If your home was one of the many in Genesee County that were (or still are) without power you may qualify for an outage credit on your energy bill. Find out the terms of qualification for the credit here.

Due to the recent winter storm over 348,000 Michigan homes went without power, Genesee County holding the largest share of that number with over 32,000 homes affected. For those of you who endured the harsh conditions without the luxury of heat this holiday, we truly feel for you. Money isn't everything, but it may make you feel a little better to know you may be eligible for a credit on your next Consumers Energy bill for the inconvenience.

According to the Consumers Energy Website, you may be eligible for an Electric Outage Credit if you meet one of the following conditions:

  • Service interrupted for more than 120 hours (five days) during catastrophic conditions (10 percent or more of a utility's customers affected)
  • Service interrupted for more than 16 hours during normal conditions
  • Service interrupted more than seven times in a 12-month period

May have regained power in their home, but not all. Some areas have been without power since Saturday, December 22nd, including our station. There are a few precautions to remember in situations like these:

  • Don't touch a down power line -- it will kill you. You can report down power lines by calling 800-477-5050
  • Treat all intersections with non-functioning traffic lights as four-way stops. Yes, that means you have to stop, no matter what, and wait your turn
  • If your home is ever without power in temperatures this cold, open your faucet for a constant drip to help keep pipes from freezing
  • If you require assistance or need to seek shelter, you can get info on such services by dialing 2-1-1
  • You can also find a list of warming shelter locations operated by the American Red Cross by clicking here
  • You can get more winter storm/power outage safety tips by clicking here

Remember, many Consumers Energy employees have been working hard to restore service to all of Michigan residents. Many had to give up their holiday as well. Please do not take your frustrations out on them. Mother nature is the real enemy here and all sides have been inconvenienced... and that's putting it mildly. Stay warm. Stay safe. Hang in there.

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