JACKSON, Mich., May 17, 2025 – Consumers Energy has restored power to more than 150,000 customers affected by 9 confirmed tornadoes, thunderstorms and hail that swept through Michigan overnight Thursday, and a second round of thunderstorms and high winds that caused additional outages overnight Friday. Crews were able to make steady progress with restoration on Saturday thanks to improving weather conditions.
“We understand how difficult it is to be without power for consecutive days, and we continue to thank our customers and communities for their patience and support,” said Norm Kapala, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for restoration. “With favorable weather in the forecast, we will be able to speed our progress. We’re also prioritizing restoring schools to help ensure students are ready for the new school week.”
Consumers Energy has mobilized about 660 crews to help restore customers’ power after a severe line of storms caused outages from Kalamazoo and other west Michigan communities to Lansing and Saginaw. Contract crews from eight states – from as far away as Louisiana – are working alongside Consumers Energy lineworkers to help restore communities hit hardest by severe weather, including Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Muskegon.
Officials expect most customers to be restored by the end of Sunday, thanks in part to favorable conditions. Customers in hardest-hit areas should see power restored by the end of the day Monday.
Consumers Energy is partnering with the American Red Cross of Michigan Sunday to provide water and a free meal to community members who lost power in Kalamazoo. That event will take place at Kalamazoo Community Church at 2435 N 26th St, Kalamazoo. Additionally, Consumers Energy will be providing water and a free meal at McCamly Park at 10 N Washington Ave, Battle Creek. Both events will start at 11:30 a.m. and run through 2 p.m.
“Impacts from these storms are proving uniquely challenging, but we won’t stop until every last customer is restored,” Kapala said. “Our crews are working their hardest to restore customers’ power as quickly and safely as possible, and we’re very grateful to the customers and communities we serve for their continued patience.”
Kapala also thanks customers across Michigan who’ve banded together to help each other in the storms’ aftermath. Read more here.
Kapala encourages people to watch for downed wires and crews working along often busy roads, and to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines.
Anyone who sees an unguarded downed power line should first call 9-1-1, then Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050.
Customers can check ConsumersEnergy.com/outagemap for updates on restoration times. They can learn more through the Consumers Energy app.
Consumers Energy urges the public to keep these other safety tips in mind:
- 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.
Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy knows job No. 1 is to keep the lights on for customers. We are committed to delivering reliable, clean, and affordable energy to our customers 24/7.
Comments