Info on power outages & downed wires
Power outages and downed wires are often the result of severe weather events. Knowing what to do in advance is the best way to protect yourself and your property.
Power outages
To report an outage, get outage updates, estimated time of repair
- Web: www.dteenergy.com/outage – also to sign up for email storm alerts, safety tips
- Phone: DTE Energy at 800-477-4747 – if no internet connection
Safety around downed wires
- Never touch anything or anyone that is in contact with a downed wire.
- Call DTE Electric immediately at 800.477.4747.
- Never touch a downed power line, or anything it is in contact with – even if there are no sparks. A live wire may whip or sweep through a wide area looking for a ground. A ground is the earth or something touching the earth, like a fence, puddle or even a tree. A live wire that has already found a ground may lie silent but be equally deadly. Call us immediately at 800.477.4747 if you see a downed wire.
- Be especially cautious near metal fences after severe weather. Electric current will be strongest where a downed line has touched the fence, but even a connecting fence several backyards away can be energized and just as dangerous.
- Downed wire on a vehicle: Stay in your vehicle and wait for help. If you must get out because of fire or other danger, jump clear of the vehicle without touching it and the ground at the same time. Then hop with feet together or shuffle away — don’t run or stride. Electricity spreads out through the ground in ripples, like a stone dropped in water. The voltage is highest in the ring closest to the vehicle and decreases with distance. Hop with feet together or shuffle away so that one foot won’t be in a higher voltage zone than another, which could make you a conductor for electricity!