DTE is building the grid of the future, one that delivers safe, reliable power while supporting clean energy solutions like electric vehicles. As part of this transformation, we’re activating our four-point plan in Pontiac: trimming trees, upgrading existing infrastructure, rebuilding older sections of the grid and accelerating our transition to a smart grid.
Over the next few years, we’ll invest more than $31 million to rebuild the electric grid in and around downtown Pontiac. This rebuilding work includes:
- Removing and replacing more than 15 miles of electrical equipment, like overhead wires, underground cables, conduit and transformers, that deliver power to homes and businesses.
- Adding a mile of new conduit and cables in the downtown area.
- Installing new, stronger utility poles and attached equipment that can better withstand extreme weather.
- Trimming trees growing close to powerlines. Fallen trees and branches account for 50% of the time our customers spend without power.
- Upgrading and adding new equipment at the substation that delivers power to downtown Pontiac.
Our work will help to keep the lights on for customers, especially during extreme weather. It also increases safety and the grid’s capacity. The added capacity will enable us to power new residents and businesses moving into downtown Pontiac and will support the growing electrification needs of the area.
Progress
Over the past few months our crews have been installing new utility poles, crossarms and pole top equipment near Montcalm Street. These new poles and equipment are stronger and better able to withstand extreme weather.
We’ve also been installing transformers and adding new conduit (piping that protects underground cables) along Edison, Fairgrove and Clark Streets.
Once the new conduit is in place, we will install underground cables that will deliver energy from the local electric substation to downtown Pontiac.
This reliability improvement work will continue over the next several months. To stay up to date on this work or other work happening in your neighborhood, visit empoweringmichigang.com/reliability-improvements.
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- Crews preparing to replace pole top equipment. The old insulator was cracked and needed to be replaced to prevent a future outage and keep people in the area safe.
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- Old insulator that was replaced on the pole. The insulator broke at the crack as soon as crews removed it. Insulators are important pole top equipment because they help keep us safe by preventing the flow of electricity between wires and through the pole into the ground.
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- New pole with fiberglass crossarm ready to be installed. The fiberglass crossarm is stronger than the wooden crossarm on the old pole and can better withstand extreme weather events like wind.
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- New pole was installed on Whitfield Street between North Saginaw and Edison Streets. The new pole is installed next to the old pole. Once the new equipment is in place and energized, we will remove the old pole. Keeping the old and new side by side until all equipment in one area is installed allows us to keep the power on for customers while we rebuild.
