GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — With multiple power outages from the winter storm on Friday, Consumers Energy is working to restore power to their customers. Bryan Wheeler from Consumers Energy spoke to FOX 17 about the power outages.
According to Wheeler, there are currently 4,000 outages throughout the state. 1,000 outages are currently in the Muskegon area. “We want people to be safe, and we want them to know we’re gonna work to restore power as fast as we can,” said Wheeler.
Wheeler also said that thanks to the blizzard not being as windy as expected, there were less outages than expected. “For us, it was all hands on deck this week,” said Wheeler. “We’ve been mobilizing hundreds of electric line workers, who are actually working right now to get power back on where they can and as fast as they can.”
Since the storm isn’t over yet, Wheeler talked about what people can do to prepare in case they lose power. This includes charging phones and having a plan. “Certainly stay in touch with local authorities to know about warming shelters, and make sure you’ve got a good supply of food and water on hand,” said Wheeler.
Wheeler also gave tips on using a generator, which includes keeping it outside a home or businesses. It should be in a well-ventilated area, so that any fumes coming up are away from people. “Many people are using generators for the first time this year, if they have lost power,” said Wheeler. “So make sure you’re doing things as carefully as you can, even in a stressful situation.”
Consumers Energy’s website also offers advice and information, as well as the status of current outages and projections for how soon they will be restored.
“We have hundreds of people who are at work right now,” said Wheeler. "We appreciate our customer’s patience, their kindness, their grace through this challenging situation. We want the power on for everybody this holiday weekend.”
