DTE understands we need a future-ready grid to continue attracting new companies to Michigan and strengthening the state’s economy. Thanks to its highly skilled workforce, Michigan is now home to a rapidly growing technology industry. One of the newest hubs runs through Plymouth and Northville Townships, which is already home to industry leaders including Adient, Brembo, Delta Electronics, Magna and Mitsubishi.
The new technology hub is being coordinated by the Michigan International Technology Corridor (MITC), a public/private partnership set up to attract more companies to the area. The development sits on approximately 800 acres and is one of the largest Wayne County economic development projects to repurpose a site that had been vacant for decades. MITC estimates that the project represents an investment of $620 and is likely to bring an additional 6,000 jobs to the area. DTE has been an instrumental partner in this project since its inception and is building a new substation in Northville to support this growth.
Substations are critical parts of the electric grid: they reduce voltage levels coming from power plants so electricity can be distributed safely and efficiently to homes and businesses. A new substation will ensure that this growing technology corridor has the safe and reliable power it needs now and well into the future.
DTE began construction over the summer of 2024 and expects to complete the project in early 2026. The new substation represents an investment of more than $57 million and will include rebuilding more than three miles of power poles and wires as well as over five miles of new underground cable. DTE will also be adding smart grid technology that will reduce the number and duration of outages. This technology enables DTE to monitor the grid from its state-of-the-art System Operations Center located in the company’s downtown Detroit headquarters. The technology automatically adjusts power supply to meet demand or reroutes power so lights can stay on for more customers while crews make any needed repairs.
This project is one of three new substations DTE is beginning construction on this year. The other two substations are in Pontiac and Shelby Township. Together, the three projects represent an investment of more than $100 million. DTE is also rebuilding power delivery infrastructure across its service territory and has a dozen substations in various stages of being energized.
These system upgrades are part of DTE’s plan to build the grid of the future, which also includes transitioning to a smart grid, upgrading existing infrastructure and trimming trees. These improvements will help the company reach its goal of reducing outages by 30% while cutting outage times in half by 2029.
To learn more about work happening in your neighborhood, visit empoweringmichigan.com/reliability-improvements or use DTE’s new Power Improvements Map.