Consumers Energy Deploying all Resources in Northern Michigan to Target Hardest Hit Areas Impacted by Storm

Consumers Energy Deploying all Resources in Northern Michigan to Target Hardest Hit Areas Impacted by Storm

Jackson, Mich. Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Consumers Energy is shifting the focus of its restoration efforts fully on the hardest hit areas impacted by the brutal weather system that brought high winds, ice, and snow to northern Michigan Sunday and Monday.

Deploying nearly all company and contractor resources to northern Michigan today, over 700 crews are working 16-hour shifts to restore power in primarily Alcona, Crawford, Iosco, Manistee, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Osceola, Roscommon, Wexford counties.

"Now that conditions are safe to do so, we are fully deployed on the ground today in northern Michigan working around the clock to restore service to our hardest hit customers as quicky and safely as possible," said Jean Kang, vice president of generation operations for Consumers Energy. "Despite frigid temperatures, we expect weather conditions will improve over the next 24 hours and allow us to make significant progress in the hardest hit areas."

Impacted customers are encouraged to call 2-1-1 to locate a warming center in their area.

Consumers Energy has mobile command centers and storm trailers in Houghton Lake and Cadillac in addition to an emergency response unit providing communities with much needed aid throughout the day and will continue restoration efforts and damage assessments until every customer's power is back on. A storm trailer is also stationed in Alcona County.

The company continues to encourage customers to prioritize their safety and follow these tips:

• Be alert to crews working along roads. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they can go safely past.

• Stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, and report unguarded downed lines by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. Consumers Energy reminds people that falsely calling in downed lines actually slows down the restoration process for everyone.

• Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement, enclosed patio or near any air intakes. Doing so could cause a generator to produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Read more guidance on safe generator use here.

• Consumers Energy will trim or remove trees interfering with electric restoration activities. Once safe to do so, cleanup of debris from tree trimming or removal during a storm emergency is the responsibility of individual property owners.

• In some cases, the mast that holds the electric service wires to a home or business may have been damaged or torn away. Crews will reconnect the wires to a home, but only a licensed electrician can repair or replace a mast or a cable.

Customers can also check the status of outages at ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. They can also sign up to get outage alerts and restoration times sent to a phone, email or text message, Text 'REG' to 232273.

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