How We Restore Power

My Power Is Out - Now What?

Reports Come In

Once your power is out, make sure you report it to us as soon as possible. Provide as many details as you can when you make a report. Even if your neighbors have already called it in, submitting your own report helps us pinpoint where and what the issue is. Let us know about any fallen lines, but DO NOT approach them as they pose a potentially deadly threat.

Assessment and 911 Calls
Our crews respond to 911 calls for downed lines by de-energizing them. This is always our first priority. Dispatchers also begin sending crews to reported outages to determine the extent of the outage and the equipment needed for repairs.

Repairs Begin
Crews get to work on repairs, starting with substations and major lines, working their way down to individual homes like yours.

Patience
Due to the complicated nature of the power grid, your electricity may not come on at the same time as your neighbor's. Also, if you see trucks near your property, and they leave before you are restored, they are continuing repairs further down the line. Or they are repairing a larger part of the outage before returning to your specific property.

If your meter base is damaged, an electrical inspection is required before we can restore service. Here is the contact information for southeast Michigan inspectors and southwest Michigan inspectors.

Please do not report your outage by email or through social media as we are not always immediately available.

A Note About Restoration Times

When your power goes out, we know the first thing you think is, "How long will this last?" The unfortunate truth, particularly in major storms, is we don’t know. It takes time to find and assess the true extent of the damage. Think of it like remodeling your house; you don’t know exactly what you will encounter until you start tearing down walls. Once we have fully assessed the damage and repair needs, we can provide rough estimates on when the lights will come back.

Why Do My Lights Blink?

You’re sitting at home during a storm when the lights blink. You’ve got a flashlight handy – but how close are you to needing it?

A blink is a sign that our power system is working as it should. When something connects with a power line, like lightning or tree branches, a tool called an oil circuit recloser (OCR) opens and closes again quickly to stop the disturbance from interfering with the flow of electricity.

Sometimes this is all that’s needed to keep your power on. Other times, one blink isn’t long enough for whatever is causing the disruption to go away. The OCR will trip two more times before remaining open, resulting in a power outage.