Power back for most after wind gusts, Consumers says

Corinne Moore
·2 min read

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Consumers Energy says almost all customers without power after strong wind gusts on Friday should have power restored on Saturday.

As of about 4 p.m. on Saturday, around 3,000 customers were without power across the state, according to the Consumers Energy interactive outage map. In West Michigan, Calhoun and Muskegon counties were hit hardest:

  • Allegan County: 264 customers

  • Barry County: 153 customers

  • Calhoun County: 648 customers

  • Kalamazoo County: 201 customers

  • Muskegon County: 380 customers

  • Ottawa County: 77 customers

  • Van Buren County: 86 customers

“Our crews made outstanding progress overnight, and we now will have 300 Consumers Energy and contractor crews working through the day to return power to every last customer,” Greg Salisbury, Consumers Energy’s officer in charge for this storm, said in a release. “This storm did significant damage across a wide path, but we are focused on following our plan to help Michigan bounce back from this storm quickly.”

  • A downed tree in Wyoming on April 12, 2024. (Courtesy Mallory Szymczak)
    A downed tree in Wyoming on April 12, 2024. (Courtesy Mallory Szymczak)
  • A downed tree in Wyoming on April 12, 2024. (Courtesy Mallory Szymczak)
    A downed tree in Wyoming on April 12, 2024. (Courtesy Mallory Szymczak)
  • A downed tree in Wyoming on April 12, 2024. (Courtesy Mallory Szymczak)
    A downed tree in Wyoming on April 12, 2024. (Courtesy Mallory Szymczak)

Calhoun County was reporting a widespread outage due to an apparent electrical substation fire on Friday. Around 5:20 p.m., dispatchers told News 8 that the fire was out.

A stretch of southbound US-131 was temporarily closed at D Avenue (exit 44) in northern Kalamazoo County on Friday because of a downed tree, the Michigan Department of Transportation says. It was back open by 6 p.m.

“We saw that traffic was backed up. We could see that it was downed, but we didn’t actually see it happen. But it was across the highway almost entirely,” said Mary Harrison, who was in the area Friday afternoon. “The wind was so heavy. Limbs were blowing off trees, and a big, giant chunk of bark hit my windshield. I thought it was actually going to crack it.”

A roof was blown off an apartment building in Allegan. (April 12, 2024)
A roof was blown off an apartment building in Allegan. (April 12, 2024)

In downtown Allegan, crews were working to clean up the remains of a roof that was blown off an apartment building.

Inside woodtv.com: Consumers Energy power outage map

Storm Team 8 is reporting that wind gusts reached as high as 55 mph Friday afternoon, with many other communities experiencing gusts between 40 and 55 mph.

Inside woodtv.com: Storm Team 8 forecast

A wind advisory was in effect for the lower peninsula until 2 a.m. on Saturday. Gusts will be lower Saturday, on the order of 20-30 mph.

Consumers Energy is warning on its website that Friday’s high winds may result in downed wires. If you see a downed power line, stay 25 feet away and call 911 and Consumers Energy at 800.477.5050.

— News 8’s Taylor Morris contributed to this report.

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