Customers in Inkster will be happy to know that our crews have been working to improve their reliability with equipment upgrades like reclosers.
What is a recloser? It is an automatic, high-voltage electric switch. Essentially, it’s like a circuit breaker on household electric lines. Obviously, there is a textbook full of technical terms and electric jargon that could be added to that explanation, but it’s the simplest way to communicate what this piece of equipment is and why it’s important to you.
Reclosers shut off electric power when trouble occurs, such as a short circuit. They are intended to protect the power grid and the customer, automatically isolating the error and recovering when the problem has been corrected. The equipment can be used on overhead lines as well as in distribution transformer stations.
Reclosers are such a vital part of what we’re doing to improve our grid because they can act as a computer-controlled switchgear which can be remotely operated. This enables us to quickly act when unexpected problems arise like bad weather, fallen branches or surges. Not only does this enable our team to keep outages as isolated as possible, but we also receive valuable data about what is happening in the system and how we can best develop a plan for power restoration.
A broad overview, but hopefully enough so that the next time you see a recloser around town, you’ll have a little better idea of what you’re seeing. Most importantly, you’ll have a better understanding of how reclosers help keep the lights on in your neighborhood.
You may see more of our crews in the coming months as part of our accelerated electric reliability projects in your area, including more tree trimming and infrastructure updates. All these projects are underway to improve your service and reliability for the short and long-term.
Make sure to regularly check the Inkster community page to learn more about what’s going on in your neighborhood. You can also follow DTE on Facebook and Twitter for even more updates and information.
