COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – With power restoration efforts almost wrapped up following last Wednesday’s wind storm, Consumers Energy is asking customers still without power to call them.
Because of the widespread nature of the more than 7,000 individual power outages from the storm, customers still without power are being asked to call (800)477-5050 or log onto www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter to confirm their outage.
As of 6:00 a.m. Monday, there were only 820 customers system wide without power. That included five Branch County customers. All of them were in the Bronson area.
At the height of the outages last week, just over 3,000 Branch County customers lost power.
Meanwhile, officials for the utility say they are in need of new linemen.
Senior vice president of Energy Resources Dan Malone says they have just under 600 line workers. They lose about 25 percent to retirement every few years and Malone says they need to do a better job of recruitment.
The utility is now working to hire 50 new linemen a year. Malone says with overtime, the jobs can pay over $100,000 a year. Crews from six states had to be brought in to help with the power repairs.
