DTE: All Power in Ferndale Restored
Residents and businesses rejoice after nearly 2 1/2 days of electricity going on and off in Ferndale and a full shutdown at 2:30 a.m. Saturday that left nearly 6,500 customers without power.
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After 2 1/2 days of power outages and brownouts for the majority of Ferndale, DTE Energy spokesman John Austerberry has reported that all power has been restored in Ferndale.
"At 6 this morning, all customers in Ferndale have been restored," Austerberry said.
Started on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., Ferndale residents started reporting outages throughout the city. By Wednesday night, about 5,000 homes and businesses were without power. DTE reported that a cable bringing in electricity to a transformer at the West Nine Mile and Dover substation blew.
DTE workers than began to transfer customers from the cable to the second transformer at the substation. Due to the stress and the continued heat, that second cable malfunctioned Thursday night, leaving nearly 6,000 homes and businesses in Ferndale without power.
The outage was the result of a dayslong record-breaking heat wave baking much of the Midwest. Temperatures all week ranged in the 90s with Thursday reaching 100 degrees in some areas and the power system couldn't keep up with the extra service demands as residents and businesses cranked up the air conditioning and ran fans. The city of Ferndale opened the Gerry Kulick Community Center as an all-night cooling station to help those without power beat the heat.
By Friday, DTE brought in portable generators to help alleviate some of the outages due to the faulty cables. Friday evening, DTE realized it was going to have to, in fact, shut down the majority of its customers in Ferndale to fully make repairs.
"We repaired one of the two cables by jumpering," Austerberry said. "Basically we hooked up customers from one circuit to another through the cable."
Austerberry said that through jumpering and through the use of the two generators DTE brought on site Friday, Ferndale was powered up at 6 a.m.
"We'll be able to maintain service to everyone as long as the loads don't get too high," he said.
Austerberry is asking all residents in Ferndale to conserve energy over the weekend. He asks the homeowners either curtail the air conditioning for as long as they can or keep the temperature around "80 or so."
"Keeping it at 80 doesn't put a strain on the system as much as having it at 70 or 72," he said.
He also asks residents to delay using the dishwasher, clothes washer or dryer – "anything with a big motor" – for the weekend.
Austerberry said DTE is continuing to work on the second cable throughout Saturday and Sunday to get the substation in full operation again.
Deena Kachadoorian
9:24 am on Saturday, July 23, 2011
There needs to be a central info site for emergencies such as this latest city wide power outage. When I called non-emergency police, I was told DTE doesn't share info with them. Not knowing what's going on adds to the frustration and helplessness. We appreciate the Mayor's robo call about the Kulick cooling center, but those without power did not get that info.
Terry Parris Jr.
9:31 am on Saturday, July 23, 2011
Deena: You can always check Ferndale Patch's site and the Facebook page for up to the minute details of what is going on. But I get what you're saying.
Joann
10:34 am on Saturday, July 23, 2011
Patch does a wonderful job of keeping us informed. Of course, if you don't have a power that can be a problem.
Deena Kachadoorian
11:22 am on Saturday, July 23, 2011
Terry, wiithout power or a portable device, I was unable to access the Patch.
Jeff
10:08 am on Saturday, July 23, 2011
My biggest problem with this whole situation has been DTE's continued denial of responsibility for this incident. DTE spokesman Linne Singer was asked by a local radio station, "If the problem is the result of excessive heat, why is Ferndale the only city with no power?" He responded with, "Well it's like having 100 cars on the road in extreme heat, one of them is going to break down". While this statement is true...the reason that one car breaks down is the lack of proper maintenance and/or the fact it is long overdue for replacement. Does DTE think the public is that ignorant....or are they?
Patrick Dengate
10:27 am on Saturday, July 23, 2011
Right, there have been problems with this substation before. I think DTE owes the neighborhoods served by that facility an explanation as to its shortcomings, and how they plan to deal with them. Through what avenues might this occur? I appreciate Mayor Coulter's engagement with the situation, and I hope he can get some more answers out of them them today.
Sarah M.
10:46 am on Saturday, July 23, 2011
Temp around 80???? Really??? Bottom line is DTE is not providing adequate service. We need proactive & preventative infrastructure replacement scheduling. And another electric company to provide some healthy competition. This has been the worst week ever-- try finding somewhere to stay with two small kids, one of them with a fever and having no place to put food. I don't care the reasoning-- this whole thing is completely unacceptable.
Katherine Hansen
11:13 am on Saturday, July 23, 2011
I wholeheartedly agree with Jeff and Sarah. Well said.
Jay
12:40 pm on Saturday, July 23, 2011
Does anyone know:
With the recent power outage will DTE credit our account to allow for loss of refridgerated food. While this may seem minor to DTE , we had just finished grocery shopping when the power went out. Did anyone else experience the same?
Jay
Tom B.
12:46 pm on Saturday, July 23, 2011
Jay - my understanding - and I may be wrong - is that the power would have to be out for 72 straight hours for you to be able to submit a claim to DTE. And since - shocker - they "fixed" the power right before the 72 hour mark, they don't have to be held responsible for anything. Maybe I'm wrong - I hope I'm wrong. But that's what I've heard.
Deena Kachadoorian
3:33 pm on Saturday, July 23, 2011
You can get a $25.00 credit by calling or going to DTE's website and filling out a form. Otherwise, for lost groceries, DTE told me, you can get a confirmation to send to your insurance Co or to take to FIA @ Human Services.
Jeff
3:44 pm on Saturday, July 23, 2011
Deena is correct. It's basically a 25 dollar credit if power was lost for more than 16 hours. Mine was off for 28 hrs, then on for 2, and off again for 31....so I am going to make two seperate claims. If you make a claim to your insurance...you risk a rate increase.....