Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Consumers Energy joined the nation in celebrating National Squirrel Day by highlighting ongoing efforts to protect wildlife while ensuring it keeps the lights on in neighborhoods.

The utility says though squirrels may be small, their big curiosity can lead to trouble when they explore substations and equipment, leading to unexpected outages.

Annually, about 8% of power outages are caused by wildlife, including squirrels, raccoons, and other animals.

To address the issue, Consumers says it’s working to upgrade infrastructure to deter wildlife and strengthen the grid as part of our Reliability Roadmap.

Since 2012, Consumers Energy has done nearly 600 animal mitigation projects so that today, more than 90% of our substations are fully protected against furry intruders. These enhancements include:

-Gate Foundations: Creating barriers that prevent animals from burrowing under or sneaking through entry points.

-Polycarbonate Barriers: Durable and transparent shields that block access to critical equipment without harming wildlife.

-Bushing Guards: A cage-like structure designed to protect breaker and transformer bushings so that animals can’t disrupt the equipment.

-Pole Wraps: Specialized coverings installed on utility poles to prevent climbing and reduce the risk of accidental contact.

Chris Laird, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric distribution, said “Our goal is to create a win-win for both wildlife and our customers. By proactively installing these mitigation measures, we’re preventing outages and ensuring that squirrels, raccoons, and other animals stay safe and away from harm.”

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