Customer Outage History (2024)

When a utility is experiencing outages beyond a threshold level, they report their status and estimated number of customers affected to the MPSC. The MPSC uses this information to monitor restoration activities and coordinate with utilities and local emergency responders when help is needed.

For the latest information during storm events, many Michigan utilities have outage maps on their respective webpages to assist customers in identifying affected areas and estimated restoration times. These maps are updated frequently and are the best source of information regarding an outage. In addition, customers may receive restoration updates via text messages or emails to their phones. Click herefor access to your utility’s outage map.

Poweroutage.us is a resource to view outages around the country in real time, including Michigan’s map.

Storm outage data for January 2024 through July 2024 is shown below for the utilities regulated by the MPSC. For Consumers Energy and DTE Electric, events greater than 20,000 customers are listed. For all other utilities, events greater than 7,500 are listed. This data will be updated as final numbers are received from the utility reports submitted in U-21122. Initial reported outages are denoted by an asterisk (*).

2024 Utility Outages
Start Date of Event Utility Total Outages
7/9/2024* CE 48,000
6/25/2024* CE 199,260
6/20/2024* DTE 88,153
6/5/2024* DTE 34,000
5/20/2024* CE 44,000
5/82024* CE 34,000
4/12/2024* CE 94,693
2/28/2024 CE 45,704
1/12/2024 DTE 190,235
1/9/2024 CE 293,000

* Initial Report - Will be updated with final numbers

The next U-21122 filings are due on August 15, 2024

Historical Outage Information

  • Prior Years: 2023,2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

Outage Credits

Customers may be eligible for a credit on their electric bill if they experience lengthy or frequent service outages. Residential customers may qualify for the greater of a $38.00 credit or their monthly customer charge. For commercial and other classes of service, the credit is determined based on a customer’s minimum bill. Customers will now receive the outage credit automatically on their bill, eliminating the prior need to apply for the credit.

Outage Credits
Condition Type Customers Outage Length Credit Amount
Normal 16 hrs

$38

Plus $38

for each additional day

Gray Sky 48 hrs
Catastrophic 96 hrs
Credits for Repetitive Outages
6 or more interruptions in 12 months
$38

Current MPSC Efforts

The MPSC is working to address reliability issues and improve the quality of service for customers.

Updated Rules

The MPSC’s MI Power Grid – Grid Security and Reliability Standards workgroup provided input to the revisions incorporated into the MPSC’s Service Quality and Reliability Standards for Electric Distribution Systemsand Technical Standards for Electric Service Rules. For more information on the revised rules click here.

2023 Power Outage Town Hall

March 2023 Power Outage Town Hall Meeting Recap

Third-Party Review and Audit of Consumers Energy’s and DTE Electric’s Distribution Systems

In an orderissued on October 5, 2022 in Case No. U-21305, the Commission described the 2-part audit:

Part 1 will consist of a physical audit of the existing installed infrastructure to determine whether the existing installed infrastructure matches the company’s records. This part will involve physical measurements of installed distribution infrastructure to ensure compliance with the utility’s engineering standards. Measurements will include a statistically significant sample of infrastructure at a variety of locations and considering a variety of types of distribution infrastructure to get a statistically relevant understanding of the state of the utility’s overall distribution system. This part will include a comparison of the condition of the company’s distribution system to that of other utilities in similar climates.

Part 2 will consist of an audit of each utility’s programs and processes to determine whether the existing programs and processes for emergency preparedness, storm restoration, distribution system maintenance, and investment are sufficient and equitable, and whether they properly plan for climate change and changing load profiles. This part will include a review of each company’s engineering standards and inspection and maintenance programs to ensure they meet the needs of the distribution system, now and into the future. It will include an audit of the accounting process for the distribution system to ensure costs are being accurately managed and recorded. It will also include a review of how the utility manages the operations of the distribution system, including how maintenance prioritization is determined, how personnel are managed during outage recovery, and company management and internal policies and procedures regarding outages, distribution management, safety, and planning.

In response to an order issued on March 3, 2022, the Staff worked with utilities to create a reporting template enabling the utilities to file updated information pertinent to reliability, outages and storm response.

Reportable data will include existing and proposed reliability metrics, as well as data on outage numbers and restoration times for each month and each storm, and monthly tree trimming data that includes the miles of power lines cleared and the amount spent on tree trimming. For data reported on storms, the Commission also seeks information on storm type, customers interrupted, storm duration and restoration in days, the amount of dollars spent for each storm event, dollars paid in customer outage credits, and mutual aid requests and expenses for each storm event. The Commission specifically seeks data by ZIP code and Census tract, finding it especially useful to have that level of granularity.

The first utility data submissions will be provided to the Commission by May 15, 2023 and will include data for January, February, and March 2023. The Commission’s Distribution System Reliability webpages will be updated with the new data when available.

Statewide Energy Assessment Report

The Statewide Energy Assessment Report (SEA Report) is a statewide review of the supply, engineering, and deliverability of natural gas, electricity, and propane systems, as well as contingency planning related to those systems.

