DTE Energy is committed to reducing outages by 30% and cutting outage time in half by the end of 2029. To achieve that, building the grid of the future. A smarter, more resilient grid that will help keep your power on, even during extreme weather.
In Lenox Township, DTE is investing $95 million to rebuild 27 miles of poles and power lines; build a new station that will deliver more reliable power to customers in the area; and trim trees to prevent them from falling onto electric equipment and causing power outages.
All this work will help keep the lights on for customers no matter what Mother Nature brings to Michigan. The upgrades will also increase grid capacity to support growth and more electric energy options like electric vehicles.
Our progress
- April 2025 to September 2025: We’re installing new infrastructure on East Gratiot Avenue between Werner and Palms Road. This work includes installing 70 new steel poles, which are stronger and better able to withstand extreme weather.
- Spring 2025: Our new electric station, located north of 30 Mile Road, will be energized and more portions of this project work will commence.
- July 2024 to April 2025: Crews are currently working on 33 Mile Road between Powell Road and North Avenue to replace electrical equipment with stronger, upgraded infrastructure. We will install around six miles of new transformers and power lines and install around 220 new steel poles.
- February 2024 to fall 2024: Crews are currently working south of 32 Mile Road to upgrade more electrical equipment in this area. Through the fall, we will modernize nearly eight miles of power lines and install around 200 new steel poles.
- February to summer 2024: Crews are working on the below ground construction at the electric station, which includes building new manholes and installing underground conduit and cables at the station.
- January 2024: Crews began construction of the new electric station by clearing the land. Construction on the station will be completed early 2025.
- July 2023 – February 2024: Crews worked in downtown Richmond to upgrade more than two miles of power lines and replaced more than 100 utility poles with steel poles.
- January 2023 – July 2023: Crews upgraded six miles of electrical equipment that delivers power to Armada, including overhead wires, crossarms and 175 utility poles, with stronger steel poles. We also trimmed over four miles of trees in the area.
The entire project, which began in 2023, is expected to be completed in 2026. There may be partial road closures or short outages to safely complete the work — we will notify customers if work in this area affects them.
This project is part of our plan to build the grid of the future, which includes trimming trees, upgrading existing infrastructure, rebuilding older sections of the grid and accelerating our transition to a smart grid. Stay up to date on work happening in your community, visit empoweringmichigan.com/reliability-improvements.