Michigan Woman Says Planned Consumers Energy Outage Could Become Dangerous

If you’ve been hearing about those planned Consumers Energy outages this weekend and wondering how people are supposed to handle it overnight, one Mid-Michigan woman says she’s already preparing for the worst-case scenario.

How One Mid-Michigan Resident Is Preparing for Planned Outage

A Hemlock resident told ABC12 she depends on a C-PAP machine because of severe sleep apnea, and losing power overnight could turn into a miserable and potentially dangerous situation. She says she got a postcard warning her about the planned outage and immediately started figuring out backup options.

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Consumers Energy says the outages in Byron, Hemlock, and Davison are tied to grid upgrades and security system improvements designed to better prepare for severe Michigan weather.

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The company says it intentionally schedules this kind of work overnight during “shoulder months” between peak summer and winter demand to try limiting the impact on customers.

Planned Power Outages: What Customers Using Medical Devices Should Know

Still, for people relying on medical equipment, even a planned outage can become stressful. The Hemlock woman says she’ll be using a camping-style battery bank to power her C-PAP through the night, but admits not everyone has that option sitting around at home.

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Consumers Energy says customers using sensitive medical devices should contact the company so they can receive additional alerts and assistance ahead of planned outages.

You can check the Consumers Energy Outage Map anytime for current outages within their service area.