DTE is investing more than $80 million to rebuild the underground and overhead infrastructure in the Brewster Homes, Brush Park, Douglas and southern Midtown neighborhoods of the city.
As we move to a more technology-driven, electrified lifestyle and our communities continue to grow, the Midtown area of the city will need a stronger, more modern grid.
Once complete, the work will improve the grid’s safety and reliability, which will help keep the power on for customers. It also will add more electric power to the grid. The added electric power will help us support new, as well as existing, residents and businesses. It also will support clean energy solutions like electric vehicles and a more electric future.
Rebuilding the infrastructure in this area will help us reach our goal to build the grid of the future in Detroit. Over the next few years, our crews will:
- Replace more than 25 miles of overhead and underground cables, transformers and other electrical equipment.
- Install stronger utility poles that are more resilient to extreme weather.
- Remove outdated and aging equipment, including retiring a 90-year-old substation. Customers in the area will be served by the recently upgraded Temple substation when the work is complete.
As part of the project, our crews have been working in Midtown, removing and replacing underground wires and ducts (the tubes that protect underground wires).
When the underground infrastructure was installed a century ago in Detroit, clay tile was the standard material used to make ducts. But PVC is stronger and better able to protect the wires. Crews are now replacing the old clay tile ducts with PVC piping, protecting the wires that will deliver power to Midtown in the Little Caesars Arena area.
New PCV pipes installed in a manhole on Sproat Street. The old wires in the PVC pipes will soon be replaced with brand new wires.
Additionally, crews are installing new transformers. These new transformers can support both the old and new infrastructure. They also are vital to keeping our customers in power during and after construction is completed.
Rebuilding older sections of DTE’s grid is just one component of our plan to increase reliability for customers. We’re also doing the following:
- Trimming trees. Trees that connect with power lines account for 50% of the time our customers spend without power.
- Modernizing and maintaining our equipment.
- Investing in increased smart technology. Smart technology allows us to reroute power during an outage and keeps the power on for customers while we make repairs.
Read about additional reliability improvement work happening in your neighborhood.
New transformer installed on Cass Avenue. Transformers help lower the electric power’s voltage to a level that can be safely used by our homes and businesses. These new transformers support both the old and new electric infrastructure.
Manhole on Sproat Street. Manholes are a hole crews can climb down in to access the underground wires and infrastructure that deliver power to homes and businesses.
Crews are seen working here in Midtown on Sproat Street, between Cass and Woodward Avenue, to remove and install new underground wires and ducts.
Cables and PVC piping leading into manhole. Crews poor cement over the pipes and cables to create a protective casing for the wires.
Crews pouring cement in an adjacent worksite.