Consumers Energy and DTE Outages: 30,000+ Michigan Customers Without Power as 60 MPH Winds Hammer Detroit and West Michigan

A powerful high wind event is battering Michigan on Friday, March 13, knocking out power for tens of thousands of Consumers Energy and DTE Energy customers from Metro Detroit to West Michigan. The High Wind Warning remains active for most of the state until 10:00 PM ET tonight, and crews are racing to restore power before conditions worsen further.

Detroit Weather Right Now: High Wind Warning in Effect

Detroit is currently 44°F and mostly cloudy with a 35 percent chance of wintry mix arriving this afternoon.

The High Wind Warning for Southeast Michigan is in effect for Washtenaw, Oakland, Lapeer, St. Clair, Livingston, Monroe, Wayne, and Macomb counties until 10:00 PM ET Friday. Southwest wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph are expected throughout the day, with the potential for widespread outages continuing through the evening hours.

Consumers Energy Outages: 17,890+ Customers Without Power Statewide

Consumers Energy has the most customers out of any utility in Michigan right now, with 17,890 power outages tracked statewide as of this morning.

Roughly 278 separate outage events are affecting more than 20,500 Consumers Energy customers statewide. The largest concentrations are in West Michigan, with major clusters west of Three Rivers and south of Mattawan.

A large Consumers Energy outage caused by high winds has cut off power for 996 customers in Fenton from East South Holly Road to Rose Bush Lane. Separately, Consumers Energy also reported approximately 2,100 customers out in Lenawee County — many of whom had been without power since shortly after 6:00 AM ET, with the hardest-hit area near Morenci.

DTE Energy Outages: 13,000+ Without Power in Metro Detroit

DTE Energy, whose electric service area includes most of Southeast Michigan, showed 11,000 customers without power on its outage map at 10:18 AM — a sharp spike from 3,000 at 7:30 AM. Those outages were spread across the Metro Detroit area, with South Lyon among the hardest-hit spots with over 2,000 customers out. Wind damage was listed as the cause for most of the scattered outages.

By 9:30 AM, DTE was reporting more than 13,000 customers in the dark across the region. DTE urged customers to please stay safe in the event of any downed power lines.

DTE Energy is also reporting outages in Lapeer County with 973 customers affected, with the largest clusters in North Branch, Lum, and Goodland.

Consumers Energy Response: 450 Crews Deployed Statewide

In response to the widespread outages, Consumers Energy says it is sending 450 crews around the state. The utility issued a statement Friday morning: "We appreciate our customers' patience as this storm delivers high winds this morning, and we'll be working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible."

In Byron Township, a downed power line shut down the southbound Byron Center Avenue entrance ramp to westbound M-6. In Wyoming near Byron Center Avenue and Newport Street, a large tree went down blocking part of the road. If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and stay at least 25 feet away. Report it by calling 911 first, then Consumers Energy.

How to Report Your Outage and Stay Safe

Consumers Energy's storm restoration team is fully mobilized and making preparations to quickly respond to any power outages. Mobile storm units are ready to supply essential equipment to the heart of outages. Hundreds of employees are serving as downed wire guards across the state.

Report your outage or check restoration status using these direct contacts and tools:

Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed — a fully stocked refrigerator stays cold for four hours, while a full freezer holds temperature for up to 48 hours. Have flashlights and non-perishable food on hand, and stay at least 25 feet from any downed power lines.