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 Westland, ensuring customers in the city experience fewer and shorter power outages.
Our plan for building the grid of the future for Westland and 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 commissioned design work on 23 new smart grid devices, called reclosers, for key circuits (equipment that delivers power to homes and businesses) in the city, with current plans to have them installed by the end of 2025. That will cover 88% of the circuits in Westland. These smart grid devices provide better safety as they de-energize downed power lines. They can also quickly pinpoint where damage is, so 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.
Additionally, from 2022 and 2024, our front-line crews replaced 162 power poles in Westland with new, more modern equipment to better withstand extreme weather events. They also identified more than 140 locations where pole top equipment needed to be replaced and made the needed upgrades.
Finally, trimming trees is a major component of our Westland work. Crews have trimmed more than 157 miles of trees in the city since 2016, including about 50 miles so far in 2024. By the end of this calendar year, 72% of Westland will be up to date on trimming and on a maintenance trimming cycle. 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 be 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 Westland and all the communities we serve, you can explore DTE Energy’s Power Improvements Map or visit www.empoweringmichigan.com.