For the past year, we’ve been implementing our four-point plan in Detroit’s historic Corktown neighborhood to increase reliability and support the growing energy needs of customers. This plan includes trimming trees, upgrading existing infrastructure, rebuilding older sections of the grid and accelerating our transition to a smart grid.
DTE is investing $165 million investment through 2026 in the Core City, historic Corktown, Hubbard Richard, Jeffries, North Corktown and Woodbridge neighborhoods of Detroit.
This work involves rebuilding 30.5 miles of overhead and underground infrastructure including:
- Installing new cables, conduit and electrical equipment that deliver power to homes and businesses.
- Replacing utility poles with taller, stronger poles, which will better withstand the elements. Restoration of property will follow in areas where poles are removed.
- Trimming or removing trees that may damage power lines.
- Installing smart grid technology called reclosers. A recloser will help to automatically reroute power to many customers during an outage.
Over the past several months, crews have been working in alleyways along Michigan Avenue to trim trees, replace more than eight miles of overhead and underground wires, conduit, cables and electrical equipment and install more than 480 new utility poles.
In the coming months, crews will be working in the Hubbard Richard neighborhood to rebuild infrastructure from Jefferson Avenue up to Michigan Avenue.
All this work will help increase reliability and safety for our customers. Additionally, rebuilding will increase the grid’s capacity, supporting additional clean energy solutions like electric vehicles.
Follow this work at empoweringmichigan.com/reliability-improvements/wayne-county.