DETROIT (WWJ) -- DTE Energy says it plans to invest $70 million to remove trees and trim branches away from power lines in an effort to combat extreme weather-related power outages.
The utility made the announcement Wednesday, a few weeks after more than a half-million customers in southeast Michigan lost power due to severe storms, some of which didn’t have power restored until nearly a week later.
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DTE officials say trees are responsible for almost all of the time customers are without power during high wind events, and in areas where tree trimming has already been completed, there have been about 60% fewer outages.
That’s why the utility plans to invest an additional $70 million into tree trimming efforts on top of the $190 million DTE already spends on tree trimming annually. The new investment will not impact customers’ utility bills, DTE said.
Efforts to keep Michiganders online are being made after a summer that saw five tornadoes in the DTE service area and eight storms that brought tropical force wind gusts -- between 39 and 74 mph.
Those high winds, along with excess moisture in the ground, uprooted trees, which pulled down wires and poles, DTE officials say.
Crews had to replace 450 broken power poles in the wake of the catastrophic Aug. 11 storm that left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power in the midst of a brutal heat wave.
DTE President and CEO Jerry Norcia says DTE tripled its tree trimming efforts and doubled infrastructure upgrades several years ago when they began to see more severe weather patterns, but this summer has brought the issue back to the forefront.
“The extreme weather we experienced this summer – nine hard-hitting, severe storms in nine weeks – is something we have never experienced,” Norcia said. “That’s why we made the decision to invest even more now, directing an additional $70 million into tree trimming to combat the large and recurring outages that have been so challenging for our customers. We will do what it takes to protect Michiganders from power outages caused by catastrophic storms and extreme weather patterns.”
The plan calls for DTE to:
-- Accelerate tree trimming work for the hardest hit communities
-- Provide incremental funds to trim an additional 3,500 miles
-- Increase the tree trimming workforce from 1,200 tree trimmers to 1,500
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Back in 2019, the Michigan Public Service Commission approved an accelerated Enhanced Tree Trimming Program, bringing more focus and resources to reduce tree-related outages.
Since 2016, DTE says, the utility has trimmed nearly 20,000 miles -- nearly the distance around the world.
More information about DTE’s tree trimming program can be found on the DTE website.
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