BERRIEN COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – UPDATED – I&M Power has released an update as of 7:40 p.m. Tuesday.
Power is now restored to nearly 4,000 customers. customers. However, more than 12,000 customers remain without power after heavy rain submerged a substation in Bridgman.
The flooding at the substation impacted three other area nearby substations.
I&M and the city of Bridgman worked together to quickly drain floodwaters, enabling crew access. Once inside, crews discovered the substation control room was submerged in more than two feet of water.
The unprecedented flooding inside the substation damaged equipment and created substantial challenges, officials said.
As a result, crews have spent the majority of today constructing a new power line connection to bypass the flooded substation, which will restore power to three affected substations in the area.
They are also installing a mobile substation to restore power to those served by the damaged station.
Crews also patrolled 375 miles of power lines connecting to each substation to identify hazards and repair downed wires, officials said.
Below are estimated times of restoration for customers:
- Customers in the New Buffalo, Lakeside and Three Oaks areas are expected to be restored by 10 p.m. tonight.
- All remaining customers in the Bridgman area are expected to be restored by tomorrow afternoon.
— Original Story —
Tuesday, the Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) released a statement regarding several power outages in Southwest Michigan that occurred due to overnight storms.
The company says heavy rain, lightning and strong wind gusts contributed to more than 15,000 customers without electric service.
Heavy rain flooded a substation in the Bridgman area, impacting three other area stations and more than 14,500 customers across Southwest Michigan.
Officials said this is an unprecedented flood in the substation creating several unique challenges.
To restore power as quickly and safely as possible, crews are actively working to install a new power line connection to circumvent the flooded substation, restoring the other three affected substations in the area.
Officials say it will take some time to build the line and reroute power, and those affected by the substation outage should expect to be without service throughout the day and into this evening.
I&M will provide additional updates with more specific estimates as crews continue to work.
I&M crews are also working to restore power to other customers in Michigan and Indiana affected by this morning’s weather, and we will provide estimates for those separate outages as soon as possible.
Another round of storms are set to roll through I&M’s service area this evening and overnight, which may cause additional outages.
The company says it will continue to provide updates to our customers on its social media channels and through its mobile app.
SAFETY INFO –
After the storms, there are numerous safety hazards customers and customers should use caution:
- Stay away from any downed wires and report them to I&M. You can contact I&M by calling 1-800-311-4634, report on I&M’s app or website, or call 911.
- Use caution around debris and fences. Fallen limbs and other debris can hide downed power lines, and a downed line may be contacting a fence out of line of sight. Look around carefully.
- Avoid standing water, especially if a downed wire is near. Electricity can travel through water.
- Look up as trees could fall at any moment.
- Use caution as traffic lights may not be working and be mindful of first responders and utility workers on the roadways.
- Take frequent breaks if working outside or cleaning up due to the high heat index set for today. Make sure you are hydrating and taking all precautions when in the sun.
- I&M employees and contractors will be working alongside the road and in neighborhoods. We urge the public not to approach our crews.
STAYING INFORMED –
- I&M encourages customers to use the Indiana Michigan Power app to monitor the status of any outage affecting your home or business. This can be found at IndianaMichiganPower.com/App.
- You can sign up for text and email alerts on the app or at IndianaMichiganPower.com/Alerts.
- See the location and status of outages using our outage map at IndianaMichiganPower.com/OutageMap.
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