This summer, DTE started construction on a new substation designed to provide the additional capacity needed to support growing industrial and commercial demand along 23 and 24 Mile Roads. Substations are critical parts of the electric grid that reduce voltage levels coming from power plants to distribute electricity safely and efficiently to homes and businesses.
When DTE builds a new substation, the company also adds or upgrades all of the supporting infrastructure. With the Shelby Township project, DTE is building out nearly nine miles of new infrastructure, installing new poles and overhead power lines as well as new cables and equipment underground. The substation will be equipped with smart grid technology that will reduce the number and duration of outages. This technology enables DTE to monitor the grid from its state-of-the-art System Operations Center located in the company’s downtown Detroit headquarters. The technology automatically adjusts power supply to meet demand or reroutes power so lights can stay on for more customers while crews make any needed repairs.
Matt Hicks, director, Project Management Office, DTE Energy, said, “The new Shelby Township substation will improve reliability for existing customers and support the growing number of commercial and industrial businesses moving into the area.”
The new substation represents an investment of $39 million and DTE expects to complete this project in early 2026. DTE has also started construction on two other new substations; one in Northville and another in Pontiac. The new substations represent a major investment in DTE’s system that will improve reliability, while increasing capacity to support growth, economic development and a more electrified future, including electric vehicles. In addition, the company is rebuilding power delivery infrastructure across its service territory and has a dozen substations in various stages of being energized and commissioned.
These system upgrades are part of DTE’s plan to build the grid of the future, which also includes transitioning to a smart grid, upgrading existing infrastructure, rebuilding existing significant portions of the grid and trimming trees. These improvements will help the company reach its goal of reducing outages by 30% while cutting outage times in half by 2029.
To learn more about work happening in your neighborhood, visit empoweringmichigan.com/reliability-improvements or DTE’s Power Improvements Map.