JACKSON, Mich. — Across most of Michigan, electric lines are strung from power pole to power pole. When strong winds and powerful storms roll through, they can leave thousands without power.
To combat the issue, Consumers Energy will try burying electric lines in parts of six counties as part of a pilot program.
Circuits in Allegan, Ottawa, Montcalm, Genessee, Livingston, and Iosco counties will be part of a $3.7 million investment to move 10 miles of power lines underground.
The plan recently received approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission.
Consumers Energy says the pilot program is part of a long-term plan to move more lines underground. The company says buried power lines are better protected from lightning, high winds, heavy snow, ice, and falling tree limbs.
“We can’t control mother nature, but we can control how we prepare for more extreme weather,” said Chris Laird, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric operations. “Burying power lines is just one tool we can use in our growing toolbox to prevent outages from impacting our customers. We are committed to delivering more reliable energy for all customers.”
“Burying power lines will help make the grid stronger and more reliable,” said Greg Salisbury, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric distribution engineering. “This pilot will help us learn even more about cost-effective ways to bury lines, allowing us to expand undergrounding projects in the future.”
Consumers Energy says currently 15% of all its electric lines are underground. The company aims to put more than 1,000 miles of lines in the ground over the next 5 years.
“It is important to note that burying lines might be the best solution for some areas but not others. Using a strategic approach and a variety of methods to strengthen the grid, we aim to ensure that all the communities we serve can count on us to deliver reliable electricity,” Salisbury said.
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