With a heat wave sending temperatures into the upper 90s, DTE Energy — which has been under fire this month for a widespread outage after violent storms — told the Free Press it has postponed this week’s planned outages for repairs in metro Detroit.
Some incredulous customers raised concerns on social media, wondering if — given a forecasted heat index of 107 and an advisory that has been issued through Wednesday evening — the notice for a temporary outage was perhaps satire.
In response to the Free Press, which asked if the outage was real, the utility said it had decided to reschedule work that had been announced that would require a brief outage from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday “due to the hot weather and to minimize impact to our customers.”
Short-term, planned outages to repair and upgrade equipment are common, the utility said, but this week, the danger would have been that the heat index, what the temperature feels like, is calling for highs exceeding 100 degrees, and for some, it was the latest action by the regulated monopoly that didn’t make sense.
Going without air conditioning, even for a couple of hours, could pose a threat to some residents.
“It’s going to be a hot week,” Steve Freitag, with the National Weather Service, said.
In fairness, the weather is not something that the power company can control, and this week, millions of people across the United States are expected to face days of dangerous heat that lingers. Some weather experts are calling it a “heat dome.”
In some places, forecasters cautioned, there could be record-breaking temperatures, and in metro Detroit, the warnings to residents have been clear and direct: Unless it is essential to be outside, stay in and stay cool. The extreme heat watch is slated for Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday evening and could be extended.
The heat index value – the “feels like” temperature – threatened to reach up to 107 degrees.
What’s more, forecasters warn there could be isolated showers, and smoke from Canadian wildfires is headed toward metro Detroit, which on Wednesday could affect air quality, which came with more warnings about avoiding “strenuous outdoor activities.”
As the heat dissipates, however, going back to the 80s, the possibility grows, forecasters said, for thunderstorms on Saturday, with a round of showers possible sometime during the day, which could — again — pose a threat to powerlines.
The DTE announcement that had been circulating on social media for the planned power outage had said that it “will affect 492 customers in the Joy Road/An Arbor Trail area” in the Dearborn Heights area while “DTE crews safely perform work on equipment in the area.”
Residents, the announcement added, were “encouraged to plan accordingly.”
In the past week, DTE has faced intense criticism — and complaints — from customers who are upset that their power was out for several days without little or no compensation, and even more, responses from the utility that seemed out of touch with their concerns.
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: DTE postpones planned power outages during this week’s heat wave
Reporting by Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
