DTE Energy is dedicated to 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.
At the corner of Liberty Street and Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor, our crews were busy recently with crucial upgrades to meet the growing demand for electric power in this area. The amount of load required to reliably power the busy downtown area; upgrades were needed to the net banks. Simply, these net banks are a culmination of a large quantity of transformers with the goal to provide excellent service to load intensive areas. The former net bank was originally installed in 1949 and has served the area well, but now it’s time for a full replacement with the latest updated technology.
This process is all due in part to DTE’s emphasis on upgrading our current infrastructure. Our front-line crews have been inspecting our current infrastructure to decide what and where these upgrades need to take place. These upgrades improve reliability, especially during extreme weather situations.
DTE is building 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 Ann Arbor and for the many communities we serve.
To stay informed about ongoing projects you can explore DTE Energy’s power improvements map or visit Empowering Michigan’s reliability improvements webpage.