It will not be a surprise to Clark Lakers to learn that Jackson County was among the hardest hit by the ice storm, and with it, heavy loss of electrical service. Consumers Energy says that Kalamazoo and Hillsdale also suffered major outages as the storm’s destructive path traveled along I-94. Statewide 250,000 residences and businesses were affected. In their latest release, Consumers indicates power has been restored to about a third of its customers. “Based on current assessments, a majority of affected customers should be restored by Sunday. Restoration work should continue and be largely complete by the end of the day Monday.”
Experience shows restoration timelines on the Consumers Energy Outage Page are not reliable, particularly when so many areas have been affected. A quick check around Clark Lake earlier today found no crews assessing problems or working on them.
Never have their been so many downed wires around the lake, as revealed from yesterday’s website tour. Some downed wires are phone lines and do not constitute the same hazard as an electrical line. By now, most downed wires may not be live. But you never know for sure. Heeding Consumers’ warning to stay 25 feet away is practical advice. The photo below was taken on South Jackson Road between Clark Lake and Jackson Wednesday evening.
Untangling the mess will take some doing. Wires trapped this large limb on Eagle Point Drive.
This limb is hanging from wires on Eagle Point Lane (runs parallel to Eagle Point Road).
What actions will Consumers Energy take? “Consumers Energy will trim or remove trees interfering with electric restoration activities. Once safe to do so, clean-up of debris from tree trimming or removal during a storm emergency is the responsibility of individual property owners.” What about other damage? “In some cases, the mast that holds the electric service wires to a home or business may have been damaged or torn away. Crews will reconnect the wires to a home, but only a licensed electrician can repair or replace a mast or a cable.”
Jefferson Road is no longer blocked. But other areas have yet to see relief. This photo was taken this morning at the Clark Lake Yacht Club.
For some, clean up means bringing in tree contractors. For others, rebuilding will involve much more.
The colorful Consumers Energy Outage Map looks like it could go on display at the Toledo Museum of Art. In case it provides some comfort, here’s what it showed at 2 pm today (Fri 2/24).
Those who lost internet at Clark Lake may now have it. The Comcast service began working sporadically yesterday evening, then was lost again this morning. As of this writing, it is working for your reporter. If you are having problems restoring it properly, consider rebooting your modem followed by rebooting your router.
Click to review previous stories:
Friday Ice Storm Update – Clark Lake Spirit Foundation
Trees Down and Power Out at Clark Lake – Clark Lake Spirit Foundation
Click this link for the Consumers Energy Outage Map.
