DTE crews are steadily working to improve reliability for customers in Midtown. As part of our four-point plan, we’re investing more than $200 million to rebuild the overhead and underground infrastructure that delivers power to Detroit’s Cultural Center, Eastern Market, Forest Park, McDougall-Hunt northern Midtown, Medbury Park, Medical Center, Poletown East and Wayne State neighborhoods.
The project includes:
- Removing and replacing 60 miles of overhead wires, underground cables and conduit, transformers and electrical equipment that deliver power to homes and businesses.
- Installing new, stronger utility poles and attached equipment that can better withstand extreme weather.
- Trimming trees growing close to power lines. 50% of the time our customers spend without power is due to trees falling on power lines.
- Incorporating smart grid devices into the system, which can help reroute power to many customers during an outage.
Rebuilding work like this helps keep the lights on for our customers, especially during extreme weather — in fact, this kind of work can improve reliability by up to 90% for customers served by an upgraded substation and new electric equipment. Additionally, rebuilding improves safety and the grid’s capacity to support customers’ growing energy needs and clean energy solutions like electric vehicles.
What are crews working on now?
Over the past few years, we have been digging up old underground electrical equipment around the Midtown area of Detroit and are replacing it with new, modernized conduit and cables.
We have installed more than 17 miles of new cables, so far.
What are you working on next?
We will continue to install new underground cables and electrical equipment in the area over the next year. We will also begin installing new utility poles and attached equipment, wires, transformers and other overhead equipment early 2024.
Once the new, modernized power delivery infrastructure is in place, we will switch customers over to the new system. Customers will then be served more reliable power from new substations in the area. All this work is expected to be completed in 2030.
Rebuilding is just one part of our four-point plan to improve reliability. We’re also trimming trees, upgrading existing infrastructure and accelerating our transition to a smart grid. All this work will help improve electric service for our customers.
Read more about work happening in your neighborhood at empoweringmichigan.com/reliability-improvements or visit our power improvements map.