More than 1,000 wires down; 200 electric poles broken

JACKSON, Mich., May 4, 2018 -- Consumers Energy employees and contractors continue working tonight to restore service after high winds gusting over 55 mph interrupted service to more than 88,000 homes and businesses across the Lower Peninsula.

Restoration efforts will continue into the weekend, with over 1,300 employees and contractors working to safely restore power, including 20 mutual assistance employees arriving Saturday morning from Wisconsin. “The strong winds that blew across the lower half of our state resulted in more than 1,600 downed power lines and over 200 broken poles,” said Guy Packard, the company’s vice president of electric operations.

Estimated restoration times vary by location but most affected customers should be restored by 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The hardest hit areas will be restored by Monday evening. To view specific counties and regions and estimated restoration times customers can visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter.

“We are continuing to work diligently around the clock to restore service, and appreciate the continued patience of our customers,” Packard said. “The most important priority is safety. Watch for downed power lines, operate generators safely, and please be aware of crews working in or near roadways. Slow down and go around so that they can do their jobs safely and efficiently.”

As of 10:30 p.m., about 55,000 homes and businesses served by Consumers Energy are without power. Counties hardest hit by the high wind and remaining interruptions include: Genesee, 18,100; Monroe, 7,000; Saginaw, 7,000; Montcalm, 5900; and Kent, 3,000.

Consumers Energy offers the following weather-related safety tips:

• Stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines and keep children and pets away. Watch for downed lines when clearing fallen limbs and debris. Call 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050 to report downed wires.
• If operating a generator be aware that improper use may produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement or near any air intakes, and never fuel a generator when it is running.
• Consumers Energy will trim or remove trees interfering with electric restoration activities. Once safe to do so, clean-up of debris from tree trimming or removal during a storm emergency is the responsibility of individual property owners .
• Be alert to crews working along roads and “slow down and go around.” Drivers are urged to slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear then safely pass workers on roadsides.
• Customers can sign up to get outage alerts and restoration times sent to a phone, email or text message. Text ‘REG’ to 232273 or visit: www.ConsumersEnergy.com/alerts. Customers can also report an outage, check the status of an outage and get useful tips about what to do before, during and after a storm by visiting ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter.

Sunday update: Consumers Energy Works Sunday to Finish Restoring Power
to Michigan Homes and Businesses Affected by High Winds

JACKSON, Mich., May 6, 2018 – Consumers Energy crews, contractors and workers from six states expect to finish restoring power Sunday to almost all of the 90,000 homes and businesses affected by high winds that struck Michigan two days ago. As of 5 a.m., fewer than 5,000 customers remain without power.

The majority of those customers are in Genesee and Saginaw counties, where Consumers Energy is concentrating resources. That response includes two mobile storm units, which are 53-foot semi-trailers that bring needed materials to restore service closer to lineworkers on the job.

“We are grateful for the patience of our customers as we finish responding to this severe April weather, which brought down close to 2,000 wires,” said Guy Packard, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric operations. “We are committed to getting the power back on for everyone that we serve as safely and quickly as possible.”

Consumers Energy has received help from over 170 workers from six states – Virginia, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio. Out-of-state lineworkers have helped in the hardest hit areas since Saturday, contributing to restoration efforts that involve some 1,500 Consumers Energy employees and contractors.

Most affected customers should be restored by 11:30 p.m. today, and the rest should be restored by early Monday. Customers can track the status of specific outages and view estimated restoration times at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter.

Consumers Energy continues to emphasize the following weather-related safety tips:

• Stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines and keep children and pets away. Watch for downed lines when clearing fallen limbs and debris. Call 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050 to report downed wires.
• If operating a generator, be aware that improper use may produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement or near any air intakes, and never fuel a generator when it is running.
• Consumers Energy will trim or remove trees interfering with electric restoration activities. Once safe to do so, clean-up of debris from tree trimming or removal during a storm emergency is the responsibility of individual property owners.
•  Be alert to crews working along roads and “slow down and go around.” Drivers are urged to slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear then safely pass workers on roadsides.
• Customers can sign up to get outage alerts and restoration times sent to a phone, email or text message. Text ‘REG’ to 232273 or visit: www.ConsumersEnergy.com/alerts. Customers can also report an outage, check the status of an outage and get useful tips about what to do before, during and after a storm by visiting www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter.

            Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

# # #

Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.