Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Livingston and Genesee Counties are among six selected for a pilot program to bury overhead power lines to improve electric reliability and reduce customer outages.

Consumers Energy announced Monday that a targeted undergrounding pilot program has been approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission. A $3.7 (m) million investment will enable the company to bury 10 miles of overhead power lines in the next year.

The pilot program will target circuits in Livingston, Genesee, Allegan, Ottawa, Montcalm, and Iosco Counties that have frequent, lengthy outages and are in areas with dense trees - which are often responsible for the outages.

Consumers Energy Spokesman Brian Wheeler tells WHMI the specific locations will be announced at a later date but include known areas with repeated power outages and where they think the investment for the work involved will result in the maximum benefit for customers. He said it involves areas with high concentrations of trees coming in contact with power lines or where Mother Nature seems to hit especially hard and they’ll share more details in the coming months.

The pilot program will kick-start Consumers Energy’s long-term plans to move more power lines underground, bolstering the company’s efforts to improve electric service for nearly 2 million Michigan homes and businesses. Buried power lines are better protected from common outage causes including lightning, high winds, tornadoes, heavy snow, ice, and falling tree limbs.

Consumers Energy’s Vice President of Electric Operations commented “We can’t control Mother Nature, but we can control how we prepare for more extreme weather. Burying power lines is just one tool we can use in our growing toolbox to prevent outages from impacting our customers. We are committed to delivering more reliable energy for all customers.”

Consumers Energy’s Vice President of Electric Distribution Engineering Greg Salisbury said “Burying power lines will help make the grid stronger and more reliable. The pilot will help us learn even more about cost-effective ways to bury lines, allowing us to expand undergrounding projects in the future. It is important to note that burying lines might be the best solution for some areas but not others. Using a strategic approach and a variety of methods to strengthen the grid, we aim to ensure that all the communities we serve can count on us to deliver reliable electricity”.

Underground lines currently make up about 15% of all Consumers Energy electric lines, most being in subdivisions and areas with high population density. In the future, the energy provider aims to bury over 1,000 miles of line in the next 5 years, subject to regulatory approval.

The Reliability Roadmap, Consumers Energy’s plan for a smarter and stronger electric grid, includes investments in smart technology and automation, forestry work, and infrastructure upgrades. It is described as "a blueprint for serving Michigan today while investing and innovating to meet the challenges of tomorrow".