DTE Energy is dedicated to constructing a smarter, stronger and more resilient grid to improve reliability. Our commitment to customers is to reduce power outages by 30% and to cut outage durations in half by 2029.
DTE has made it a priority to continue upgrading our infrastructure. Our front-line crews have been inspecting our current equipment to determine where these upgrades need to happen next. In 2023, DTE inspected and upgraded over 1,700 miles (about half the width of the United States) of pole top equipment across the communities we serve. These upgrades improve reliability, especially during extreme weather.
In Allen Park, at the corner of Robinson and Devonshire, our crews were busy recently replacing a pole and upgrading pole top equipment. First, the crew cut off the old pole top equipment and removed the existing pole from the corner. Then, they dug the existing hole for the pole deeper and wider to accommodate the upgraded pole that would be installed. They used a crane to drop the new pole right on the corner. Newer and more durable cross arms were then installed on the pole to complete the upgrade.
This kind of upgrading work is part of DTE’s ongoing plan to build the grid of the future. That plan includes transitioning to a smart grid, upgrading existing infrastructure, rebuilding significant portions of the grid and trimming trees. These are at the core of our plan as we work to increase reliability in Detroit.
Interested in seeing the work being done in your community? Visit our power improvements map