COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Low-flying helicopters have begun routine aerial inspections of high-voltage transmission lines across Branch County and surrounding counties.
The preventative maintenance flights, managed by ITC Michigan and its operating entities are scheduled to monitor regional infrastructure through November 13, 2026. Residents in Branch, Hillsdale, St. Joseph, Calhoun, and Kalamazoo counties can expect to see Bell-style helicopters patrolling at low altitudes as crews work to assess the condition of overhead structures, power lines, and related electrical equipment.
This fall’s grid reliability initiative introduces a new protocol featuring separate aerial patrols specifically dedicated to vegetation management and general system maintenance.
While DTE Energy provides local power generation through regional projects like the recently completed Sauk Solar Park in Union Township, the overarching high-voltage transmission lines linking the community to the broader grid are under the purview of ITC.
Officials emphasize that these low-altitude flights are standard requirements mandated by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to proactively identify equipment wear, lightning damage, or encroaching tree limbs before they cause regional power outages
Comments