DTE, Consumers Energy working to restore power after multiple storms in Metro Detroit

Much of Metro Detroit is picking up tree limbs, and many are still without power after multiple storms rolled through this week. 

"Sometimes those tree limbs weigh heavily on the lines and cause the lines to break or rupture," said Megan Kirk, a media relations representative with Consumers Energy. 

After multiple rounds of storms, restoration is difficult while storms are active overhead. 

"I think it's safe to say over the last couple of days Mother Nature has not been our friend," said Brian Kalka, vice president of distribution operations with DTE. "We had a major weather front come through the territory late Wednesday, followed by the rather significant event that happened late afternoon yesterday that impacted the city of Detroit, and then obviously today is a tough day as well with perpetual rain showers and high winds." 

Both DTE and Consumers Energy said their restoration workers are spread across their service areas, working to restore power for everyone. 

"We pull every resource we can out of their traditional day jobs and put them into the field to look for downed wires, assess the damage, order materials so that when line crews get out there, they can get right to work," said Kalka. "We have brought line crews in to augment our DTE workforce to the tune of about 700 crews that is the most crews we have had that are not DTE employees or base-level contractors in our history, which I think underscores the amount of damage we have seen." 

Terrie Mazliah was watching one of those crews work in her Royal Oak neighborhood. She said her area was spared major damage, but the power was preemptively shut off.

"I got home last night and saw that the yard behind us was sparking and at one point it even appeared to be on fire," Mazliah said. 

Crews roped off the area around a downed wire and were working on fixing it on Friday afternoon.

"They were here when I got home, and so they were reporting it, and they said someone would be out in about an hour, and I think they're finally out today. I'm grateful for that and grateful that we had power because I know a lot of people are without power," Mazliah said. 

If you see a downed power line, don't approach it. Stay at least 25 feet back and call 911.