Consumers Energy has reported that more than 90,000 residents in Michigan are currently without power due to severe storms that impacted the region. The outages were confirmed on March 16, with over 900 separate incidents affecting customers statewide.
In DeWitt, the local public schools were forced to close as a result of the power outage, which has impacted more than 2,500 customers in the area. Consumers Energy is actively deploying 480 crews to assess the damage and begin restoration efforts.
As of the latest updates, Consumers Energy has indicated that 339 customers in Leelanau County are without power, while the total number of outages reported statewide stands at 1,021. Despite these challenges, it is noted that over 95 percent of customers still have power.
In Branch County, the situation is particularly severe, with over 5,000 customers affected and more than 4,000 outages reported in Kinderhook Township. The utility company has stated that nearly 85,000 customers across the southern lower Peninsula and parts of the Upper Peninsula are experiencing outages due to the storms.
Norm Kapala, a spokesperson for Consumers Energy, emphasized the company’s commitment to restoring power, stating, “We will work closely with community leaders to ensure we’re serving our communities and restoring power as soon as we can do so safely.”
Jean Kang, another representative, highlighted the resilience of Michiganders, saying, “We know Michiganders stand tall against severe weather, and we’re working 24/7 to help our friends and neighbors withstand this ongoing storm.”
Cherryland Electric Cooperative also provided an update, noting that “the wind has died down and it’s allowing line crews to work more efficiently.” This improvement in weather conditions is expected to aid restoration efforts.
However, some customers may face extended outages, with estimates indicating that restoration for certain areas may not occur until early Tuesday morning. Others may have to wait until later in the afternoon or evening for power to be restored.
Consumers Energy, as Michigan’s largest energy provider, serves approximately 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents. The current outages underscore the challenges posed by severe weather events in the region.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the full extent of the damage and the timeline for complete restoration, but the utility company is actively working to resolve the situation.