About Outages & Power Restoration (2024)

Do you ever wonder what causes so many power outages or how we prioritize service restoration for our 2.2 million customers across 7,600 square miles of service area?

About Outages & Power Restoration (1)

At DTE Energy, we dedicate enormous planning, technology and people to be the dependable source of energy you need to keep the power on for your home and/or business. We are continuously updating ourelectric infrastructure,trimming treesand maintaining a rapid response team statewide. We are making a multi-million-dollar investment to minimize downtimes for all our customers.

Types of Outages

Momentary Outages
If your digital clocks are flashing 12:00 or if your lights go out for a few seconds, a momentary outage has occurred. Momentary outages are often caused by some type of interference on power lines, such as an animal or tree branch coming in contact with the line.

Our power lines are protected with devices that work somewhat like circuit breakers in your home’s wiring. When an incident occurs, the devices isolate the problem, localizing an outage and preventing damage to the line. The device then performs a function similar to resetting a circuit breaker, safely restoring power to the line within moments.

Despite the inconvenience, these brief outages actually prevent more serious power problems.

Sustained Outages
Sustained outages are planned or accidental total losses of power in a localized area of the community. These types of outages usually last more than five minutes.

A sustained outage may be caused by storms, accidents or equipment damage. Sometimes, however, it’s necessary for us to intentionally interrupt service in order to safely perform equipment repairs and maintenance. We notify customers in advance of a planned interruption whenever possible.

If you use a generator during a sustained outage, please read our tips onUsing a Generator Safely.

View Outage and Power Problems FAQ

Our Power Restoration Process

It is extremely important for our customers to report power outages to us. While we do have equipment installed on our power lines to indicate general areas without power, your reports help us pinpoint specific areas without power. We can then determine the full extent of the outage area, analyze weather conditions, crew availability, damage and other factors to prioritize your outage. Your report is then routed to our dispatch center, where it is assigned to a line crew for repair.

After you have reported your outage, you can get a restoration estimate online or by phone. Estimates may be revised if the problem is more severe than anticipated or we encounter additional problems.

Restoration Efforts During Major Storms

During a major storm, our top priority is restoring power to hospitals, nursing care facilities, police and fire stations, communication facilities (radio and television stations), and sanitary pumping facilities. We then focus on restoring power to the remaining households and businesses, starting with electrical circuits where the largest numbers of customers are without power.

Our staff constantly monitors weather conditions, and when severe weather threatens, we mobilize our crews. By the time a severe storm arrives, our emergency team is already at work implementing a storm response plan. As soon as weather conditions permit us to safely begin restoration work, such as when the storm subsides, our crews assess the extent of the damage and begin restoration. If necessary, we call in line crews from other utility companies to help with restoration efforts.

Standard Restoration Sequence

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  1. High Voltage Transmission Lines
    Serving thousands of customers, these lines deliver power from the power plants to the substations. In the DTE Electric service area, these lines are maintained by the International Transmission Co. (ITC).
  2. DTE Electric Substation Equipment
    This equipment adjusts the electrical voltage so it can be routed to the main distribution lines.
  3. Main Distribution Lines
    These lines deliver power to large sub-divisions and businesses.
  4. Local Distribution Lines
    These lines route power to smaller neighborhoods and local businesses, either overhead (4A) or underground (4B).
  5. Service Lines
    These lines deliver power to individual customer locations either overhead or underground.

Preparing for a Power Outage

  • Assemble an emergency kit in advanceAbout Outages & Power Restoration (3)
  • Battery-powered radio or television (the news media will provide updates on when electricity will be restored)
  • Flashlights or battery-operated lanterns
  • Extra batteries
  • Candles with holders
  • Matches
  • Bottled water
  • Manual can opener
  • Nonperishable food
  • Disposable plates and utensils
  • Wind-up or battery-powered clock
  • Corded telephone (cordless phones don't work when the power goes out and your cell phone may not work if cell towers are affected)

Make a List of Emergency Phone Numbers

  • Keep a list of emergency phone numbers handy.
    Include DTE Energy's toll-free number,800.477.4747. Call this number and use our automated system to report power outages or downed power lines.
  • You may also report a power problemonlinefrom a location that has power or by using theDTE Energy Mobile Appto report an outage from your mobile device.

Other Emergency Preparation Tips

Battery Backup Systems
If you use electrically-powered life-support
equipment, ask your doctor about
emergency battery backup systems.

Surge Protectors
Protect sensitive electronic equipment, such
as computers, televisions and other devices,
with surge protectors.

Replacement Fuses
Make sure you know how to safely reset your
circuit breaker or change fuses. Keep extra
fuses on hand.

Access to Water
If a well is your source for water, plan ahead
to determine how you will get drinking water.
Store containers of water for cooking and
washing.