SEA Report SEA Fact Sheet 2021 SEA Progress Report

Distribution Investment and Maintenance Plans

These reports include an overview of the utility’s distribution system, plans for future improvement, vegetation management plans, and reliability performance metrics.

Consumers Energy

DTE Electric

Indiana Michigan- Revised Page 52

Michigan Infrastructure Council

Participation in the Michigan Infrastructure Council's 30 Year Infrastructure Planning Project

Customer Outage History (2024)

FAQs

How to communicate with customers after an outage? ›

Four tips for outage communication with customers
  1. Communicate with clarity and empathy. We get it. ...
  2. Keep emails short and simple. ...
  3. Try to lighten things up with humor, but remember to keep it professional. ...
  4. Give regular status updates and keep following up.
Jul 26, 2024

What would you do in the event of an outage? ›

A checklist of things to do when power goes out
  • Confirm your power is out. ...
  • If your power is out, call your local utility. ...
  • Turn off or unplug your appliances. ...
  • Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed. ...
  • Using flashlights for lighting. ...
  • Keep your family members safe and comfortable. ...
  • Practice generator safety.

What is the biggest power outage in history? ›

The largest power outage in history by number of people affected took place in Northern India. On 30 and 31 July 2012, two severe blackouts occurred, the second of which affected some 670 million people—half the country's population, or almost 10% of the world's population.

Is there a way to tell how long power has been out? ›

To determine the length of the power loss, look at any analog AC-powered clocks. They will be behind the current time by the amount of time the power was off. How can I prevent having a heatstroke within my home during a power outage? What should people do if they suspect their home has been damaged by a power outage?

How do you respond to an outage? ›

How to respond to an outage
  1. ❌ Don't wait too long before acknowledging the issue.
  2. ✅ Do gather as much information as possible, namely the cause, extent of the outage, timeline for return and any cybersecurity or customer data risks.
  3. ✅ Do draft holding statements and share across company channels.
Jul 25, 2024

What do you say to customers when the system is down? ›

Some customers are seeing [problem]. We're aware of the issue and are working on it urgently. We're really sorry to be holding you up today! Please know our teams are working hard to get everything up and running, and we will update you in [timeframe] with the latest information.

How do you handle outages? ›

  1. 1 Identify the cause. The first step is to identify the cause of the outage as quickly and accurately as possible. ...
  2. 2 Communicate the status. ...
  3. 3 Restore the service. ...
  4. 4 Analyze the incident. ...
  5. 5 Implement the changes. ...
  6. 6 Report the results. ...
  7. 7 Here's what else to consider.
Nov 9, 2023

What is an outage incident? ›

An IT outage is when computer systems or networks stop working correctly, often due to hardware issues, software glitches, or other unforeseen events. This disruption can lead to downtime, impacting productivity and business operations.

What is the first thing you do when the power goes out? ›

One of the first things you should do during a power outage is unplug any appliances or electronics to avoid power surge damage once the power is restored. Sensitive devices should be on surge protectors to prevent damage if you can't unplug them in time.

Which state has the most power outages? ›

With the most annual power outages, Maine is surely left in the dark. The Pine Tree State tops the list with an average of 4.35 power outages every year, a stark increase above the national average of 1.62 per year.

What is the largest cause of power outages? ›

1. Storms: Wind, heat, ice and snow are the most common causes of widespread power outages. 2. Trees: During high winds, or trimming by an untrained professional, limbs can come into contact with power lines and cause interruptions.

What year was the 3 day blackout? ›

August 14 and 15, 2003 - The northeastern U.S. and southern Canada suffered the worst power blackout in history. Areas affected extended from New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey west to Michigan, and from Ohio north to Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario.

How long will a refrigerator stay good in a power outage? ›

As the USDA notes in Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency, your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power.

How long do most power outages last? ›

The duration of a power outage depends on its cause and the extent of damage to the electrical infrastructure. On average, most technical or minor outages in the USA last about 1-2 hours.

What if my freezer was off for 3 days? ›

Power Outages: During and After

The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.

How do you communicate with customers during a crisis? ›

Just keep the lines of communication open between you and your customers. It's not 'us' versus 'them' — we're all in this together. Don't make hasty decisions — You may need to shift tactics or reevaluate your plan several times throughout the course of a crisis.

How to communicate a network outage? ›

Outage Communication Tips and Best Practices
  1. Choose Effective Communication Channels. ...
  2. Define Roles for Executing Your Plan. ...
  3. Acknowledge the Situation. ...
  4. Provide Regular Updates. ...
  5. Be Consistent in Communication. ...
  6. Be Transparent and Honest. ...
  7. Apologize and Empathize. ...
  8. Be Proactive.
Jan 18, 2024

How do you talk back to customers? ›

Keep the conversation polite and professional

Often, it's not just what you say but how you say it. Stay calm: Remember not to take a rude client's remarks personally. Respond politely regardless of the customer's tone. Use positive language: Instead of saying, "We can't do that," try, "What we can do is... .

How do you communicate with customers if you can t solve a problem right away? ›

"Although I cannot provide an immediate solution, I assure you that we are working on it." "We want to get to the bottom of this as much as you do." (And then explain your next steps." If you have a first-step solution or an option, present it this way: "My immediate solution would be..."

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