(WXYZ) — DTE Energy announced plans for a $7 billion upgrade to metro Detroit's electric grid over the next five years.
Among the many aspects of the plan is a multi-billion-dollar investment to combat power outages, which comes after a summer of strong storms and power outages that left customers and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel outraged.
The investments include increased automation, self-healing circuits, pole maintenance, tree trimming and other projects aimed at modernizing the grid's oldest infrastructure.
Related: DTE Energy to invest $70M in tree trimming in hopes of combatting weather-related power outages
DTE also said it is planning pilot projects study the cost of non-wire alternatives like energy storage and burying power lines.
“Much of our grid was designed and built more than a century ago, providing customers the energy required for a much simpler day-to-day life," DTE President and CEO Jerry Norcia said in a release.
Another aspect of the plan is expanding capacity for electric vehicles as more people buy EVs and automakers make more of them.