Garage Door
Know how to open your garage door
manually if it is equipped with an automatic
opener.

FEMA Tips
TheFederal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)offers additional emergency preparation tips.

During and Extended Power Outage

Keep a list of emergency phone numbers handy.
Unplug all motor-driven appliances (refrigerators and freezers), heat-producing appliances (stoves, curling irons, etc.) and sensitive electronic equipment (televisions, stereos and computers) to minimize the danger of fire and to prevent an electrical overload when power is restored. Leave one light on so you’ll know when power is restored.

Keep refrigerator, freezer and cooler doors closed as much as possible. If power will be out for a long time, contact a dry ice distributor. Find a local dry ice distributor in your phone book oronline.

About Outages & Power Restoration (2024)

FAQs

Why does it take so long to restore power after an outage? ›

A distribution fuse can take a few minutes to repair; a distribution transformer can take a couple of hours to replace; but widespread damage to the transmission system can take days, weeks, or even months to repair.

How do I check for power outages in my area? ›

Contact Us
  1. 1-800-DIAL DWP (1-800-342-5397) Available 24/7 for emergency and outage calls.
  2. Hearing/Speech Impaired (TDD) (1-800-432-7397)

What does it mean when electricity has been restored? ›

Restoration refers to the process of restarting the grid following a power cut and it is a requirement for us, as the system operator, to have a process in place in the event of a partial or total shut down.

Why is half of my house without power with no flipped breakers? ›

The most likely cause is a bad connection or faulty wiring issue that does not allow an adequate flow of electricity to certain fixtures.

How long do most power outages last? ›

How Long Do Power Outages Last? The duration of power outages can vary widely. Minor outages often last a few minutes to a few hours. Major outages caused by storms or infrastructure damage can extend to days.

How long does it take for the power to go back up? ›

Most power outages can be restored within hours, but those caused by storms or violent winds that damage electrical lines and equipment can linger for days or even weeks.

How long can a fridge go without power? ›

Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.

Can I flush toilet if power is out? ›

Depending on the amount of water remaining in the pipes, you might be able to flush your toilet several times while the power is out. Eventually, however, your tank won't fill up anymore because the pumps are down. When this happens, you will need to flush your toilet manually by pouring in a bucket of water.

Should I unplug my refrigerator during a power outage? ›

Televisions, computer equipment, game consoles, fans, lights and all other smaller appliances should be unplugged, especially if they were in use when the power went out. Larger appliances, such as refrigerators, should not be unplugged.

What to do after power is restored? ›

What to Do Once the Power Is Restored. When the power comes back on, wait a few minutes before plugging everything back in as you could encounter power surges. Turn on essential appliances first and then gradually turn on other electronics. Reset digital clocks, timers, alarms, network routers and other essential items ...

How do they restore power? ›

Crews are sent to remove damaged power lines from roadways first. After that, substation power is restored. Sometimes, service to hundreds or several thousand customers can be restored immediately by replacing a fuse on a substation transformer. Next, the major distribution feeders are repaired.

What does restore to power mean? ›

to return something or someone to an earlier condition or position, or to bring something back into existence: Power company crews were working yesterday to restore electrical service to homes in the area.

Why is there no power to outlets but the breaker isn't tripped? ›

If the outlet in your kitchen or bedroom is not working but the breaker is not tripped, this may be a sign the wiring was not installed correctly. This is especially a problem with older outlets. Loose wiring could lead to the outlet not working altogether.

How much does it cost to replace a circuit breaker? ›

On average, 15-—to 20-amp circuit breaker switches cost between $5 and $15 each, with larger 20-amp switches running between $10 and $20 each. If you hire a professional electrician for circuit breaker replacement, expect to spend around $100-$200, which includes parts and labor.

Why do my neighbors have power but I don't? ›

You may be on a different transformer than your neighbor. The service line to your house may be damaged. The meter base of your house may be damaged. You may have an internal electrical issue.

How long does it take to fix a power failure? ›

How long does it take to fix a power outage? It takes somewhere between 5 seconds and 6 months or more depending on the severity of the damage to the infrastructure. It depends on the severity of the blackout. If only part of a grid is taken down, it might take a week to get everything back.

How long does it take to restore power after a tornado? ›

Power outages may occur as a result. A handful of outages in a confined area may take just a few hours to restore. Widespread outages affecting most of our system may take days or weeks to repair.

How do I reset my power after a power outage? ›

Reset the main breaker by turning the switch off and on two times. Leave the switch in the on position. Return to the breaker panel inside your home and turn each breaker back to the on position, one by one. In many cases, power is now restored.

How long does it take to fix a transformer that caught on fire? ›

The time it takes to repair a transformer can vary widely depending on the extent of the damage and the resources available for the repair. Minor repairs might be completed in a few hours, while major damages could take days or even weeks.

References

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