JACKSON, MI (WTVB) – The cold and wet weather slowed restoration efforts by over 600 Consumers Energy crews, contractors, and line workers from outside Michigan on Monday.
Those who have been without power since Wednesday’s major ice storm were looking at a fifth straight night of having no heat or power.
The Jackson-based utility had earlier said restoration efforts would wind up by late Monday. But they seemed to back off on those statements in a press release that was issued at midday as the outage numbers were going in the wrong direction. Consumers did not give an estimate as to when everyone will be back online.
As of 2:00 p.m., Branch County had 1,424 outages while Hillsdale County was back up to 7,783 outages and the number of outages in Calhoun County had gone back up to 1,340.
There were over 66,000 customers system wide who were without power on Monday afternoon, five days after the ice storm ripped through south central Michigan and dumped over a half inch of ice on the area.
Consumers Energy is monitoring another potential ice storm in northern and mid-Michigan. Crews will be deployed if the ice and freezing rain lead to outages in those areas.
“The work to restore power in our southern communities after this devastating ice storm is in the home stretch, and we are so grateful for our customers’ continued patience and understanding,” said Amanda Wagenschutz, one of Consumers Energy’s officers in charge for the event. “We are also keeping our crews and those from other states on our system as we monitor potential hazardous winter weather in northern communities today.”
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