Some In Michigan Brace For Weekend Without Power Amid Cold

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GRAND RAPIDS (CBS DETROIT/AP) — Consumers Energy says some of the tens of thousands of homes and businesses without power in Michigan following days of freezing rain and other wintry weather are expected to be without electricity through the weekend.

The utility giant says that since early Wednesday about 231,000 customers have lost electric service due to ice storms. The utility says about 148,000 of its customers were without power around midday Friday, with most expected to have power by late Sunday but some hard-hit areas out until late Monday.

Strong winds Thursday night and Friday increased outages. DTE Energy had about 14,000 scattered outages in southeastern Michigan after about 39,000 customers were affected. DTE expected its customers all would have power by day's end Friday.

The hardest-hit areas for Consumers Energy included western Michigan, where highs temperatures were forecast to stay below freezing through the weekend. Many didn't have heat and emergency shelters are open. Parts of the Upper Peninsula were hit by blizzard conditions.