More than 25,000 customers still without power in Calhoun County, Consumers Energy reports
More than 25,000 Consumers Energy customers in Calhoun County were without power Thursday afternoon, and some may not see power restored until early next week after an ice storm moved across lower Michigan Wednesday.
The power company reported 25,516 customers were without power as of 1 p.m. Thursday. The most outages were reported in Battle Creek, where about 30% of the city — or 15,144 customers — lost power.
Elsewhere in Calhoun County, Consumers reported 2,448 customers without service in the Marshall area in the early afternoon. The Albion area had 3,342 customers without power and the Homer area had 1,400.
Some customers may be in the dark through the weekend, with some estimates for power restoration happening as late as Tuesday, according to Consumers' outage map.
Battle Creek buildings and Calhoun County government and court offices closed for a second consecutive day Thursday as a result of the storm.
Statewide, Consumers Energy and DTE reported more than 684,000 customers without power as of 1 p.m. Thursday. The majority of outages are in the southern portion of the state. Oakland, Hillsdale, Macomb and Jackson counties are among the hardest hit.
“We are responding to the damage caused by this storm with an all-hands-on-deck effort to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible,” said Melissa Gleespen, one of Consumers Energy’s officers, in a statement. “We understand how frustrating a power outage can be, and we are grateful for our customers’ patience and understanding as our crews work deliberately to get the lights back on.”
About a half-inch of ice covered Michigan’s southern counties as part of the storm, resulting in more than 5,700 downed wires and more than 215,000 outages, Consumers said. The energy provider is closely monitoring the forecasts for strong wind gusts and tree branches moving as ice melts, which could cause further damage.
Consumers urged people to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, keep children and pets away, and report the issue by calling 911 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. Consumers Energy also asks the public to keep a safe distance from crews.
Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Ice storm knocks out power for thousands in Calhoun County. More than 25,000 affected.
