DTE Energy is warning customers across Southeast Michigan that additional power outages are possible as strong winds move through the region.
According to Bill Hutchinson, a director at DTE Electric, Friday’s ice storm, which brought up to 0.35 inches of ice in some areas, combined with subsequent rain, has weakened trees and branches throughout DTE’s service territory.
--> Tracking DTE power outages in Metro Detroit as storm brings high winds
With wind gusts expected to reach up to 60 mph, the risk of falling limbs and trees striking power lines and equipment is high.
“Outages are almost sure to increase throughout the day and into the evening as conditions evolve,” said Hutchinson. “Our customers are at the heart of everything that we do. We recognize the stress and outage can place on our families. We’re committed to restoring power as quickly and safely as possible.”
As of noon on Monday, more than 9,000 customers were without power. While most customers impacted by last week’s ice storm have already been restored, a small number remain without service and are a priority as crews respond to new weather-related damage.
DTE reports scattered outages across its entire service area, including Southeast Michigan and the Thumb. Crews have already identified broken utility poles and downed lines caused by falling trees and branches. Damage assessment teams are working around the clock, and replacement poles are being delivered ahead of repair crews to speed up restoration.
More than 1,000 DTE employees and contractors are currently working on restoration efforts, supported by an additional 900 linemen and tree trimmers brought in from across the country.
Crews are first addressing public safety hazards and critical facilities before moving on to larger outages that affect the most customers, according to DTE.
However, restoration efforts may be slowed at times due to dangerous conditions. High winds make it unsafe for crews to climb poles or operate bucket trucks, meaning some work may pause until conditions improve. Customers may also experience brief, intermittent outages as crews temporarily shut off power to safely complete repairs.
DTE cautions that if high winds persist through the evening, some customers could remain without power into Tuesday or even Wednesday.
Safety remains DTE’s top priority. Customers are urged to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines and to treat all downed wires as energized and life-threatening.
Any hazardous situations should be reported immediately through the DTE app, online, or by calling 800-477-4747.