DETROIT (WXYZ) — DTE Energy is working to provide more reliable electricity to customers by installing smart devices that have already prevented more than 16,000 customer outages since the beginning of the year.
The utility company aims to fully automate the grid by 2029, with crews actively installing the technology across southeastern Michigan, including on Roselawn Street in Detroit Wednesday.
Watch Jolie Sherman's video report below:
"Whether it's snow, ice, wind, trees, the equipment that you see behind us, these smart devices really allow us to prevent outages from occurring," said Morgan Elliott Andahazy, director of DTE's Project Management Organization.
The devices have the ability to reroute power so less customers experience an outage. It also identifies damaged areas, speeding up restoration efforts and improves customer safety.
Hear more from Morgan Elliott Andahazy in the video player below:
"When there is a downed power line on that circuit, these devices will cut off power so that that wire that's laying on the ground is now de-energized. So if anybody were to come in contact with it, they would not be in harm's way," Andahazy said.
(DTE recommends staying at least 25 feet - or the length of a school bus - away from all downed power lines, and to assume they are live and dangerous. Report downed power lines via DTE's Outage Center.)
We're told, crews will be installing more than 30 smart devices each week through the end of the year. By then, they will have added more than 675 devices to the grid.
"By the end of this year, we'll have more than 1,200 devices installed throughout our territory," Andahazy said.
Detroit resident Andre Bailey, who knows what it's like to lose power, welcomes the improvements.
"It is miserable. You can't watch television, you know, it gets cold, gotta get multiple blankets and everything. I'll put on sweaters," Bailey said.
Another neighbor, Rita Jessie, expressed gratitude for the technology.
"I feel they're doing a great job, you know, because we need more improvement," Jessie said.
This is all part of DTE's five-year, $10 billion plan to reduce customer outages by 30% and cut the duration of outages in half by 2029.
DTE also plans on making upgrades to existing electrical equipment, building brand-new substations and investing in tree trimming to reduce outages caused by tree damage.
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