DTE Energy crews have been hard at work in the historic Corktown and West Riverfront neighborhoods of Detroit. This is part of a major conversion project to build a stronger and more resilient grid, so our customers continue to receive the dependable service they rely on.
With rising demand for electric service in Corktown, our crews are preparing the neighborhood’s equipment to handle the increased loads while improving reliability, especially during extreme weather conditions. The project involves the installation of over 200 new poles, new wiring and enhancements to existing pole-top equipment.
On this day, crews were working near the intersection of Fort and Sixth streets, prepping pole top equipment for a wire pull. This is when stronger wires are installed that can handle higher voltage. Prior to this day, these crews installed a series of new poles down the alley between Eighth and Sixth streets. Once the new wires are pulled through, pole top equipment will be installed on the new poles, including stronger fiberglass cross arms. Then the new overhead wires will be transferred to the new poles before all the old equipment is taken down. This process ensures that customers served by these wires never lose power as its taking place.
These infrastructure upgrades are essential to our goal of reducing outages and enhancing the grid’s resilience and reliability. Our commitment to customers is to reduce power outages by 30% and to cut outage durations in half by 2029.
This rebuilding work is part of DTE’s plan to build the grid of the future. That plan, now well underway, includes transitioning to a smart grid, upgrading existing infrastructure, rebuilding significant portions of the grid and trimming trees.
To stay informed about ongoing projects you can explore DTE Energy’s Power Improvements Map or visit empoweringmichigan.com