/ConsumersEnergy.

 

Media Contacts: Terry DeDoes, 517-374-2159, or Brian Wheeler, 1-800-557-4625