Utility crews continue working to reduce outages

HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) –More than 65,000 Consumers Energy customers woke to no power after windstorms swept though the Lakeshore area.

The high winds downed trees, including one that started a Holland house fire, and created other damage affecting electric service. In Barry County, the winds tore off the roof at Thornapple Kellogg High School’s gym, just before the start of a cheer competition. In the Holland area, wind gusts reached nearly 60 mph, according to National Weather Service records.

Estimates on the utility’s outage map indicate that some areas won’t see power restored until late Monday, Dec. 13, 2021.

In the meantime, Consumers officials shared the following safety information:

• If you see a downed power line, stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, keep children or pets away, and report the issue by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. Someone will respond as quickly as possible to secure the scene. Consumers Energy asks the public to keep a safe distance from crews due to health precautions and to allow them to do their work.
• Be alert to crews working along roads. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they safely can go past workers on roadsides.
• Call 2-1-1 if you are looking for help connecting to resources that offer assistance in your community. 2-1-1 is a free statewide service.
• 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, clean-up of debris from tree trimming or removal during a storm emergency is the responsibility of individual property owners.
• In some cases, the mast which holds the electric service wires to a customer’s 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.