DTE Energy is constructing a smarter, stronger and more resilient grid to enhance reliability. Our commitment to customers is to reduce power outages by 30% and to cut outage durations in half by 2029.
As part of that commitment, our crews have been hard at work in Dearborn, ensuring customers in the city experience fewer and shorter power outages.
The ongoing plan for building the grid of the future in Dearborn and for all DTE electric customers focuses on four key areas:
- Accelerating our transition to a smart grid
- Maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure
- Rebuilding significant portions of the grid
- Trimming trees away from DTE equipment
The smart grid transition is already well underway. We have recently installed four new smart grid devices, called reclosers, on key equipment that delivers power to homes and businesses in the city. These devices provide better safety as they can de-energize downed power lines. They can also quickly pinpoint where the damage is, so our crews can make repairs faster and, in many cases, help reroute power to keep the lights on for more customers while those repairs are being made. Our goal is to have the system 100% automated by 2029.
Additionally, since 2023, our front-line crews have replaced 62 power poles in Dearborn, installing new, more modern equipment to better withstand extreme weather events.
Finally, trimming trees is a major component of the Dearborn work. Crews have trimmed more than 220 miles of trees in the city since 2016, including about 17 miles so far here in 2024. By the end of this year, 80% of Dearborn will be up to date on trimming and on a 100% up-to-date maintenance cycle by the end of 2025. Why is this important? We know that trees and their branches contacting our equipment account for half the time our customers spend without power.
DTE will keep working hard in the days and months ahead to keep improving electric service in the city, providing customers with the power they need and the reliability they deserve.
To stay informed about ongoing work in Dearborn and all the communities we serve, you can explore DTE Energy’s Power Improvements Map or visit empoweringmichigan.com