Work is well underway to improve electric service for residents and businesses in Port Huron. Since 2023, we’ve been investing more than $100 million to rebuildthe electric infrastructure that delivers power to many customers in the area.  

The project, which is expected to be completed in 2026, includes:   

  • Constructing a new electric substation, which is a critical part of the electric grid that helps deliver electricity safely and efficiently to homes. 
  • Upgrading 30 miles of electrical equipment like poles, transformers, overhead wires and underground conduit and cables.  
  • Installing smart grid technology that will allow us to locate damage so our crews can get to work on repairs faster. They also allow us to reroute power during an outage so we can restore power for many of our customers while crews make repairs. And, most important, these devices will automatically de-energize downed power lines to keep customers safe. 
  • Trimming trees and branches growing along the power lines that serve the city.  

The work will help keep power on, especially during extreme weather. Customers served by the upgraded equipment and new substation are expected to experience a 90% improvement in reliability. The work will also improve the grid’s capacity to support growth in the area and an increase in demand for electric energy options like more electric vehicles and appliances. 
 

Progress 

Since summer 2023, crews have installed more than 20 miles of new poles and wires. Additionally, we have built more than two miles of piping (conduit) underground and are installing the cable in those pipes. Crews will continue rebuilding this infrastructure through 2026. 

Finally, the substation is also nearly completed. All the underground infrastructure has been constructed and all the large, above-ground equipment, like transformers, that help control the delivery of power to customers has been installed. Crews are finishing up landscaping work and are beginning to test the equipment to prepare to electrify the substation in early 2025. We will connect customers to the substation in 2026 once the power delivery equipment is rebuilt. 

Rebuilding work like this is just one part of our plan to build the grid of the future: transitioning to a smart grid, upgrading existing infrastructure, rebuilding significant portions of the grid and trimming trees. To read about additional reliability improvement work happening in your neighborhood, visit empoweringmichigan.com/reliability-improvements or view our Power Improvements Map.